


Who Am I?

by Bluesapphire24



Series: Who am I? and spin off [1]
Category: Vampire Knight
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Cheating, Gen, M/M, Mpreg, My First Fanfic, twisted plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-03
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-04-29 18:07:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 58
Words: 476,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5137538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluesapphire24/pseuds/Bluesapphire24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It has been sometime since the war ended thanks to the sacrifice of Kaname. But, is this the end of Zero's agony? No! With his worst nightmare coming back to life and deep secrets he tried so hard to keep hidden starting to get revealed, Zero finds himself in a more messed up situation than he would have wished for. How could things go so wrong after one dinner? hermaphrodite</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. chapter1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello dear readers!! I am happy you are curious about my first story ever. This is the first chapter, I hope you enjoy it. I will be looking forward to your reviews ;)  
> A lot of changes have been made in this story, so I will be mentioning them on the go.  
> For starter, the events happen after the end of the manga, however, few things are different. You will discover in this chapter that Ichiru is not dead and his relation with zero is different than in the manga.  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.  
> I just borrowed its characters to mess around with them in my wild fantasies. :p

****

Zero is a 24 years old software developer who has been quite successful in his career to the point of being able to have his own IT company that he can now operate remotely from home. He also took interest in stock marketing that also played well for him. This allowed him to live comfortably in a luxury apartment located in a posh community inside the city.

It has been sometime since the war ended thanks to the sacrifice of Kaname. It was painful for Zero to see Yuki struggle after the loss of her savior and father of her unborn child. He tried to stand by her side as much as possible and give her the support she needed, that is, until Aido managed to find a way to keep the furnace alive without the sacrifice of the beating heart of a pureblood. After this great discovery, the genius scientist cooped himself in his laboratory for a God knows how long working on restoring the damaged parts of his leader’s heart after taking it out of the furnace with the help of Isaya Shouto. Finally, they managed to bring Kaname back to life from the ice coffin, where he was carefully kept. 

Truth being told, Zero didn’t know how to take the news of Kaname coming back to life. It is true that he played a big role in achieving the equilibrium and peace they are enjoying right now, and seeing the happiness Yuki exhibits at the thought of having him back gave him a weird mix of emotions.

He hated the guts of that pureblood and could not even stand looking at his face without feeling nauseous, and fight the urge to pull the trigger of Bloody Rose. So having him back is similar to a nightmare coming back to haunt him. However, he could not help but feel glad that Yuki got back to her usual cheerful self, with her genuine smile and happy childlike giggles. She is not forcing herself to smile for the sake of reassuring the others that she was fine anymore, she was smiling because she was happy, simple as that. Even though this caused him to nurse a heartbreak from his love for her that Zero knew would never bear anyways.

Once Zero made sure that Kaname is well enough to take care of Yuki and assist Cross Kaien, he decided it was high time for him to get back to US, where he left Ichiru with the responsibility to manage his company and assets. The perfect opportunity to get away from everything and start a new chapter in his life once again.

However, Zero was taken aback by the news of his brother moving the company’s headquarter to japan, barely a town away from Cross Academy. Extreme anger, frustration and fury were not enough to describe how zero felt about his twin’s decision. Despite that, he knew he had no right to blame him. In fact, Zero did sign the deed and gave full ownership of his properties and company to his brother before the war began. It was a measure of precaution in case he did not survive, and then, with the mess of the association requesting him to take the position of the president, Yuki’s pregnancy and depression, Cross Academy’s management, Zero did not have the time to check on how his brother was handling things on his side. Ichiru’s decision was understandable and logical from any point of view. Seeing as his lover will be settling down in Japan, and will not be able to visit him as often as before, Ichiru made the right decision of shifting to Japan to avoid the long distance relationship he hated so much to last any longer.

When zero decided to get the company back, Ichiru was more than happy to hand over the ownership again. Zero gladly accepted, but he forced Ichiru to accept the profits the company incurred during the time he operated it. The younger twin gratefully accepted it and used the hefty reward as seed money for the western-style bar he later opened in the city and named K-BAR.

Thus, these crazy series of events led to Zero having to struggle for some time. He had to finish the shifting arrangement with Ichiru while looking for a place to live (let’s not mention the arguments he had to go through with Yuki and Cross about why he was adamant toward the idea of living in Cross Academy or even Cross city for that matter). Once everything settled down, and the company is on solid track again, Zero found himself having more free time than expected. Too many lonely boring nights where unwanted memories came crawling back.

On such nights, Zero would slip out of his pajamas, put on his casual clothes before heading out to K-BAR, he likes to help out there to kill time and enjoy playing at the grand piano, which will entertain the customers at the same time. He recently took a liking to learning the mixing of cocktails and experimenting with them. Ichiru was extremely grateful for that as well. Seeing that zero visits the bar and enjoys the piano, not only served in increasing the number of regulars at his establishment, but also helped in reducing Zero’s bad habit of night prowling that he acquired in his time at the states. He understands the pattern of his older twin’s life. If zero were not busy with work, he would make sure to have dinner with Ichiru before the opening hours of the bar. After that, he would head home to rest. Ichiru made it into a routine to call zero around 11 pm to check on him. Knowing his brother is a night owl due to his work of managing both Japanese and American branch of his company, Zero tends to exhaust himself if there is no one to stop him until he collapses. So when Ichiru calls, either zero would answer saying he is busy working and mumbling some curses about useless people…, or he would be on his way to K-BAR and have Ichiru prepare his favorite drink, or he would switch off which means he is fooling around with a complete stranger and do not want to be interrupted. In the latter case, the younger twin cannot help but swing by his brother’s place early the next day to make sure that zero was home and okay, his nagging and early visit paid off when zero gave him a spare key to make sure he never wakes him up so bloody early again.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Tonight was no different; zero stretched on his chair finished his work and checked for any email requiring his urgent interference finding none. He slipped out of his pajama and took a quick shower before heading down to K-BAR. He entered and headed toward the grand piano after greeting few of the regular he recognized while ignoring the heated stare of some of them. There was an implicit rule that zero is not to hit on anyone in his brother’s place and to reject all advances in order not to cause unnecessary trouble for his twin. Zero would also not appreciate the idea of his brother seeing him taking off with his one night stand, or worse, hearing about his random relationships from the bar talk. Ichiru followed him to the two-stairs high stage where the piano is located and handed him a glass of Bloody Mary that zero accepted with a smile. Ichiru talked about everything and nothing while zero finished his drink. _“As usual the chatterbox!” thought zero,_ he enjoyed listening to his brother talking about his adventures with the bar customers, their funny stories as well as the grumbling of the bartender on how the owner should not be so friendly and involved with the customers …

“Oh yeah! I forgot!” said Ichiru suddenly; snapping zero from his musing while he fumbled with his phone and flipping the screen to show zero the content.

“Hana sent me new pictures of Kei-chan, look at this cutie! It will be his fourth birthday soon; I wonder what I should get him… AAAAh! There are soo many things I wanna buy for my cute-..”

Zero suddenly took the phone out of his brother’s hand, interrupting his talk, deleting the picture Ichiru just showed him and gave the phone back along with the empty glass he just finished.

“Agh! Why did you have to do that? “Whined Ichiru

“ I made it clear that I have no interest in those bloodsucker let alone their children, so get off my back!” hissed zero while glaring daggers at his twin

“But nii-san! Kei-chan is …”

“Is nothing but the kid of a leech. Now, either you fuck off and let me play some and enjoy myself or I will look elsewhere so that I can relax without a nagging machine under my head”

“Fine…”

At that last statement, Ichiru’s shoulder slumped in defeat as he retreated to the bar, put down the glasses before putting on his business smile once again and resume working. Zero felt bad for snapping at his brother like that, but it was his fault for pushing his buttons. He pulled up the cover of the piano, warmed up his fingers, and took a deep breath before he started to play some tunes. As soon as music resonated, the atmosphere of the bar changed. The patrons quieted down the useless chatter to listen; some even closed their eyes to enjoy every single note played. The silverrette played for a good hour before his shoulder started to ache, so he finished with a soft and soothing piece. Delicately covering the piano in the mist of applause, he stepped down the stairs in direction of an empty corner of the bar to get himself one last drink before heading back home for a good night sleep.

“Amazing performance as usual, Zero-chan! Worthy of a pro!”

“Would you pleaaase stop adding chan to my name, Ryou-san! Your regulars are starting to call me the same and it’s irritating as hell,” grumbled Zero to the bartender.

“Oh! Come on!” said Ryou while placing Zero’s drink on the counter “What’s the harm! Most of these regulars come just to listen to your music; they do not stay as long if you were not around.”

“Good for you then, but they still give me the urge to punch them when they call me that” deadpanned Zero

“Oh that would be bad for business!” countered Ryou faking a horrified expression on his face, before both of them burst in laughter.

“How mean! Having fun while I am busting my head entertaining customers” Said Ichiru while flopping an arm around zero’s shoulder and pouting.

“Well! Nobody asked you to play a host here” snapped Ryou while cleaning a glass

Ichiru gave him a tongue out before getting back at him by saying “As a matter of fact, this Ichiru-sama here playing host is bringing a lot of profit to the store. I dare you to deny that, Ryoutarou-dono”

“Hai! Hai! Hai!! And this Ryoutarou-dono, as you said, ends up cleaning the mess you leave behind”

“What mess?” asked Zero, curious to know what he meant.

“A mess of stalkers going after you twin, going as far as harass him and follow him home. It got so bad once that, after everything is resolved, his man would call me every freaking night to make sure I took  him back home and verified no one will ambush him before I am allowed to go back and rest. Oh! It does not stop there; he would call me again the next day to make sure I went to pick him up from home to the bar. My wife almost filed for divorce after that thinking I was cheating on her!” huffed Ryou in exasperation.

“Oh! I came to tell you table four ordered the same drink again for six people this time.” Said Ichiru offhandedly

“You could have said that sooner”

“Sorry!”

After Ryou went to prepare the drinks, Zero turned around to face his twin who is still leaning on him and said “Ich, I am sorry for snapping at you earlier” at that, Ichiru smiled and ruffled his brother’s hair “Don’t worry about it, it’s in the past now. Besides, grumpiness is nii-san’s second nature, nothing new” Ichiru said that and jumped away as not to be elbowed by his brother.

Before Zero could react, his phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket interrupting their squabble. It was a message from Cross saying that he is concocting a new menu and he is inviting them over for a family dinner the day after tomorrow, adding that attendance is mandatory and punishment is in line for those who disobey with a bunch of weird emoticons and hearts all over the message. Zero’s face scrunched up in disgust at that and his frown deepened when he reread the message only to be interrupted by Ichiru’s whining while holding his phone as well. _It seems he got the same message as well, thought zero._ “I already had plans for that day, and been waiting for sooo long, Damn!” screamed the younger twin in frustration.

“You can always ignore Cross or show up later after your date. You don’t get to see your man that often recently. It sucks to cancel it now.” Said Zero sympathetically

“Yeah! But, putting family and mandatory attendance together, and you can figure out it is not any of those random invitations that old man throws every now and then. Something is up and he needs us all present to discuss it.” Replied Ichiru in an unusual serious tone while twirling a strand of his long silver hair around his fingers.

“Yeah… I figured as much” sighed Zero.

“By saying family, Yuki and Kuran will probably be there. Will you be okay, nii-san”

“Well, I would prefer not seeing his ugly mug, but there is nothing to do about it. It’s just a dinner after all…” Zero paused for a bit before finishing “Okay Ich, I better get going, I need to rest in order to work extra tomorrow and free that afternoon. Goodnight!” Zero gulped the rest of his drink, stood from his seat and left after giving Ichiru a tap on the shoulder.

“Good night Zero!” Ichiru could not help but have a bad feeling about this dinner, thus, he immediately dialed his phone to make the arrangement of changing his date to make sure he does not leave zero alone even for one second knowing how much his brother is reluctant toward going to Cross Academy under any possible circumstance.


	2. chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.  
> I just borrowed its characters to mess around with them in my wild fantasies. :p  
> Gin, Kei-chan and Allen are fictional character that I added to suit my story. I might add some more if needed.

 

Zero could not get an ounce of sleep that night. Feeling irritated, he got out of bed and dressed in his working attire consisting of a slightly loose shirt over a pair of comfortable formal pants. He decided it was useless to sit there and let his irritation build up more. Therefore, he went to his working area.

It was originally a master bedroom with a build in closet, but Zero called a specialist and had him do some renovation and rearrangement of the space. Now it has been transformed into an office fully equipped with cutting-edge technology gadgets for him to be able to operate all kind of business transaction remotely from home.

He rolled up his sleeve to elbow level, made himself comfortable in his chair, and then proceeded to launch a video conference with the manager of the American branch, Allen, his trusted partner in this business.

“Hello there Z, What have you been up to?” Said the cheerful man across the screen while flashing a pearly white smile.

“I am good, what are you up to? You seem busy?” Inquired Zero after noticing that his friend’s gaze was focused somewhere else on the screen and clicking furiously.

“Actually, I am in the middle of checking some corporations looking to hire subcontractors for some big projects. I am thinking of pitching some proposal here and there. If we play our cards right, we would earn some fat rewards seeing the profits these monsters make annually.”

“And acquire another big client for future transaction” concluded Zero finishing his partner’s thoughts and approving his idea.

“Exactly, partner!” cheered Allen with a bigger smile

“Perfect timing, I was looking for something to work on. Send me one or two projects to look into so I can help you out in gathering necessary info.”

Allen quirked an eyebrow at his friend’s request: “Shouldn’t you be resting in bed now if not in deep sleep. It is late over there now, right? I was planning on sending your share of work tomorrow anyways.”

“Its fine, really.” He gave him a faint smile and added, “It looks like I won’t be able to sleep anyways”

“Is everything alright?”

“Everything is cool, don’t worry! I just need to free up the afternoon two days from now. That’s it”

Allen’s emerald eyes lit up on the last statement: “Oh! Our sub-zero president has a date and is nervous about it so much that he cannot sleep. How sweet!!” Cooed the red haired man across the screen.

“Sorry to disappoint you buddy. It is just a family dinner. Now stop the useless chatter, send me the documents I need to work on and get back to work.”

“Boo! Not fun! All right, here you go”

A ping resonated indicating the reception of the files.

Few moments later, Zero knit his eyebrow and looked at Allen “Sub-zero president? What with that?”

The other man waved his hand and said “Oh! That is your nickname here in the company, I recently discovered it after you relocated in Japan”

Zero snorted “Ridiculous”

“Really? I think it fits you well though. By the way, mine is sunshine. We complement each other by being polar opposite it seems hehehhe”

Zero’s scowl deepened more with his trademark glare as he said pointing his finger to the camera: “Cut it out already, Idiot! Get back to work now, and make sure you put a reasonable time frame in your proposals this time. Do not overestimate the work force of the company like last time. I do not want to go through countless all-nighters again. My hands are already full with the management and other stuff.”

“Sorry about that Z! But, it was awesome nonetheless. You never cease to amaze me by how you manage to pull off the workload of ten people in such a limited time under that much pressure without collapsing. And, it kind of reminded me of the good old college days and our work as individual freelancers before.” Replied Allen while drifting in nostalgia

“If you miss those days that much, you can always work at the research and development department. In my case, I am through with all that”

“Same here pal. It is refreshing occasionally. Otherwise, no thank you!”

“Good then. Back to work Al”

“One last thing Zero” Interjected Allen with a more serious tone to his voice.

“What?” inquired Zero, alerted by the change of attitude of his partner

“I wanted to ask you this for some time. Why do you insist on sticking to that old job of yours when you are already president and the biggest shareholder of the company now? That job even caused you to step down and give away your rights at some point. It’s not that I hated working with Ichiru. No! That was fun and productive. However, I just don’t get your obsession with this job that you still do not trust me enough to reveal its nature.”

Zero remained silent as his irritation kept building up even more now.

“I trust you as the president of this company and believe in your potential. I am talking here as a partner in business and a close friend, that is if you consider me as one. I get insecure worrying that one day you might drop everything and disappear again like two years ago.”

Zero let out an aggravated sigh before finally starting to speak “Sorry Allen! As I told you before, you don’t have to worry about it being anything shady that could put you or your family in danger. It is just something I have to do no matter what, a familial duty I cannot escape. So please! Stop trying to probe into this issue. You should not cross that line if you wish for us to remain collaborators and friends. Ichiru should not have mentioned anything to you in the first place. So please forget about it and act as if I just went on a much-needed vacation two years ago, like I initially told you.”

“Same ready tailored answer as usual, huh?” said Allen with a heavy sigh as well

“Yes”-answered Zero with finality in his tone.  

Allen clapped twice before shouting cheerfully again; “All right, back to work partner”

“Thanks Allen”

The only answer Zero got was a waving hand dismissing the issue. He felt bad for his friend to have kept him in the dark about his hunter job. However, his career with the association is something he could not reveal freely. Especially that the existence of vampire is still camouflaged from the public audience in U.S. Zero does not wish to burden his cheerful friend with the existence of those beasts in human form as he would have to reveal that he is one of them as well. With that kind of revelation, he would be risking the loss of a precious friend. He can’t afford that.

 

 

\----------------------------------------------------------- next day -----------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Due to his irritation and insomnia, Zero poured all his energy into doing as much work as possible.

As a result, he finished the tasks of three days ahead in one day. He stretched, enjoying the popping of his bones, and then looked at the time. It was 2 a.m. _”Great! I earned myself a full day off instead of just an afternoon.”_

He left his chair directly going to the shower. After coming out back to his bedroom, he started pulling his sleepwear to put them on, and then opted out of it. The hunter felt too energized to be able to sleep anyways. He picked up his phone to check if there was any hunting job in this area. _“A little bit of exercise and killing some bloodsucker should help me get a good night sleep”_

After not finding any job, he stood there for a moment contemplating on what to do, still with just a towel around his waist and another drying of his hair with it. He then gulped down two blood tablets and proceeded to choose what to wear for the night. _“Since Ichiru is not at the bar because of his date, I will just go look for some good company for the night”_ Mused the hunter as he smirked to himself.

He put on a plain O-neck pale blue T-shirt along with a pair of tight faded jeans, and then slipped into his hunter boots before putting on his denim jacket, the same color of the boots, that hugged his form to perfection.

Before leaving, Zero switched off his personal phone as usual and placed it on the coffee table nearby, taking only the phone exclusively used for the association (that even Ichiru did not know its number).

After bar hopping for a good forty minutes, Zero finally found a good catch to bring back home. Do not get it wrong please! Too many people tend to hit on the silver haired beauty, and from both gender. He is just that hard to please.

As soon as he closed the door to his apartment, the stranger slammed his back to the door, started French kissing him while ridding Zero of his jacket, and throw it aside.

The man Zero picked up easily measured up to 6’2”, he had broad shoulder and a toned muscular body in addition to what it seemed like a big package down below. That is if zero were to trust his observation when checking him out at the bar. As a bonus, Gin, as he said his name was, had quite the pretty face with well-defined jawlines, pales skin, and even paler grey eyes hidden under messy bangs of dark blue hair.

Zero started feeling dizzy from lack of oxygen during the kiss and pulled away panting hard, only to find himself moaning loudly as Gin lifted him up parting his legs, locking them around his waist, and then started grinding their hardened members at a relentless pace.

Before losing himself to the intense pleasure, the silver beauty forced the words to come out in between his breathless moans

“Hey!... Ahh… You do only guys by …Ahn.. chance?”

“ Haah? I do both why?” answered the blue haired stranger, and then started nibbling at his collarbone and sucking at the junction to his neck sending shivers straight to his groin that could not get any harder.

“OH! GOOD!” screamed Zero with an iron grip clutching the man’s hair. He then pulled him away from his neck to face him.

“Bed or sofa?” Whispered the hunter to his partner while looking at him straight in his eyes with a voice dripping with lust and desire. He felt their harsh breath mingling together from the proximity of his mouth before the answer came as a whisper as well. “Bed, I guess” shrugged the giant with a smirk on his face.

“Second door to your right down that corridor, hurry u…”

He pointed toward the direction and froze at the end of his talk when he realized the third presence in his apartment, sitting comfortably on the couch of his living room.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Kuran!” Zero suddenly growled and screamed at the dark haired man looking back at him with a passive expression. His growl freaked his date out, who in turn, immediately let go of his legs to let him down upon realizing they had company.

“Don’t mind me that much, Kiriyuu-kun. I won’t impose on you for too long” Answered Kaname in a calm voice.

“I asked what you are doing in my apartment” Zero did not bother asking how he got inside for obvious reasons.

“I just came as a messenger. Yuki tried calling your number that she got from your twin several times. However, it appears that your phone have been switched off. The poor girl was so worried that she wanted to come by herself to check on you. Due to her delicate disposition, I could not allow her to do so. Thus, I promised to come in her place.”

“Oh! How sweet of you to run errands for your pregnant wife. And...?” Snapped Zero in a sarcastic tone filled with venom while crossing his arms to his chest.

A minute of silence went by with lavender eyes glaring into wine orb before they were interrupted by the hesitant voice of Gin: “Uhm… perhaps it would be better for me to lea—“

“No need!” announced Zero, instantly preventing the retreat of his date “He is leaving! IMMEDIATELY!”

Kaname stood from the couch and headed slowly toward the door behind the two men, with Zero constantly glaring daggers in his direction.

He stopped at the door and resumed his talk “I just came to confirm that you will be attending tomorrow’s dinner since Yuki is worried you might ignore the invitation like all the others that chairman Cross sent for the past year or more… So?” he looked back at the angry amethyst eyes without moving his hand on the doorknob while he waited for the answer.

“I already confirmed with Chairman Cross that I will be there on time. I see no need to confirm with anyone else. Now scram”

“Goodnight, Kiriyuu-kun and company” with that, Kaname opened the door and left the apartment in a more civil way compared to how he let himself in.   

Zero stood there glaring at the door for a few moments before dragging his date into the bedroom.

“Are you sure you are still in the mood to do it??” asked Gin when Zero pushed him to sit on the bed.

“Hell yeah! Now more than ever!” Answered Zero with charming smile to compensate for his irritated voice. He took off his pants and boxers followed by the top garments before straddling his fuckbuddy for what remains of the night.

“Wow” the blue haired man breathed out feeling his slack getting too tight suddenly.

“Like what you see?” asked zero with a seductive voice and puppy eyes while taking off Gin’s shirt slowly.

“Guess I hit the Jackpot tonight!” answered the stranger with a huge smile, and then he threw the silver beauty on the bed and climbed on top of him while asking “Lube and condoms?”

Zero hesitated for a moment before answering “No need for lube, but, I am afraid I don’t have condoms your size”, he let out a shaky breath, and then licked his lips looking at the huge bulge poking out the man’s pants. He felt his skin tingle in anticipation.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered there,” said the bulky guy pulling out a string of condoms from his pocket.

Zero’s eyes lit up in excitement “Nice! Oh! You will need to use these as well.” Added the excited hunter while pointing to what was on top of the nightstand.

“You’re sure?” inquired Gin with a puzzled expression.

“You know you ask way too many questions,” countered Zero with a glare to get his point across

“Okay! Okay! Let’s get on with it” announced Gin, successfully dodging the wrath of his partner with a deep passionate kiss while his hands roamed freely caressing every nook and cranny of the body under him in a pleasant fashion, having the little hunter melt under the pleasure of so many sensations.

“Your wish is my command, Princess”…

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reviews!


	3. chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.  
> Note : Awakening Kaname led to the destruction of most anti-vampire weapons made using his heart except for few of them, like what happened with the first parent. Among the weapons that did not perish are bloody rose, Artemis, Cross’s sword, Yagari’s gun, Kaito’s spear and few others. They are called the original anti-vampire weapons to differentiate them from the new type that is less powerful but as effective when used properly.  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter as well (although there is not much action in it).

The bedroom was quiet and dimly lit with the sunrays filtering through the drawn curtains. It is 1 p.m in the afternoon. The sleepy figure on the bed groaned at the sunlight, turned to bury their face into the pillow, and relax for more sleep, only to get disturbed by the buzzing of their alarm. He smacked the noisy piece of metal before throwing off his covers and his feet over to the floor. They looked around the room for a moment before heading to the bathroom.

After a refreshing shower and a good teeth brushing, Zero put on loose pajama pants and headed to the kitchen to drink some water and make something to eat for breakfast. He then remembered that his phone was still switched off. He turned it on to check his voice messages; The first ones were from Yuki asking him to call her back as soon as he gets them, and the last one was from Ichiru saying that he is already at Cross Academy so he does not need to pick him up. The hunter was relieved for that since his brother would be nagging him every 5 minutes not to be late starting one hour before the agreed time.

Zero certainly took his time eating breakfast and then went back to his bedroom. He removed the dirty sheets that he threw in the laundry basket and then put new fresh ones on his bed. Then, he proceeded to clear out the clothes scattered all over the room and put everything in place, until he found a piece of paper on the side table “I had an amazing night, call me any time XX-XXXX, Gin”. Puffy lips arched, then he crumpled the note and threw it into the bin before proceeding to empty said bin in the garbage for take out. He watched as the filled condoms and crumpled tissues fell into the garbage bag, blushing at his own thoughts _“Heck, if he shot that entire load inside, it would be a serious mess to clean up… One thing for sure, that guy is a kissing monster”_. In fact, due to his fast healing as a vampire, Zero’s body recovered in no time from the intense activity of last night. However, the swelling of his lips from Gin abusing them continuously lasted from few more hours before starting to recede. Nonetheless, he had great time as well. The guy did not give him trouble; after they got spent, Gin took a shower and went home as agreed while Zero fell asleep, sated. Unlike some other douchebag that will stick around until the next day hoping for some more. Others might be thinking they were so great that the hunter will ask for their details and hook up more. Well, the only thing those guys got was a good beating chasing anymore ideas of going after the silverette. However, as great as Gin might be, Zero had no plans to meet him again either. He never slept with the same guy twice.

 

Once ready to go, Zero locked his apartment after making sure he had everything he needed in his duffel bag. He took the elevator down to the parking lot and got into his car. To his surprise, his car refused to work. He tried every possible solution he could think about, but nothing worked, _“Great start for a shitty day”_. Lucky for him, a couple passing by stopped their car when they saw him fumbling with the engine. He recognized them as residents of the same complex since he met them few times when working out at the gym. They tried to check if it was a battery issue, and it sure was. However, it was not a matter of recharge it and go. His battery was dead. Noticing the duffel bag, the wife asked if he was going anywhere far. When Zero briefed them about his plans, they offered to take him to the train station since it was on their way. Thus, the hunter hopped a ride with the couple and their toddler.

He called Ichiru to inform him that he would arrive later than expected but will be there on time for the dinner.

 

 

\----------------- Few hours later -----------------

 

Zero now stood in front of Cross Academy’s gate.  He inhaled a lung full of air to calm himself but it did not help much. His keen senses were already picking up the presence of the vampires in the vicinity, and his sharp hearing picked the squeals and the loud shrills of the students indicating the usual class changeover. Despite his nervousness, he could not help but smile at the memories of his days as a prefect, wondering how his successors are faring. Then, after making sure that Bloody Rose was safely tucked in his belt,” _for safety measures only”_ , he started walking towards the chairman’s house.

 

When Zero was about to press the bell, the front door suddenly burst open revealing a certain Cross Kaien wearing a frilly pink apron jumping in the air charging at him. The Chairman ended up falling face first on the stone pavement with Zero standing on the side after dodging the attack. “How mean!! My cute son I have not seen for over a year would not give me a hug!!! How cruel, Zeroooo!” Cried with a pool of tears dramatically forming on the floor. Zero looked at the man still on the floor with a disgusted face and snorted “Like hell I would do such a thing! I am going inside, see ya”.

“Zero”

The hunter looked back at his adoptive father who stood up dusting off his clothes “What?”

“Welcome home!” Replied the former-hunter with a tender smile on his face 

Zero paused for a moment before looking ahead with his back to the man.

“I am back,” he said as he went inside the house to put down his luggage. Kaien followed him announcing that Ichiru and Kaito were already in the living room and that he can come down to relax with them after he put his luggage in his room upstairs. 

Zero put down his bag, shrugged off his jacket throwing it on the bed, and then got rid of his shoes. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked around the room. The hunter felt strangely at peace seeing that nothing had changed inside his old room. Moreover, everything was dust free, not to mention new pillows and freshly washed bed sheets. However, as he checked around more, Zero could not help but feel guilty at the thought of the Chairman cleaning and arranging the room every time he sent an invitation that his un-filial son ignored.  

After changing into clothes that are more comfortable and wearing the indoor slipper that he brought with him, another precaution against the gaudy furry slippers of the Chairman, Zero headed downstairs to the living room. He could hear Cross singing happily while setting the dinner table.

In the living room, Ichiru was lying on the sofa half-asleep while Kaito sat on the nearby armchair watching TV.

Zero observed both man who did not seem to notice his presence, which was weird. Therefore, he cleared his throat “Hello guys!”

Ichiru waved at him and Kaito gave him a glare before looking back at the TV. The hunter figured they were sulking or fighting for silly reason as usual, so he sat on the arm of the sofa where Ichiru was sleeping and pinched his nose.

“Nnn! Let go, Nii-San! That hurts” slapped the hand pinching him and looked at his brother, annoyed.

“Why are you so sleepy, the sun has barely set?” inquired Zero while placing his hand on the sofa.

 “I am just tired,” answered Ichiru with a big yawn.

Zero smirked looking at his brother, “You should be tired if you have been here since yesterday, stayed up all night and only slept when you left me that voice message. What time was it? 10 a.m? I wonder if you will be able to even stand as it is.”

Sleepy eyes snapped open, and the younger twin threw the pillow he was hugging at his brother’s laughing face before trying to push him off the couch. His face went through every shade of pink at the implication of his brother, which were right on spot.

“Well, at least, he dragged his ass and came early to try and help out, exhausted as he is. Not like someone else” Kaito’s sarcastic tone successfully shut the bickering of the twins who looked at his pissed off face.

“I already called Ich, and explained the reason for the delay. Moreover, as far as I am aware, I was invited for a dinner. I do not see any reason to come too early, unlike this guy. So quit being a bitch already! Is this how you treat a friend you have not seen for ages!” complained the silver hunter

“And whose fault is that, Idiot!”

“Its mine, I know Takamiya-sensei! But it’s not like we never talk on the phone or meet up once in a while when you come to town.” Argued Zero

“Yeah! Last time was eight months ago. Anyways, glad to see you’re alive.”

Zero sat on the armchair opposite to Kaito, relieved that he just avoided a fight with the other hunter. He was in no mood to scream and argue. The train’s trip left him with a bad headache from the baby crying next to him during the whole trip.

“Don’t mind him, nii-san! Kaito is probably pissed because you were late and won’t be able to make something edible. Thus, he will have no choice but to eat Chairman’s new menu.” Ichiru shuddered at his own declaration sharing the same feeling as his childhood friend.

“Ughhh! I completely forgot about that,” said Zero while face palming himself.

Minutes of peaceful silence ticked until an overactive headmaster burst into the room calling “Dinner is ready! Come on, guys! Make yourself comfortable. Yuuki-chan and Kaname-kun are already on their way.”

Zero’s brow twitched at the mention of the pureblood as he sat at the table between Ichiru and Kaito. The three were absorbed talking about random topics until the door clicked open. Suddenly sensing the presence of two purebloods, Zero unconsciously released a blast of hostile aura toward them. In an instant, all light bulbs of the house exploded, shattering into million pieces on the floor engulfing the house in complete darkness. The chairman sighed and looked around till he found some candles that he lit and put on the dining table, relieved that no glass shards got into the food.

Yuki puffed her cheeks and whined “Geez, Zero! Why did you have to go and do that?”

“In case you have not noticed, you are the one who burst those lamps with your stupid powers, Yuki.” Commented Zero while scowling at the small brunette sitting next to Ichiru.

“What do you expect a pregnant vampire to do when she feels a killing intent coming her way all of a sudden, and from a hunter no less” Added the princess with annoyed tone.

“Come on guys! Its fine, no one got hurt, let it go already! It’s not every day that we get to have a meal together” Interrupted Kaien while ruffling Zero’s hair to prevent him from yelling back at Yuki.

“My apologies Cross-san. I will make sure everything gets fixed as soon as possible” followed Kaname in his usual calm voice; “Yuki is overly sensitive and has less control over her power since her due date is close. I guess she is feeling nervous”, added with a teasing smile toward Yuki who looked down embarrassed at her actions.

The rest of the dinner was incident-free as the guests engaged in random conversation, except for Zero, Kaname and Kaito who remained silent, trying their best to swallow the food without focusing on the taste. While Ichiru was busy coercing Yuki into revealing the gender of the baby she kept secret, Zero turned to Cross who was sitting next to Kaito and asked “By saying family dinner, I was expecting you to invite Master Yagari as well”,

The ex-hunter munched on the food and then answered, “Touga-chan declined the invitation because he is having a busy day at the association”.

“Oh! Ok,”

“What? You miss him?” teased Cross with a sleazy grin. Zero threw a plate that he easily dodged. However, the silver hunter did not miss the flinch of Kaito’s hand when he mentioned their mentor.

When they finished their dinner, Cross made sure that Yuki gets the most comfortable seat in the living room and went to bring tea and sweets for his lovely daughter. Meanwhile, Kaname’s driver brought in the equipment needed to fix the mess of his little sister. Ichiru forced Kaito and Zero to join in helping him as well. In less than an hour, the house was bright once again. All six people present finally relaxed in the living room having their favorite drink. Kaien made sure to cater to their individual preference by preparing all kind of drinks: tea, coffee, wine …

“So! What is the issue that you wanted to discuss with us? Chairman?” asked Ichiru, diving into the main topic of the night.  

Kaien took one last sip of his tea, placed the cup on the table and reclined on his armchair placing his chin on the palm of his hand. “Actually, it is not a single issue that needs to be discussed.” Started the blond, and as he gained the full attention of his guests, he continued “I will try to make it as clear and short as possible, So I would appreciate if none of you interrupted my explanation.” When all heads nodded, the man started talking “First issue, Kaito will have a long-term mission starting 10 days from now that he cannot refuse. The site of the mission is a branch of the association where he will be supervising a new batch of hunters in their few missions and guide them. Given that the location is quite far, he will have to settle there during the two months duration. Therefore, he will be stepping down from his duties as a teacher here at the academy. Consequently, this will cause trouble for the students since it is the middle of the school term and exam period. Thus, I would like to ask Yuki to take over for him until we find a substitute, which will be scheduled before you go into labor, hopefully.

Second issue, Touga has to leave the country for some time to take care of certain formalities and work. So, I will have to substitute for him as the acting president of the headquarter while he is away. Since I won’t be able to juggle between both duties of president and headmaster, I need someone to take over the Chairman duty at the academy, and I would like it to be you, Zero.” The blond hunter finished his explanation uninterrupted, and then took a sip of his tea, calmly waiting for the storm to come.

“What?”, “This is a joke right?”, “TWO MONTHS!!!”, various screams and surprised inquiries popped from everywhere. Ichiru squeezed his eyes shut bracing himself for the impeding headache he will get, _“This man certainly knows how to create drama anytime, anywhere”_.

“But father, I already have my hands full teaching the night class and you’re asking me to take lectures for the day’s classes as well? It is impossible no matter how you put it?” started Yuki, confused at her adoptive father’s request.

Cross smiled at his daughter, internally happy at having her call him father, and replied “I already discussed the matter with Kaname-kun, and all arrangement have been made to make it possible.”

“Arrangement?” Yuki then looked at Kaname quizzically. The latter joined the conversation to elaborate, “I will be assigning Ichijou as the night class teacher while you handle the day class. I agreed with the Chairman request because of the urgency and the issue being temporary. The curtains will be in place by the time you start teaching in case you worry about the sunlight as well.” Finished the pureblood with a gentle reassuring smile.

“Please Yuki -chan,” followed the blond ex-hunter, “you’re the only qualified teacher we have around that will be able to adjust to human clock and save the situation.”

“I guess I have no other choice,” sighed the brunette while rubbing circle on her pregnant belly.

“Thank you” smiled the Chairman in relief.

“Okay! Before finalizing plans about my substitute and whatnot, explain to me where did this weird mission come from.” Declared Kaito to get the attention of his boss, “I am certain that senior hunters are the one who take this kind of guiding missions and stuff. And as far as my profile indicates, I am still not there yet. Care to explain, Chairman?”

“This will take a while to explain,” sighed the ex-hunter

“I am all ears!” insisted the hazel-eyed hunter folding his arms over his chest.

“Well, the first reason for sending a hunter so far is because the branch is understaffed, and the senior hunter in charge of this batch died on the line of duty while saving one of his protégés… Now I know you will suggest sending a senior hunter from headquarter instead but here is the catch; Yagari wants YOU to go for this job because of a certain newbie over there. After finishing the two-month supervision and sending your report, you will return with this kid and take him under you wing.”

Kaito’s jaw slackened and eyes widened at the statement, “You mean that I am about to become this kid’s …”

“Guardian and mentor, yes!” Kaien finished his thoughts confirming his suspicion.

“No, no, no, no! You will not do that to me, I will not take apprentices! No!” countered the panicked hunter.

“Oh yes you will!” Kaien was having the fun of his life teasing the gruff hunter, he reminded him of Yagari’s reaction when Kaito was put in his charge.

“Quit messing around, old man! I won’t take care of a fucking brat” Kaito became furious by now.

“Well, no one other than you can handle Sachi and allow him to grow as a hunter, so you really don’t have a choice in the matter.”

“What is it about this brat anyways? You said he is with the batch of new hunters, so he should already have completed his training. This doesn’t make sense.”  Kaito started to stand and leave when Kaien pulled a file and started reading, making Kaito pause at the first sentence.

“Kuro Sachi, nine years old” Zero and Kaito both had their eyes popping out, _nine years old qualified hunter!!_ “Mother dead when giving birth, father died during the last war, raised in the association orphanage, currently wielding Yorutsubasa (Night Wing) as his anti-vampire weapon in its fully awakened form. Lastly, as a trivia, Sachi is considered as the second vampire without fang to ever exist” 

Kaito sat down with mouth still slack before snapping out of his daze.

“Old man! You’re telling me a nine years old kid is able to wield the lethal weapon, Yorutsubasa, that sucked the life of four hunters and treated as a cursed weapon. Not only that, it also recognized him as its owner and fully awakened”

“Yes,” replied Kaien “As the report of their second mission stated. It seems that the mission consisted in transporting the original anti-vampire weapon safely back to headquarter to incinerate it after the death of the fourth hunter. The unit had the senior hunter as the leader, Sachi and three other new hunters. They encountered a den of E’s and engaged into battle. Unfortunately, two noble vampires joined the battle after the team was exhausted from battling the E’s. They targeted and killed the leader and were about to attack the others when Sachi, having lost his weapon, pulled out Yorutsubasa and fought using it. The witness report states that the rod instantly morphed into a double bladed staff, one end had a spearhead while the other end had a series of sharp blades forming the shape of a single wing. All dyed in black. Using the staff and willpower, Sachi managed to kill both nobles single handedly saving the remaining hunters.”

“And the reason for calling him the second vampire without fang to ever exist?” asked Kaito while still trying to absorb what he just learned.

“He is the sole survivor of a set of twins and his blood test showed a high amount of vampire gene in his DNA. To sum it up, he was born with the same conditions a mine. That is why, Kaito-kun, I want to leave him in your care. You are certainly not a senior yet, nor are you qualified as a guardian to be honest.” Cross sighed before going on while Kaito’s eye twitched at the indirect insult “But you are very familiar with these circumstances and will not discriminate against him. Also, it is most probably cheer luck that he survived this time, and seeing as he is still so young, I am afraid this accomplishment will boost his ego too much making him too cheeky and rash. He is already giving troubles to his fellow hunters because no one managed to beat him in a battle, which lead him to think he is the strongest and able to take on any vampire by himself. So, seeing as the nature of his weapon is close to yours, we concluded that you would be the most suitable one to take on this genius troublemaker and make sure he does not jump to his death till he understand the reality of a Hunter’s life.”

Kaito ran his finger through his ash-brown hair and smirked “Basically, I just have to go kick his shitty ass to let him know there are many stronger than him out there, and bring his sorry excuse of a hunter here at Cross Academy to make sure he finishes his studies and training under my supervision. The two-month stay in inevitable because that is how long it will take the substitute hunter to come back. Am I correct?”

Kaien finally dropped the serious face and smiled nodding at him “Yes, absolutely?”

“This is gonna be fun! I am in,” declared the hazel-eyed hunter with excitement obvious in his shining eyes.

Zero laughed at his excited friend while feeling a little envious for being entrusted with such a duty. _However, I would not wish to be in his place ten years from now._ He then remembered the request that he chairman told him about.

“So, Zero, what about you?” asked the Chairman with an upbeat tone, feeling optimistic after having two of his request granted.

“I refuse” deadpanned the silver hunter, bursting the bubble of his adoptive father in the process.

“Why? Don’t say that!”

“No need for explanation, I refuse and that’s final. I am sure you can find someone else in no time”

“No, I don’t want someone else. My parents passed on this academy to me and I am not ready to leave it in the hands of a complete stranger. I would appreciate if my children took care of it in my absence”

“Then have Yuki do it and look for another teacher ASAP”

“You think I haven’t considered that option”

“So...”

“I would have left it up to Yuki if it was for a short period, but the problem is that Touga-chan is not sure when he will be back. If by any chance, Yuki goes into labor while I am at the association, what would happen? Can an academy function without a headmaster. No, but a class without a teacher temporarily would not affect it as much.”

“Then don’t go to the association if it is that complicated”

“Zero, you are not making sense anymore. Did you hear what I explained at first”

“I heard you loud and clear. I am not talking nonsense. What I meant is that you can leave the association task to someone like Jinmu-san or other trusted hunter. That way, you won’t have to worry about both”

“I did consider that. However, due to the new order of the association, and having Shoto Isaya as a co-chair, those old coots refuse to take on the position. Even if they are loyal to the association, they will not work so closely hand in hand with a vampire. A pureblood, no less. Of course, Kaname-kun is out of the picture if you’re gonna suggest him next. He is responsible for the research lab, and the most he can do is assist me occasionally for matters consisting the night class.”

“I still refuse” huffed the silver hunter stubbornly

“What is your reason to refuse, as far as I know, you have no serious obligation other than your hunter missions and the management of your company that you do from home and mostly at night, you can bring your equipment and use any room you like, or better yet, I can buy you the equipment you need. You go to your main office at most twice a month. Kaname-kun can hold the fort for those days if you give proper prior notice. So, what other reason do you have to decline.” Argued the Chairman desperately trying to convince his son.

Zero glared at Ichiru knowing that he is the one giving an overly detailed report to the old man about his life. He took a deep breath and wiped his face with the palm of a shaking hand trying to calm his nerve and not snap at his benefactor anymore.

“Can you take the time to think about it overnight? Please” begged the headmaster

“Nothing will change even if I do.”

“You don’t have to give your final reply now, we will discuss it again tomorrow night after you rest properly from your trip,” finished the blond man before leaving the room with the excuse of bringing more fresh drinks.

Zero then turned to scold Ichiru: “You could not keep yourself from blabbering too much, did you?” 

“Sorry, nii-san. I didn’t think he would use our idle chit-chat about you as a trump card to corner you this way” apologized Ichiru, sincerely feeling bad for his brother.

“Damn it!”

“What is the problem? If you can do it, why not make the effort to help?” asked Kaito, peeved at his friend’s stubborn attitude.

“Yeah Zero, Kaito-san is right” added Yuki

“It is none of your business whether I choose to help or not,”

“The only reason I can think about is that Kiryuu-kun does not wish to have anything to do with Cross Academy as he has been stirring away from coming here for quite a while now.” Suggested Kaname, nailing it.

Zero flinched at the statement, _Oh! You cannot imagine how accurate you got it Kuran,_ and then countered back with a tone dripping with hate and anger “You are absolutely right, Kuran! Just being here is suffocating, especially with you around.” The hunter then stood up and left the room to head to his own. On his way out, he bumped into Cross who had a pained expression for a second before putting his cheerful mask on. Zero knew his adoptive father heard the conversation and that he hurt him with his last word as well. He locked the door to his room, flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 _“hmmm… Now this is a surprise… Luck sure is on my side today… hahahha”_ …

A sharp intake of breath broke the serene silence of the dark room, amethyst irises widened in shock as Zero panted harshly tried to calm his racing heart. He wiped the sweat dripping down his forehead. _“When did I fall asleep?”_ The hunter yelped in surprise as his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pick up the call as soon as he saw the caller id;

“Master?”

“Yeo, idiot disciple! It’s been a while”

“Sure has been. How are you doing?” answered the silverette while massaging his temple.

“Great as always! As long as I receive reports that you are still kicking ass killing those bloodsuckers, though I still don’t appreciate you going solo all the time,” replied Yagari with an annoyed tone

“You know that’s how I roll! Take it or leave it”

“Fine! Anyways, I talked to Cross earlier and heard about your decision.”

“I figured that was your reason to call.”

“Then, that makes things easier. I want you to think about his request as part of your job.”

Zero’s eyes hardened as he pursed his lips, “Oh! Since I refused to do it as a favor from an adopted son. That old man is turning it into an order from the association to force me into doing it?”

“That is not quite correct. I am the one making it into an order. Your choice is either to take on the temporary position as headmaster or the one as the co-president of the association. I initially wanted you to come in my place, but your father opposed it saying the load is too great for you to manage it along with your business. So, he suggested the current assignment of positions.”

The silver hunter remained silent as he listened to his mentor

“Listen kid, I don’t want to sound harsh. However, we have been letting you do as you please for quite some time without any pressure. The least you can do is repay the favor. That man have been worried sick about your wellbeing, wishing you could be happier if we freed you from the shackles. In the end, nothing changed. You are just living as a hollow shell, and I know that your company is just a tool to keep you busy and have nothing to do with anything else.”

“So you decided to put those shackles back on again.” Whispered the younger hunter

“Well, we think it is better for you to get back to your roots once in a while.”

“Hah? Roots?”

“Yeah, no matter what happened, you cannot deny that Cross Academy is the home that welcomed you during your hardest times, and the place where you grew up into who you are today. It is where your life began”

“hmph! I should probably be grateful for that, huh?”

“It is up to you, _cough! Cough! Cough!_ Anyways, if you refuse his request I will have you resign from your hunter duty. And that is final” finished the black haired hunter and remained silent waiting for his disciple.

Moments of silence passed by before Zero began to speak,

“For how long will it be?”

“Few weeks, or maybe couple of months, not sure” replied Yagari before breaking into a fit of coughs.

“What a headache! What is this business you have to deal with anyways?”

Zero could hear his mentor clearing his throat before the answer came “Some troublesome business I have to take care of personally. Nothing for you to worry about. _Cough!_ ”

_“None of my business, you mean,” thought internally the silver hunter, annoyed at his master discarding the issue._

“I guess I have no other choice then, when will I need to start?”

“You will discuss the details with Cross. Glad to see you still care about your hunter status kid.” A husky chuckle can be heard on the other side of the phone.

Zero sighed in exasperation “I was born a hunter and that’s what I will always be after all. And you should cut down on the cigar, Master, I lost count of how many times you coughed during this one conversation. Your lungs won’t last long at this pace,” complained Zero with a sincerely worried tone

“Mind your business, brat!”

“Yes, yes. Well, goodnight old man” Zero hang up the phone and went to wash his face. He then stood by the window looking as far as he can into the darkness outside.

 

 

* * *

Somewhere else that night, a tall figure was standing on the balcony holding a glass of fine wine staring at the sky. The pureblood was enjoying a rare time off after the dinner at the Chairman’s house. Wearing a cream-colored shirt and plain black pants, he shifted his weight on the hand placed on the stone rail. While his eyes seemed to focus on nothing, his mind continuously drifted to a certain silver haired hunter.

 

_\-----------------       FLASHBACK       -----------------_

 

 

Last night, Yuki had to pop yet again another unreasonable request, which is to leave immediately to check on Zero who lives a town away saying that he might be in trouble since his phone is off. Even when Ichiru assured her that it was normal for him to do so, she would not buy any of it. _“This pregnancy is making her act even more recklessly than ever, who would allow her to leave when she can’t even teleport without blowing something on her way”_. Since his sister was against taking the car or sending someone saying it would take too long, he had no other choice than to go himself to check on the guy.

Once he reached his destination, he went into the reception lobby of the complex and asked about Zero Kiryuu. After calling his apartment, the receptionist informed him that no one is answering. The vampire tried to go up to check and see if he was sleeping only for the security to stop him announcing that it is not allowed to go in unless accompanied by a resident. Upon further inquiry, the security confirmed having seen the hunter leave not too long ago recognizing him due to his exotic coloring. However, Yuki’s torture did not stop. She requested that he would wait and see that Zero made it back home safely, something about getting a bad feeling from it or whatever. Kaname sighed shaking his head in defeat; only Yuki can make him do this. He waited in the lobby for about thirty minutes and then decided to leave the building due to the suspicious glances the guards were giving him and the lecherous look plastered on the receptionist’s face. _“It would have been better if I came by car and waited there,”_ breathed out

After getting out of the building and away from the scope of the security cameras, Kaname focused all his concentration on his sense of smell and looked for what he remembered being the hunter scent, then he teleported towards it. He found himself standing inside a spacious and barely furnished bedroom, where few clothes were thrown on the bed along with a towel. He looked for clues verifying that this is indeed the hunter’s home, but finding none. It has been a long time since he had been in touch with the grumpy hunter, Kaname knew next to nothing about him, his life, his belongings or anything.

At least, he is at the right address and the smell should be enough to confirm that this is where he lives. Coming to this conclusion, the pureblood made himself comfortable on a sofa in the dark living room facing the door and waiting.

The wait was not too long, as twenty minutes later; Kaname noticed the hunter’s presence in the vicinity approaching with another human with him. Seeing that he had company this late, the vampire decided to hide his own presence and leave, since he made sure that Zero is back home and not wanting to intrude on them. However, before he could teleport, the door opened. Kaname got transfixed, unable to move as he watched the events unfolding in front of him.

 

 

__\-----------------_        END OF FLASHBACK     _ _\-----------------___

 

The pureblood closed his eyes as he remembered how the indomitable ever-scowling hunter was pushed against the wall by another man and loving it. How he moaned deliciously into the kiss while rolling his hips against the other like a kitten, and how he exposed his long creamy neck for the man to attack it, screaming from the pleasure it brought him. Even when he noticed his presence, Kaname had hard time focusing on what he said rather enjoying the way those swollen wet rosy lips moved. Kaname touched his own lips when thinking back about it and smiled _“You never fail to intrigue me, Kiryuu-kun”_.

Even during today’s dinner, he could not keep himself from staring at the silverette, earning few glares that did not faze him in the least. As he observed the man, He noticed the change in his demeanor, and how his expression softened compared to the last time he saw him during the war as well as his physique. _“I guess he looks leaner because he grew taller, yet again. He certainly became more suave than gruff and dare I say, more attractive?”_

Suddenly, the last bit of their conversation came into his mind, **_“You are absolutely right, Kuran! Just being here is suffocating, especially with you around.”_**. The stone rail instantly began to crack under his hand at the same time that the glass of wine shattered into piece on the table. Kaname quickly recovered his self-control before causing more damage and laughed bitterly. _“I guess some things never change”._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reviews Please!   
> thank you so much for the encouraging reviews, they really get me going XD


	4. chapter4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews, kudos, bookmark... Love you  
> This story has 16 chapters complete that I will be uploading all together. afterwards, it will be a weekly update.  
> I will be happy to answer any question you may have as well as listen to your suggestion and request :)  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.  
> Kei-chan is an oc of my own imagination.  
> The term of silver wine is not something I came up with, I read it somewhere, liked it and wanted to apply it here. In this story, silver wine refer to a liquor ingredient infused with some sort of magic to affect vampires.  
> There will be a bit of Ichiru/Hanabusa fluff plus some KaZe action as well. Enjoy

* * *

 

 

_“Aaah!... That crying voice is soo unbearable” he licked his lips and gave a dark grin showing his protruding fangs “More…More…Cry for me! Come on!”_

_Spit landed on his chin “I will kill you…”_

_A fist connected with clenched jaw, the echo of the bones breaking can be heard in the empty space. Claws racked through naked skin leaving blood on its trail “AAAGHHH!!”_

_A sinister laugh filled the air “heheheh! That’s it. Cry more because that’s what you will be doing from now on, my lovely p-“_

“…-san”

_Who is this?_

“Nii-san!”

_Leave me alone!_

“Wake up! Nii-san! Come on already!”

“WAAAH!” A silver haired hunter jumped on his bed, drenched in sweat, disoriented until a hand gripped his shoulder to make him turn toward its owner.

“Nii-san, are you okay? Another nightmare? Here, drink some water?” Ichiru talked in a panicked voice as he handed a glass of water to his brother. He sat next to him and rubbed soothing circles on Zero’s back.

Feeling that shaking lessened, he tugged a silver bang away from the sweaty forehead to have a better look at his twin’s face and asked “Feeling better now”, earning a nod for answer.

“Where?” asked Zero staring blankly ahead,

“Cross Academy, we had dinner at the Chairman’s house and stayed over last night.” Informed Ichiru, not fazed by the question, then added, “It is still early, sleep some more if you want. I have to leave because I need to restock the shop for the weekend and come back here later since I will be staying here for few days. Kaito will be driving me to the station after we eat breakfast. I just came to check on you when I found you thrashing around in your sleep.”

“Umm… Okay.”

“On second thought, it is better if you wake up and come with me. If you want to come back here later or stay at your place, it will be up to you. I don’t want to leave you in this state,” Insisted the younger twin

“I am okay Ich, don’t worry,” the hunter finally spoke as he looked at his twin, fully awake, “but I think I will come help you out anyways. Wait for me, I just need a quick shower and will join you downstairs…. Ah! And tell Kaito that I will come make breakfast, I don’t feel like having burned toast early in the morning.” Announced the hunter as he got off the bed and headed to the bathroom, he paused and looked back at his twin still sitting on the bed giving him a lazy smile “Maybe I will be tempted to spend the weekend here with you guys.” Then disappeared in the hallway.

Ichiru’s head perked at the last words of his brother, a huge smile appeared on his face as he jumped and ran downstairs to relay the message to Kaito.

 

\---------------------- around noon the same day ----------------------

 

 

Things did not go as planned. Kaito ended up abducting Zero, not allowing him to leave because he could not trust that he would be back with Ichiru later. As a result, Zero found himself roaming around the campus with nothing to do waiting for Kaito to finish his lectures. Cross was ecstatic at the news that Zero will be taking the Chairman position during his absence; he then dismissed him saying that he will not have to worry about taking over until next week.

Since he did not get much sleep, Zero decided to take a nap under a tree. He was starting to drift into peaceful slumber until a weight dropped on his stomach along with a singsong voice reaching his ears “I found Ru-ji! Yaaay!” The stunned hunter stared at crystal blue eyes that stared back at him in awe. When he tried to get up, he found that the kid made himself comfortable straddling him and placed tiny palms on his chest. The Child was wearing a mahogany red overall with a cat design on it (or was that a rabbit?) over a light gray shirt. A bright smile adorned his chubby round face topped with a mess of curly dark red hair. “Ru-ji???” a light bulb lit up in his dazed brain to some previous rambling of his twin. _“You know since he finds it difficult to spell out long or difficult name, he tends to cut out part of it to make it easier for himself. I swoon every time he calls me Ru-ji in that melodious voice… Oh! Ru-ji is his short-form for Ichiru-oji-san… Isn’t he the cutest? That Kei-chan!”_

“Not Ru-ji?” inquired the little kid while titling his head to the side, confused.

“No, I am not Ru-ji. What are you doing her alone, kid?” asked the hunter while getting the child off him and putting him down on his feet.

“Not Ru-ji! Who?” asked again Keiichi, knitting his eyebrows.

_“This kid is not listening to a word I said, what a pain”_ Zero sighed internally before crisscrossing his legs and putting his chin on his palm.

“I am not Ichiru-oji-san, my name is Zero. I am his brother,” The kid wondered as he inspected the hunter for a moment.

He later straightened his back and reached out a tiny hand, “Name Keiichi, Nithe met you, Rero-ji”

Zero had to hold back a snicker at the kid trying his best to act adult. _“At least he has proper manner”_

“It’s Zero, not Rero and with no ji” clarified the hunter with a strained voice.

“RERO!” clapped the child with sparkly eyes, happy to make a new friend. Said friend face palming himself in the process.

“pffft…”, Zero’s head snapped in the direction of the sound in time to see a blur of orange hair. _“So he is not alone after all”_

“Nah, Keiichi, what are those?” pointing at the bag next to the child’s backpack on the ground.

“Ah!” Kei’s eyes lit up at the question, “Cookies!... Mama, Yuki-chan and Kei-chan made them. Kei-chan take it gift for ojii-chan, alone.” Explained the red haired boy puffing his chest proud of himself.

“Oh! That’s a big boy, good. So, you better hurry. Jii-chan is waiting”, _“just go already, please!” the hunter was starting to get a headache._

The boy looked at the ground, drawing circles with his foot before looking up with expectant eyes “Let’s go together Rero, pwease!”

“No can do! Your mommy asked you to go alone, right?” replied the hunter in a stern voice.

Tiny lips quivered as crystal eyes glistened with tears threatening to fall. The silver-haired man panicked, as he did not want the kid to start bawling and pierce his ears. _“Damnit, this is why I don’t like kids”._

“Alright! All right! I will come with you, but you will have to show me the way because I don’t know how to get there” complied Zero, defeated by the puppy eyes.

Keiichi sniffled and rubbed his nose then nodded at the man sitting in front of him. He then pulled at his finger urging him to get up and hunter went along with him. “I know the way. Look, a map” Reassured the kid in a cheerful voice.

Zero looked back at the bush behind them and saw a smiling Yuki nodding at him. _“That’s why I could not detect their presence. That Yuki! Well, I guess its fine anyways. They probably sent him on this errand to have him learn his way around the campus.”_

The hunter could not deny that he enjoyed watching the kid doing his best guiding him by holding his finger, getting lost and going through roundabout ways and then finding the route again. They sometime had to stop several times for Keiichi to take out what looked like a small juice packet where he put a straw to drink from it. When he looked closely, Zero saw the Ichijou emblem on it, figured it was artificial liquid blood, and wondered about the reason why this kid drank so much of it in this small period. _“I guess it taste good, unlike those pills”._ They finally reached Cross’s place and the overzealous ex-hunter welcomed the little guy with arms wide open. Zero pitied the kid from that bone-crushing hug he got; it looked painful judging from the scowl on his face as he pushed the blond man away in vain. He then turned on his heel to go back and resume his nap, passing by the two women hiding behind the tree.

“You can stop camouflaging your presence now.” Announced the hunter in a flat tone

The orange-haired vampire nodded her head as she took out her umbrella “Thank you Kiryuu-san, I appreciate that you assisted him. Sorry if he caused any trouble.”

“There was no trouble. However, Toya-san, is it ok for your kid to roam around under the sun of mid-day like this without protection,” inquired the hunter

“For some reason, he seems to have high tolerance towards the sunlight, and he is already accustomed to human clock since I always take him with me to the photoshoots.”

“He is amazing, isn’t he? Zero!” squealed Yuki from his side, “Well, I better follow him quickly before chairman manage to poison him” finished the brown-haired woman before wobbling in direction of the house.

“How come you are here on campus, Toya-san?”

“I am Mrs. Shiki now,” corrected the woman with a barely perceivable smile at the surprised look on Zero’s face, “and we came here because Yuki-chan asked me to be by her side when the child is born. Seeking female support, I guess. Ruka is busy setting up the kinder garden section so she is feeling lonely.” Explained Rima before nodding one last time and parting ways with the hunter to join her adoptive son. Zero felt awkward when he realized whose wedding invitation he threw into the bin without looking at its contents few months ago. _“Did Ichiru tell me about it? Can’t remember”_

 

After a good uninterrupted nap, the hunter made few phone calls and checked his work via laptop. He was glad to see that one of his proposals was accepted and the pitch will be via videoconference the next day. He regretted not going back with Ichiru because he will have to take the first train early in the morning to reach his place on time for the meeting. He arranged with cross to setup his working space at his house as soon as possible, and by the time Kaito finished his work for the day, Ichiru was back. They borrowed the Chairman’s car and headed to town. They enjoyed having dinner at a familiar pub and hopped few bars. Seeing as Kaito was starting to get a little tipsy, Zero suggested driving back home while he was still able to walk alone. Once back, Kaito sobered up and insisted on having another round of drinks at Cross’s place and let loose as a celebration of reuniting with his old training buddies after so long. His fellow hunter did not mind drinking a bit more since; he never got affected much anyways thanks to his vampire nature.

The men enjoyed drinking, playing cards, and betting on stupid stuff. When the time for Zero to leave closed in, ichiru called out for his brother from the kitchen where he was getting more snacks.

“Nii-san, I think it’s about time you get ready and call a cab. None of us can drive you to the station in case you are not aware”. No answer came from his brother, only weird laughing and tapping on the table at a lame joke Kaito said. Rushing back to the room, Ichiru’s mouth went slack from shock. Zero’s face was flushed pink, eyes unfocused and his hands could barely hold the cards in place. _“NII-SAN IS DRUNK? HOW THE HELL IS THAT POSSIBLE?”_ The younger twin tried pulling his brother to stand up and get ready. However, the latter fell on the floor whining about not wanting to go, and laid on the cold tiles to sleep.

The three other men sobered up at this action and looked at each other wondering about the impossible happening. Kaito ran both hands into his messy hair and picked a bottle to check what made the ex-human get smashed in no time. “Maybe he is just exhausted, that’s why he got affected. Some water should do the trick since he recovers fast or maybe blood pills,” explained the tall hunter while reading the label of the bottle out of curiosity, after few moments, he added “Or maybe not!” Kaien and Ichiru looked at him questionably waiting for him to elaborate. Kaito rubbed the back of his neck before digging his own grave “I think this shit has silver wine in it” grimacing while bracing himself for what is coming.

“What?” asked Kaien, not sure, he heard it right.

“Tell me you’re joking,” said Ichiru in a low monotone voice.

“I am afraid I am not, Zero just drank silver wine. I am sorry, I…” the flustered hunter did not get to finish talking when a pissed silverette started screaming his lung out:“What the fuck were you thinking, giving a freaking vampire bloody fucking silver wine. Oh My God! Are you that stupid? How the hell is he gonna get back, drunk like this, he might go under the stupid train instead of getting in it. How is he gonna sober up on time to do his pitch. Fuck! Kaito You… You…”

“I said sorry…” winced the hunter at the shrill of his friend’s voice, _seriously, once Ichiru start swearing, even I feel like shutting my ears_

“How did you get you hand on it anyways” asked Kaien.

“I tried it in a bar downtown last week and liked it so I bought few bottles when I heard Zero and Ichiru were coming, I swear I did not know”

“The bartender was probably a vampire right?” interrupted Ichiru, huffing and puffing still.

“Yea! He is affiliated with the association and he is good at what he does “

Ichiru rolled his eyes annoyed and blaming himself for not checking what the prank loving Kaito brought even if he was innocent this time.

“He probably gave it to you knowing you are hunter and human so it won’t affect you, otherwise he would not give it to vampire. And, logically thinking, he would not think that the infamous vampire hater Kaito Takamiya would get cozy and sit for a drink with another vampire.” Screamed the annoyed twin as he pressed his thumb and middle finger on his temples “No other way around it, Chairman, can you call a taxi while I go grab my coat and Zero’s stuff. I will take him back home and make sure he sober up somehow.” Announced the man before heading to his room while his adoptive father grabbed his phone to call a cab.

Barely fifteen minutes later, was Ichiru standing at the Academy’s gate with a drowsy Zero hanging on his shoulder. When he was about to open the taxi’s door when another car coming blinded him with flashing headlights, he squinted and recognized it as Kaname’s black car, so he waited for it to stop nearby. Moments later, Aido and the pureblood emerged from the car and came towards the twins, a quizzical look on their face upon noticing Zero’s state. He explained what happened, complaining about Kaito’s stupidity and what he plans to do with his brother.

Aido pondered for a moment before interrupting his ranting and said, “I think I have a medicine to cure the hangover from that sort of drink, it will help him sober up in some time.”

“Great! How long will it take to work?” inquired Ichiru, feeling hopeful.

“I guess he would be ok in about four hours after taking it, depends on how much he drank and how he would react to the medicine, give or take three to five hours till he is able to be conscious enough to perform a pitch.” Explained the golden haired vampire.

The silver twin groaned saying that waiting three hours for Zero to sober up and leave by himself is out of question because he will miss his meeting and kill them afterwards. He then asked Aido to bring him the medicine so that Zero could take it on their way to the station. Hanabusa hesitated for a moment and then left to get it. Kaname observed the exchange between the two as well as his subordinate dejection without taking his eyes off the slumbering silverette.

The blonde vampire came back quickly with a packet of soluble powder, reached out to place it in Ichiru’s hand when the pureblood vampire suddenly snatched it. 

He contemplated his idea for a moment before voicing out his suggestion, “I think it would be more comfortable for Kiryuu-kun if someone drove him back home in a car, he would have the chance to rest during the trip better than by train. I do not mind taking him as I finished my work for the day. Would that be okay, Ichiru-kun?”

Aido jumped into the discussion before the other man had the chance to reply, “You don’t need to go through so much trouble, Kaname-sama. I was going to suggest doing the same myself.”

“I don’t mind Aido. I believe you already have plans for the rest of the day. Take it as a reward for your hard work today and get a good rest.”

Ichiru glanced at his lover pondering on both suggestion and then turned to face the pureblood, “then I will accept your offer Kuran. I believe you know Zero’s address, right?”

“Yes.” Answered the brown-haired man curtly.

In a heartbeat, Kaname took Zero from his twin’s hold, put him in the car and fastened the seatbelt. Ichiru paid the cab and sent him on his way, then he turned to the pureblood who was about to get into the driver’s seat. “Kuran! After giving him the medicine, I would appreciate that you just put Zero in his bed, help him out of his shoes and jacket at most if he was not able to do that, and then leave. Please!”

The vampire looked into the serious purple eyes and then nodded in understanding before getting in the car and driving away.

The younger twin followed the car with his eyes until it was gone; he shoved his hands in his pocket and let out a long sigh. He jolted in surprise and then relaxed as he felt himself being pulled back in the warm embrace of the golden-haired vampire as he locked his strong arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. Warm lips kissed his jaw line before travelling up to his ear, “Hey handsome! Were you planning on ditching me after I worked so hard to get to spend a full day with you tomorrow?” Whispered the vampire in a low husky voice while nibbling the earlobe.

“hmmm… I was gonna make sure nii-san is okay, then get back as soon as possible the same day. I would not have missed our date if that’s what you were worried about.” Hummed Ichiru, loving the tender touch of his lover.

Aido head-butted his lover lightly before scolding him “and you think I am heartless enough to drag you out on a date after such an exhausting round-trip, you hurt me!”

The silver haired man giggled and turned around without breaking the embrace to face the other. Locking his own arm around the vampire’s waist while burying his face in the crook of his neck.

“It’s all good now. No need to worry anymore!” sighed Ichiru enjoying the scent unique to the man he loved.

Aido rubbed his back while placing his chin on top of the silver hair.

“Nah, Ichiru?”

“What?” came the answer in lazy voice

“You’re sure you are not drunk, are you?”

Ichiru looked up into electric blue eyes, surprised at the question, and inquired “No, I am not? Why?”

“Well, I was surprised to see you leave Zero in the care of Kaname-sama knowing how much he hates him. I still think it would have been better if I were the one driving you both to Zero’s place and then taking you back with me, a win win situation with no risk of bloodbath.” Explained the blonde vampire in a matter of fact kind of tone.

The human debated with himself internally for few moments before answering his lover, “I think it is better this way. I already warned Kuran not to do unnecessary things and get him riled up, and I trust he will abide by it. It might be a good chance for Zero to witness his good side occasionally. The tension between those two is seriously suffocating whenever they are in the same room. Nii-san needs to let go of the past and go on with his life. I know he cannot forget but he can at least try to forgive him the same way he forgave me for all the pain I caused him… Besides! He is too wasted. Therefore, he will probably not know how he got home or who took him there even.”

Aido remained silent after listening to his lover, then grinned at him and said, “Just be honest already! You just did not think of the scenario I sugges—omphh” The vampire found himself bend over as he was caught off guard when his lover jabbed him in the stomach and left him there. He chuckled at the reaction that confirmed his suspicion and went to follow the pouting silverette inside the campus, internally praying that no trouble occur with the other twin.

 

 

* * *

 

The black car pulled over in front of the underground parking gate, Kaname rolled down the windowpane waiting for the gatekeeper to allow him access. The bulky man did not take long to get out of his cabin and reach him. He informed the vampire that he needed the access card for the gate to open. Looking to his side at the sleeping man, he tried waking him up but Zero was dead to the world. He tried to look into his pockets going through the jacket and the pants’ front pocket not finding anything apart from his cellphone; he decided to look into the duffel bag next. Noticing his distress and recognizing the man on the passenger seat, the gatekeeper cleared his throat and spoke in a croaky voice “If I remember correctly, you companion usually keeps his access card in the rear pocket of his jeans”. Kaname paused his search for a second, removed the duffel bag from his lap, unbuckled Zero’s seat belt and pulled him from the waist to slip his hand inside the rear pocket. He was lucky enough to find the card. However, when Zero was pulled from his comfortable position, he stirred a little leading to his head resting on Kaname’s shoulder while the pureblood checked his pocket. The smell of cologne and body scent of the brown-haired man aroused his sense; he inhaled the sweet scent before suddenly licking the crook of Kaname’s neck and giving it a soft kiss along with a whisper barely audible “Smells good”. Red brown eyes widened in shock as his breath hitched and body froze at the sudden sensation. He was glad that the man standing outside did not notice as his coat’s collar hid Zero’s face. He gently pushed the hunter back to his seat and passed the card to the guard who quickly scanned it and gave it back, “Thanks for the tip”.

Once inside the parking, Kaname got out of the car and opened the passenger door to pull Zero out. The silver-haired man was plastered to the point of not being able to stand straight by himself. He made sure to keep him close by holding his waist while he closed the car door and looked around. _“This is gonna be more troublesome than I expected. I don’t have the option of blasting all security cameras to teleport like last time”_ mused the pureblood as he remember getting rid of all the corridor light before leaving Zero’s apartment and teleporting back home as soon as he closed the door behind him.

He took a deep breath, shuddering at the thought of carrying the hunter bridal style. Therefore, he ended up hooking Zero’s arms around his neck and supporting him by wrapping his arm around his waist as he dragged the limp body. He could have thrown him over his shoulder and carried him, but it would have attracted too much attention considering the hunter’s build.

Reaching the apartment was new kind of struggle for the ancient vampire as Zero stirred midway and started trying to escape his grasp and wobble around aimlessly. Once inside, Kaname took off his coat and proceeded to help the hunter take off his shoes, as his shaky hands could not manage to untie them.  Once his shoes taken off, the hunter shrugged off his jacket mumbling to himself in a drunken stupor and flopped on the nearby sofa. The other man headed to the kitchen, he looked for a glass that he filled with water and poured the soluble powder, stirring it until it dissolved. Before taking it to the hunter, he opted to add two blood tablets to the mix in order to help the ex-human recover faster.

Of course, making a stoned person drink by himself or herself was never easy. The silverette was throwing tantrums like a kid refusing to drink, going as far as pressing his mouth shut and looking away with arms crossed over his chest. Kaname was downright pissed at this point. He filled his mouth with the content of the glass, grabbed a fistful of silver hair yanking the head backward and pressed on Zero’s jaw until his lips parted enough to press his own on them so that the liquid pours into the hunter’s mouth while holding his tilted head in place.

The ex-human struggled at first, and then calmed down, as he appreciated the liquid going down his throat and swallowed it. Relief washed over the older vampire as he finally accomplished the dainty task, he let go of the hunters head and started to pull away only to end up with a pair of hands tangled in his hair pulling him down and a tongue sliding in between parted lips. The muscle explored every part of his mouth, stirring his own tongue as if looking for something. Kaname could not react on time and pull away as a sweet honeyed taste assaulted his sense that he later figured to be Zero’s. A mewl was all it took for him to give in and lean into the kiss, pushing Zero on the sofa and start climbing on top of him. A hand traveled down to his belt and unbuckled it while his mouth sucked and nibbled on the lower lip. Nimble fingers snaked under the shirt caressing the soft skin of Zero’s belly and sides before heading to unzip his pants, when, suddenly, the hands tangled in the brown strands fell limp on either side of the hunter. Kaname halted his action and looked up to find that the ex-human is sleeping. He dropped his forehead on the Zero’s shoulder and started laughing. _“You seriously are one hell of a troublemaker Kiryuu-kun”._

He got off the sofa, went to wash and put the glass on the kitchen table with whatever left of the medicine beside it, scribbled a note and then went back to the sofa. This time, he picked the hunter up bridal style, took him to the bedroom and tucked him into bed leaving his phone on the nightstand. Once he made sure, the sleeping man would be fine by himself, Kaname left the keys near the entrance and left. When he got into his car, he recognized Zero’s car as the one parked opposite to his own. He remembered the conversation heard over dinner, got out of his car and went back to the silverette’s apartment again, this time to take his car keys.

 

 

* * *

 

The next morning, the phone ringed waking up the hunter from sleep. Ichiru was the one who called him to make sure he gets ready for his meeting and be on time. _“Cannot decide if he is a nagging mom or a nagging wife, ughhh”_ , the sleepy head groaned as pain shot through his temples. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before feeling better and able to get out of bed. In his kitchen, he found an empty glass along with some medicine that he did not remember putting there. He took the piece of paper under the cup and read the scribbles on it:

**_Please drink these if you are still feeling sick,_ **

**_Your car has been fixed; remember to remove the battery cables_ **

**_if you are not planning to use it for a sometime._ **

 

The hunter quickly grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, stirred the powder and pills then gratefully started drinking as he stared at the scribbles. _“This is not Ichiru’s handwriting…Hmmm… I wonder if Hanabusa helped him bring me back, he is the one who provided the medicine for sure. Gotta thank him later”…_

On his last gulp, a memory flashed through the hunter’s mind. Amethyst eyes bulged out and all blood drained from his already pale face. The crashing sound of the fallen glass echoed throughout the apartment and Zero stood in his kitchen, frozen.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reviews please!


	5. chapter5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.  
> Enjoy! Love you <3

“Haah! Seriously, I feel like I am getting more visitors out than during visiting hours. Give me a break already,” grunted the man lying on the bed.

The figure in the room remained silent and immobile.

“I already gave my final answer, I am flattered by the offer, but I will have to pass on this one.”

“I would appreciate if you could consider you decision once more. I believe you once said that you would do your best so that you do not have any more regrets.” Resonated a calm soft voice.

“…TSK! You really know where to strike the best. Still, my answer is no.”

“May I know the real reason behind your strong objection to the matter? Please do not tell me you had enough and want to give in already, because we both know that is not the case” irritation started to mix in the tone

“Okay then, let’s say that I do not want to have any more vampire blood in my system than what I was born with. Would that be a satisfying answer, Ms. Persistent”

“Ridiculous” snorted the visitor

“Why are you so eager to save my life anyways?”

“I am indebted to you with mine.”

“Well, that is an even more ridiculous reason. Sorry but I need you to leave now; the drugs are taking effect, making me sleepy.” Declared the man, emphasizing with a yawn.

Light footsteps echoed through the room and the window slid open. Before jumping, the petite figure looked at the other lying on the bed and said, “In case you change your mind before my next visit, you know how to contact me.”

Cool breeze seeped into the dark room. 

“Tch! I always forget to remind her about closing the damn window before leaving.”

 

 

\------------------------------  **At Cross Academy**  ------------------------------

 

 

 

“Welcome back! Onii-sama” Yuki tiptoed, kissed her brother on his cheek, and gave him a hug. He hugged her back then patted her head.

“I am back, Yuki. Did you stay up this late waiting for me?”

The brunette nodded, “I ran into Aido-sempai on the way here and he told me that you will be coming late, but I was still worried since you usually call and tell me about it.”

Kaname felt a tinge of guilt, “Sorry, something came up and I got distracted, I promise I won’t worry you again. Now, go to sleep and get some rest. It not good for you to exhaust yourself nor for the baby” said the pureblood as he leaned down to rub and kiss her pregnant belly.

“Onii-sama…”

“Yes?”

“Um… Were you with Zero by any chance?” asked Yuki softly

Kaname startled at the question and looked into his sister’s eyes.

“Ah! Sorry, I might sound weird. It is just that… I… I kind of smelled his scent on you for a second, must be my imagination. Lack of sleep… hahaha… Good night” the petite woman stuttered as she turned to retreat for the night.

“ You are right, Yuki” she stopped as she heard him “I was with Kiryuu-kun indeed, if you ran into his brother and Aido, he should have told you that I helped bringing a drunk hunter back home because Ichiru-kun was in a pinch.”

Yuki put a hand on her chest as she sighed in relief, then turned to face her brother “So there wasn’t a fight or anything, thank goodness!”

Kaname smiled as he approached his sister, _“So that’s what she was suspicious about!”_

“No, there was no fighting or anything of that sort. In fact, I would have loved to show you the rare sight of that man completely wasted. Now let us get you to bed already. I still have some work to do; I will be in my office.”

Yuki giggled as she imagined a drunk Zero and followed the tall man upstairs “Would you like me to get you something to drink”

“No, sleep”

“Okay! Make sure not to overwork yourself please, Goodnight”

The siblings parted ways in front of Yuki’s bedroom with one last kiss. Kaname sat at his desk and placed his phone next to him before flipping open his laptop. His lips curled up as he remembered and then looked at his phone patiently waiting for it to ring.

 

 **\------------------------------ Zero’s apartment**   ------------------------------

 

 Ignoring the glass shards scattered on the floor, the hunter made a mad dash to the bedroom, snatched his phone and dialed the first contact on his log.

_Ring … Ring … Ring_

“Hello! Nii-san?”

“Hey Ich! Where are you now?”

“At Cross Academy, why?”

“I thought you were at your place, did you bring me here and went back again?”

“…You mean, you don’t remember?”

“Not really…”

“You had a comfortable ride in a luxury car…”

“Oh! Nice! Can you pass the phone to Hanabusa, I would like to thank him for the medicine, and tell Kaito to get ready for a beating as a reward you for his prank.”

“You can beat him all you want but he was not aware of the silver wine content, just so you know. Also, Hana is already sleeping; I will relay the message when he wakes up”

“Okay! And remember to send the bill for the car repair…”

“Huh? Car? What Car? Did you wreck the car in your drunken stupor?”

“Of course you wouldn’t know what car I am talking about, because you weren’t even there in the first place.”

“Wha… Nii-san..”

“DON’T YOU DARE SAY ONE MORE WORD, ICHIRU! YOU ACTUALLY HAD THE GUTS TO LET KURAN KANAME DRIVE ME BACK! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING???”

_“Shit, busted!” winced the younger twin internally_

“Did something happen?” inquired Ichiru, agitated.

“…” only silence greeted him.

“Nii-san, answer me already. Did the two of you fight, and destroyed the car in the process?”

“HaaaH! No, the car I was talking about is mine,” Zero quickly answered to clear out the false accusation, and mumbled the last part “he fixed it while I was sleeping.”

“Phew… You almost gave me a heart attack there… And? What are you so upset about?”

“Why him? You could have gotten on the train with me. Or maybe get Hanabusa to drive us back. Why?” whined the hunter.

_“Because it seems I was too drunk to think of that option. He would blow my head if I told him that, Damnit”_

“Because I was tipsy as well, Hana was busy working, and Kuran was kind enough to volunteer. That’s all. Nii-san, he just took you back home that’s all, and he even went to extra length to fix your car. You should be grateful instead of being mad. I don’t get it”

“…”

“Did he bite you?” asked Ichiru, already knowing the answer

“No!” Zero was horrified that his twin could even think of the idea

“When you woke up, you were in bed wearing the same clothes as yesterday without shoes and jacket. Right?”

“Yes.”

“Instead of waking up with a splitting migraine, you just had a mild headache that went away as soon as you had more of the medicine. Right?”

“Yes.”

Ichiru sighed before finishing “What is there to complain about then? Kuran dragged you back to your place, helped you out of your shoes and jacket probably, then made you drink that drug and placed you in bed so that you can wake up feeling better by the time of the meeting. As a bonus, he was kind enough to fix your car. He is not the big bad wolf you make him out to be. It’s not like he preyed on you in anyways…”

“FINE! I GOT IT! BYE!” Zero cut off his brother’s ranting by hanging up the phone. He propped an elbow on the kitchen table where he was sitting and covered his mouth with the palm of his hand, face scarlet red.

_”AAAh shit! Shit! Shit!....forget about it! Forget about it!... Nothing happened!... I did not do that!... No maybe I did, but that wasn’t me!... Damnit! Fuck! I fucking slipped Kuran Kaname the tongue… Shit! What happened next? I can’t remember!! What if … No, that’s impossible… I have my clothes on… AAAAggghhhh, why did he have to kiss me back… It should have been disgusting, but… STOP THINKING ABOUT IT KIRYUU ZERO! JUST STOP THINKING ABOUT IT ALREADY!”_

The hunter jolted in surprise as his phone rang again, seeing his twin’s name displayed, he picked up; “What?”

“Make sure to call him and give a proper thank you! I already sent you his number, no excuses! Take care,”

Zero just sat there listening to the dial tone of the call ending.

After few minutes of thinking, he stood from his seat, went to collect the broken glass and clean the mess. Afterwards, he took a refreshing shower and put on a slim fitted light grey suit with a pale purple shirt underneath, leaving the two top button undone. He fixed his hair, removed his earrings and made sure everything is neat and perfect about his appearance. He took a deep breath then headed to his working area, typed the security code and scanned his fingerprint for the door to unlock and went in, ready to score another big contract for his company. _“Who would call that stupid jerk?”_

**\------------------------------ At Cross Academy, Ichiru’s room**  ------------------------------

 

 

 

“Was it okay to lie about me being busy?” asked the half-naked blonde vampire as he prompted himself on his elbows.

“I had no other choice. Or did you want to have a taste of Bloody Rose?” the silverette quirked an eyebrow, teasing his lover knowing how much he feared that weapon.

“No thank you, I will pass”

“Still, I am starting to have doubt about the whole thing. I hope it does not turn out into a mess instead of making things better between them. I am worried now!” wondered Ichiru as he fumbled with his phone. Aido held his hand trying to reassure him.

“I am not sure about your brother. However, one thing for sure, Kaname-sama will not be making a big fuss if he were to blast on him. During the years I worked for him, I could never predict his action or thinking, but I am certain on one thing: he does not bear any animosity against Kiryuu-kun, and I dare say that he might be trying to patch things up with him. It is extremely rare for the king to volunteer for such a thing as taking care of a drunk person after all.”

 

 ------------------------------   **Zero’s apartment**   ------------------------------

 

 

It is lunchtime, Zero slapped few things together in-between bread slices and placed them in the microwave to heat. He was at his maximum anger level; the pitch was the worst he had ever performed since his freelancer days. It was so bad that even Allen gave him a stern lecture about it. What is worse than doing a bad pitch was the reason behind it. It seems that the president just could not keep himself focused. All along, his mind kept drifting to a delicious kiss he shared with a certain brown-haired man. He felt nauseous at his own thoughts and actions, peeved at the fact that he actually came onto the man he considered the worst enemy.

The hunter sat to eat, but then left the untouched sandwich on the table to hit the gym.

Few hours later, Zero felt calmer after exhausting himself during workout followed by a hot shower. He sat in his living room staring at the TV and pondering. _“I can always pretend I wasn’t aware of anything… Besides, it was his fault for doing that. Why would he go as far as mouth feeding me... it’s better that I call to thank him for the help, and ask for the reparations bill of the car without mentioning anything else… That would be less suspicious than not calling at all. Better do it now over the phone than face to face later, that shithead might see through me...”_

Therefore, the silver haired hunter picked up his phone and dialed the number that Ichiru sent him.

“Kuran here” came rich voice from the other end of the line

“Hello! It’s Zero, Kiryuu Zero”

“Oh! Hello! This is quite the surprise, for you to call me. A first!”

“Well… Ichiru informed me that you took the trouble of driving me back to my place despite the long trip…,” said the hunter “and that I should call to give proper thanks”

“I just did the right thing, you don’t have to worry. More importantly, are you feeling better, you were in a pretty bad shape yesterday” asked the pureblood faking concern in his voice.

“I am perfectly fine now, sorry if I caused you any trouble… Last thing I recall was playing cards at Cross’s house, so I was probably out of it the whole time. It must have been a pain to drag me around… Oh! And you really should not have bothered yourself with fixing my car, though I appreciate the gesture. Please send me the reparations cost so that I reimburse you as soon as possible.” Answered the hunter in a monotone voice that almost sounded robotic.

“No!... I absolutely won’t accept any payback for that.”

“No! I insist! I don’t want to be indebted to you for anything so…” insisted Zero with a sarcastic tone this time _“As if I am going to owe you a favor”_

“How about a dinner then”

Zero felt irked, having bad feeling about this

“Dinner? As in treating you to dinner?”

“No! Homemade dinner, it has been sometime since I tasted your cooking”

“Quit messing around Kuran, why should I bother cook for you”

“Why not?”

“Over my dead body! Quit joking and send that receipt so I get it over and done with.” Snarled the hunter, finally having his patience snap.

“Like I said… I will not accept any money from you. Since you insist on considering it a favor you have to return, I will just think of another way for you to repay me.”

“Fine! I am hanging up”

“Kiryuu-kun…”

“WHAT!”

“You were lucky I was the one to drive you back. It would have been extremely awkward if you made such a move on your brother or worse, kissed his boyfriend”

“HEY! THAT WAS BECAUSE YOU HAD TO GO AND DO SOMETHING UNCALLED FOR… I WOULD NEVER HAVE KI…. SHIT! FUCK YOU KURAN!” Zero hang up the phone and threw it, held his head in both hands trying to calm his nerve. _“Shit! Shit!... Now I’ve done it! That bastard!!!”_

On the other end of the line, Kaname was trying his best not to laugh as loud as he wished to. He was having the fun of his life and looking forward to seeing Zero when he substitutes for Cross. _“I wonder what kind of face you are going to make”._

 

**\------------------------------  time skip: a Tuesday the week after when Zero needs to take over   ------------------------------**

 

 

Half an hour before sunset, at the top floor of Cross Academy’s main building, Zero had just finished introducing himself to the day class’s faculty members. The new instructors gave him incredulous looks wondering how a teen could possibly take over the position of headmaster even if it was his own son. The old teachers welcomed him warmly, happy to see the old honor student whose trademark was to fall asleep during their lectures.

After seeing them off, Zero flopped on the chair behind the Chairman’s desk and breathed out, “I still can’t believe I am doing this”.  A grinning Kaien Cross sat on the edge of the desk looking at his son “I have to get my hats off to toga-chan’s persuasive power”.

The hunter scowled at that, remembering the threat of his master, and said, “And said man who got me into this mess is still no show” sulking about not being able to see his master due to the association’s busy schedule.

“Well, there no helping it. I am sure you will get the chance to see him some other time… Now, the night class’s faculty members and the prefects should be on their way. Let get this done as soon as possible. I still need you to go through some paperwork I have at home.” As soon as Cross finished his talk, a knock on the door signaled the arrival of the guests.

The hunter’s neck prickled as the room was filled with vampires, instinctively alert. He recognized some familiar faces of old instructors as well as alumni such as Ichijou Takuma, Yuki Cross, Aido Hanabusa, Ruka Souen and Kaname Kuran. Zero barely looked into his eyes before turning away and greeted them, getting interrupted midway by two figures barging in shouting “Sorry for being late” in an unnecessarily loud voice. Upon closer observation, He recognized the two as day class’s students wearing the prefect’s band in their arm.

The already present scowl on the hunter’s face deepened for a moment and he turned to address his adoptive father with an irritated voice, “Care to explain what the meaning of this, Chairman?”

“What do you mean, Kiryuu-kun?” asked in return, confused at the question.

“I am talking about a noble vampire posing as a prefect.” Said the hunter while pointing at the tall boy looking like a porcelain doll with his fair skin, jet-black long hair and equally black eyes.

“Oh! Yes, sorry I forgot to brief you about him. He is kind of special, although he should be ranking in the noble class, he was actually raised amongst human since young age and was so used to drink animal’s blood that he finds human blood disgusting. He cannot be fazed even by pureblood; you can test it out if you want.” Explained the ex-hunter

Zero observed his adoptive father for any sing of deception, still not buying the explanation: “What about his powers?”

“The only one that manifested is a neutral power, healing. He can only heal wounds on both vampires and humans, which is the only special thing he can do in addition to the speed, strength, and other standard attributes of vampire.”

“How is he going to fight off the vampires who break the rule in case they resist or turn aggressive?”

“I mastered sword fighting as the main technique along with other martial arts. I believe I can subdue any rule breaker here on campus with the help of my partner.” Said the prefect, interrupting the conversation for his defense, looking straight into amethyst eyes.

“I will have to test it out myself later,” announced Zero before going on with the introductions and briefing. Another surprise was in store for him when he discovered that the second prefect, a girl with a bob cut chestnut hair and a tomboyish attitude, was no other than Wakaba Sayori’s little sister.

The group was dismissed as soon as Zero understood the new organization of the night class, or, more precisely the new constitution of the night school. First, the high school division that is the same as before currently supervised by Ichijou Takuma. Second comes the middle school division, which was newly established to recruit younger vampires that are barely introduced to the society under the supervision of Yuki Kuran, and A kindergarten division that is in the process of being established to recruit vampire children whose parents wish that they learned how to coexist amongst human starting from tender age. An idea proposed by Ruka who expressed her desire for her future kid to go through the same education at an early age so that they do not have to go through the difficult adaptation period her generation went through. Lastly, there is the research facility, which staff are handpicked by Aido Hanabusa to advance various research such as refining artificial blood, production of anti-vampire weapon, but the most important one is to reverse vampirism which is worked on by Aido and Kaname Kuran.

 

Back in the chairman’s house, Zero finally had the chance to kick back and relax for some time. Kaito joined him as he made dinner and the three man enjoyed a good meal and a lively conversation. The past few days were hectic for the usually free and laid-back hunter; he had to purchase the new necessary equipment for his work, move things around in Cross’s library to install them. After that was done, he went back to get what he needs from his place in order to finally settle down in his old home for the coming weeks or maybe couple of months according to his mentor. During all this time, the hunter did his best not to associate with a certain brown haired man. However, he could feel those eyes following his every move like a hawk.

 

 

**to be continued ;)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reviews please


	6. chapter6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

It has been two weeks since Zero took over the position of headmaster. He finally managed to keep up with the increased workload, at the cost of having just enough time to sleep, but the fact that his adoptive father still relied so much on paper-based work irritated the tech-guru silverette. 

 

Cross Kaien had to move out of the house and closer to the association, thus, leaving Zero by himself. He did not feel lonely though; Yuki would come to pester him every chance she gets with the excuse of being bored since the others were sleeping during daytime. Aido would come to hang out whenever he has time or when Ichiru comes over to visit.

 

The hunter was grateful for that but never expressed it under his annoyed façade. Surprisingly enough, the person he believed would be a great nuisance did not bother him as much. In fact, Kuran Kaname did not come to pester Zero about the previous incident or the debt that he would think ways for him to repay. The pureblood interacted with him in a professional way only. However, instead of feeling relieved, the hunter felt more anxious for reasons he himself could not pinpoint.  

 

Once exam period was over, the students and faculty were given a long weekend off to go home and rest with their family. Zero took this opportunity to go back to his place after arranging things with Kaname to take care of urgent matters in his absence. Being exempt from hunting missions due to his new obligations led the frustration to build up with no outlet. As a result, the silver beauty decided let off some steam during the weekend before going back to working himself to the bone.

 

The next Monday, he was back at the academy first thing in the morning feeling refreshed, ignoring the dull ache in his lower back due to the weekend marathon. The school was bustling again with the lively students coming back from home and resuming their activities. The acting headmaster pushed the door to his office, already knowing whom he would find inside waiting for him. Kaname stood from his seat as soon as Zero entered the room and greeted him.

“Welcome, Kiryuu-kun! I hope you enjoyed your weekend; I placed the documents that need your urgent signature on your desk. If you have any question, you can call me anytime. I will be on my way,” said the pureblood in a professional tone as he made his way to the door.

 

“Thanks Kuran! I appreciate,” answered Zero as he hanged his coat and headed to the desk.

 

As soon as the two man passed each other going into opposite direction, the hunter jumped in surprise as a he felt a hand gripping his left arm turning him to face scrutinizing red-brown eyes. “I can smell a faint scent of blood on you, your blood it seems.”

 

Zero looked lost for a moment, before realization dawned on him. He quickly yanked his arm from the grip of the pureblood and put some distance between them. “It is none of your concern, Kuran! It you have no more business here you can leave.” He said it as calmly as possible as not to let his trepidation show in his voice.

 

Kaname stared at him for few moments before insisting on helping the hunter, “It would be better to seek assistance if you were injured and the bleeding did not stop. It is a cause of concern as it will stir disturbance later when you have to move on campus”

 

Zero sighed and looked into burgundy eyes, “Look, its fine okay! I know the cause and will fix it as soon as you leave, I will not let the scent excite those bloodsuckers of yours. So… Just leave already”

 

Kaname was perplexed at the hunter’s agitation and it made him even more suspicious, “Could you please enlighten me about the cause?” asked the older man, making the other more riled up.

 

“No, that is none of your business,” snapped Zero, glaring at him.

 

“I insist!”

 

At this point, Zero was aggravated by the persistence of the pureblood who stood firmly in the middle of the room with arms crossed waiting for his answer. He decided to tease him a bit hoping that would get him to leave.

 

He breathed out, with hands on his hips and a mischievous smirk on his face, Zero spoke:” Since you are so eager to know, I will tell you. The truth is I have probably overdone it with the weekend’s _fun_ when my body was exhausted to begin with, and my partner might have caused a “tear” because of his size, I guess.” The hunter paused after dropping the bomb to observe the reaction of the pureblood, nothing. All he could see is a poker face and nonchalant eyes. He sighed and continued, “Now that you satisfied your curiosity, you can take your leave and I will go get a couple of blood pills to fix this issue.”

 

“I see… as long as you can deal with it in no time, I will not bother you any longer than this… I will come back later to collect those documents. Have good day, Chairman!” the tall man left.

 

Alone in the office, Zero felt his hands starting to shake, _“That was close”._ He took out his phone, dialed a number, and started talking as soon as the other person picked up “Hanabusa! I need you to come to the Chairman’s house right this moment and bring me some stuff ASAP. I kind of messed up and need your help!” He hang up as soon as he got the confirmation from the vampire, grabbed his coat and locked the office before sprinting to his destination.

 

On his way to the research building, the pureblood could not shake the feeling of irritation he felt at the revelation of the hunter. He tried his best to retain his composure as the urge to rip to shred whoever had his way with him was getting stronger. He knew it was baseless, he had no right to be upset about the fact that he substituted for him in order for the silverette to writhe in pleasure under another man. As Zero said, it was none of his business as both are free to do whatever they want with whoever they choose.

 

As he reached the lab, he found Aido rushing out claiming to have some urgent matter to attend. Since Kaname initially came to assist the blonde vampire, and now said vampire in not coming back anytime soon, he left the building towards his office in the moon dorm. After going through a couple of documents, he put his fountain pen back in place, and left his office. Still bothered by the hunter’s action, he went back with the excuse of collecting the documents to check on him.

 

To his surprise, he found the office closed with the usual sign for contact details in case of emergency, which is Cross’s landline number. Kaname lost no time getting to the Chairman’s residence. Alarmed as he smelt the blood again, this time more than earlier, he barged into the house without bothering with the bell.

 

Following the source to the bathroom, the pureblood slammed the door open almost destroying it in his rush. He was surprised when the smell suddenly disappeared as he came face to face with the stunned hunter. The hunter was bending slightly with one hand holding the hem of his open pants and the other seemingly picking up a silver necklace from the floor. The ancient vampire froze as he quickly took in the ex-human topless appearance; his waist was slimmer that what it appeared to be under the clothes, his taut stomach was flexing as the hunter stood upright… As he looked up, around his chest area, Kaname had to blink few times to make sure he was not imagining things. _“Are those breasts?”,_ it was a rhetorical question as he stared at the pair of small protruding mounds, pink areolas and pert nubs adorning the hunter’s chest area.

As soon as the hunter realized who entered and where he was looking, the panicked man hid his chest and jumped toward his discarded clothes to get bloody Rose, never reaching it. He was slammed back against the wall. Groaning at the impact, he pushed hard trying to get away from the man trapping him with his body. The taller man gripped his hands by the wrists in a bruising fashion, and locked them above his head with just one his own hands as he let out a throaty growl and ordered, “Stay still!”

 

The hunter looked up, surprised by the bestial sound coming from above his head. He was immediately overwhelmed with absolute fear as he met blood-red eyes staring down at him. He looked to the side and started shaking involuntarily, his mind going blank with terror. The pureblood was completely oblivious to the mental state of the hunter or to the fact that his eyes morphed red; he drew back just enough to look at him without allowing him to escape his clutch, his free hand slowly reached out, cupped a small mound then gently caressed it before teasing an erect nipple with his thumb. In his trance, Kaname inched down to bring his face closer, ignoring the whimpers and plea of his trembling hostage. However, before he could get a taste the tempting nub, Aido rushed inside the bathroom and squeezed in between them barring the view and snapping Kaname back to reality. “Kaname-sama, let go of his hands!”

 

Once his fogged mind cleared out, his eyes turned back to their original color and he regained some of his composure. Kaname then realized the position they were in; he was still gripping Zero’s hands and Hanabusa was clutching his wrist trying to free the captive man. The blond vampire was standing in-between them, covering zero protectively with his body and his free hand extended in a position ready to launch an attack. Kaname was surprised to see such hostility coming from his most loyal subordinate and most trusted friend.

 

“Are you ordering me, Aido! Or maybe threatening…!” spoke the pureblood after bringing his face closer to the man’s ear, satisfied to feel him tense up at this threatening tone.

 

“I apologize for my impertinence! You are free to punish me whichever way you see fit later! But, please Kaname-sama, I beg of you to let go of him right this instant and leave. Please…” Aido’s voice trembled in fear as he begged, not looking away from the burgundy eyes staring down at him with disdain and never letting go of the wrist he was clutching.

 

“Be prepared!” was the last thing Kaname said before disappearing into thin air.  As soon as his hands were free, the hunter fell on the floor. Aido turned around and found him curled up into a ball shaking and mumbling to himself “No… please…no more”. The golden-haired vampire removed his jacket and wrapped it around the trembling figure before proceeding to pick him up and take him to his room. He came back few minutes later to find him in the same curled up position, so he carefully pulled his arm, stretched it and gave him a shot. It did not take too long before the sedative took effect and the hunter relaxed into deep sleep.

 

Aido dialed his lover’s number and waited for him to answer,

 

“Hey baby! I am surprised to get a call from you at this time, missing me?”

 

“Of course I always miss you!” replied the vampire trying to keep his voice even before continuing “Listen love, I… I have some unpleasant news!”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Don’t panic okay, and just listen…” he waited for a moment to make sure he got his boyfriend’s attention, “Kaname-sama just found out about Zero’s condition.”

 

“WHAT?” Ichiru shrieked over the phone blasting his lover’s ear.

 

“Geez, Ich, I told you to listen not to turn me deaf… Anyways, the situation does not look good. I managed to get him to leave now. However, it seems that there was a bit of struggle and by the time I reached, I found Kaname-sama pinning Zero to the wall with eyes morphed red from the scent of blood. I guess seeing that caused Zero’s mind to freeze in fear. I had to sedate him; he should sleep for five to six hours I hope. In the meantime, I want you to hop on the earliest train and come here to be with him when he wakes up. You need to come because I cannot guarantee I will be beside him by that time. I expect some retribution is in store for me because I kind of threatened Kaname-sama to let go of your brother, and he did not take it well.” Aido could hear his lover cursing to himself and moving around in his apartment before he answered him.

 

“Oh god! Okay, I will tell Ryou-san to take care of the store and will be on my way. Will you be okay?” said the twin, out of breath.

 

“I don’t know, but I will survive somehow. Love you!” answered Aido with a trembling voice.

 

“Love you too, take care,”

 

Once the call finished, the anxious vampire took the necklace he found on the bathroom’s floor, put it around the hunter’s neck, and made sure to lock it properly. He pulled the cover over the sleeping man and left. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reviews please!


	7. chapter7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alert : Implication of MPREG starts here, If you are not a fan, feel free not to read. If curious, go ahead *wink*
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

His feet were as heavy as a ton of bricks. He made his way back to the research facility. Already knowing that his leader is waiting for him from the aura lashing out everywhere in the building. The king is extremely displeased, so much that the blond vampire was out of breath by the time he reached the office where Kaname was waiting for him. The pureblood was sitting reclined on the sofa, leg folded, one hand on his knees while the other supported his head with the elbow on the armrest, and eyes glowing red.

In an instant, the pressure crushing him disappeared, and Aido found himself crumbling on the floor, drained.

“Get up!” the rich silky voice resonated through his body like an electric shock.

“Hai” answered the noble weakly as he stood straight facing his King.

“So? What do you have to say?” asked Kaname looking at his subordinate with his now burgundy eyes.

Aido made a ninety degrees bow and spoke in a firm tone “I apologize for my inexcusably rude behavior, Kaname-sama!”

As soon as he finished talking, everything turned upside down, as he was lifted in the air only to come crashing down on the floor. “AAAAGHH”… A shallow cavity appeared where the noble was lying in pain from the impact.

“Get up”

“Yes” the answer came weaker and strangled this time as the smell of blood filled the air. _“Damn, I cut my lip”_

“I did not ask for an apology Aido, which is useless and won’t make the punishment any lighter by the way.” Hanabusa shuddered in fear from the amused tone. _“this is bad, veerryy bad”_

“However… There is still a way to redeem yourself” Aido met the eyes of his leader full of expectation, but his happiness was cut short at the next words he came to hear.

“Explain to me the reason for protecting Kiryuu and what is happening to him. His “transformation” I mean. In details.”

Electric Blue eyes widened in surprise before averting burgundy ones, “I am sorry, Kaname-sama! I can-…AAAGH!“, once again, Aido found his back slammed against a wall and then going throw it to kiss the floor. The pureblood towered over his crouched form and said, “You know, it is a shame that I cannot do more than this. Spilling more blood would attract too much attention, and I am sure you would not want that. Neither the pain nor the prying eyes, who will be curious to know the reason.”

Aido shook his head to confirm the man’s word.

“And since you refuse to talk. Here is a briefing of what is going to happen to you Aido. First you will be banned from the research facility” Aido stiffened at the words that meant worse than a death sentence for him, “There is still more to the punishment…” continued the pureblood with a sinister smile “You will be kicked out of Cross Academy’s campus. However, before that, I will look into your mind to get the answers I need. After all, I cannot afford to keep a follower that could turn against me at any given moment, let alone entrust him with the humanity’s greatest hope”.

The golden vampire’s blood run cold as he absorbed the words. Not only will he lose his goal in life, he will be putting his loved one’s family in danger if Kaname were to look into his memory. His fist clenched and his body began to shake in fear while he tried to find a way out of the situation.

Kaname sensed the desperation of his subordinate and decided to strike the iron while it is hot, “You still have one more chance. If you explain the reason behind the condition of Kiryuu. I will forget about the punishment. COMPELETELY.” Finished the pureblood emphasizing on the last word.

The Noble pursed his lips, and with his head still down hiding his expression, nodded. _“I am sorry, Zero, this is the best for both of us”_

 “Very well, come” Kaname went to sit on the sofa and motioned to the other so that he sit on the opposite armchair.

“It is a rather long explanation, Kaname-sama,” stuttered the noble.

“Summarize it,” ordered the pureblood in return.

Hanabusa took a deep shaky breath and started: “Kiryuu-kun was born a hermaphrodite; it seems that his parents wanted to let him decide on the surgery when the time comes”.

Kaname quirked his eyebrows “Aido, I hope you know that I don’t like it when you take me for a fool. Until he was seventeen and living here, I had countless occasion where I stumbled across Kiryuu-kun topless in Chairman’s house. As far as I remember, he seemed male no matter how I looked. If he was as you said, his female parts should have already started to develop by that time. “

“I won’t deny that it should have been the case. After his teenage years, his body should have already settled on the gender it is most likely to adapt. As you might conclude, Kiryuu-kun came off as a male his whole life, be it his physique or his personality. However…” trailed the vampire, not sure how to deliver what he is about to reveal.

“However?” the pureblood inquired, intrigued by his silence

“After his first sexual intercourse…Um…with a … a male partner, he was impregnated. I assisted him with the abortion and aftercare when I went to visit them in US.”

It was now Kaname’s turn to get shocked. His eyes widened and mouth went slack. He could not believe what Aido said. However, he knew the man was telling the truth, knowing what the cost of another betrayal is. “Go on”

Hanabusa nodded before resuming his explanation: “The pregnancy and abortion resulted in his hormonal balance going haywire, his female genitalia starting to develop further and his breast to swell to adapt childbirth, Breastfeeding … and menstruation… As you witnessed yourself, Kiryuu-kun became a perfect hermaphrodite with both genders.”

Kaname pressed on his temples, stunned from the amount of incredible facts he just came to know. Then, he remembered a detail that the genius scientist did not explain.

“When I went to Cross’s residence, I smelled his blood and rushed to check on him. As soon as I came into the bathroom, the smell disappeared in an instant. How is that possible? Moreover, if you are saying it is from his period, it should have been repulsive for us… Care to explain?”

“The fact that it is not repulsive is still a mystery to be honest. It might be due to his unique condition, but that is just an assumption. It is for that reason that I had him wear a certain charm that would hide his scent completely. He would wear it as a necklace during that time because it is highly inconvenient to attract attention when he is out on hunting missions.” Kaname remembered the hunter holding a silver necklace when he came in.

The pureblood remained silent for a while before asking his last question “Who is aware of his condition?”

“Ichiru, myself and now yourself, Kaname-sama. Excluding whoever he might have …. You know…” the vampire was red-faced and out of word

“Whoever he dated and slept with.”

“Yes”

“I appreciate the explanation, Aido. I will overlook your impudent behavior this time. But there will be no second chance.” Announced the King.

“Thank you very much Kaname-sama”

“You can take your leave”

“Um… Kaname-sama, can I take a little more of your time? It is concerning Kiryuu-kun still?” asked Aido meekly

“What is it about?” asked Kaname, curiosity getting the best of him.

 “About the incident earlier, it seems to have triggered a trauma for him when he saw your red eyes and I had to sedate him as he broke down after you left. So I-“

“Wait! Red eyes?” Kaname startled at his subordinate implication.

“Yes! I suppose that during the struggle, while he was trying to escape you hold, Kiryuu-kun dropped his necklace. Therefore, your eyes morphed red due to the scent of his blood. I had the same experience the first time I smelled it and it happened unconsciously, it might have been the case for you as well.”

Kaname laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them, aggravated by his lack of control and thinking about what he was told. _“With a vampire pinning him to a wall, red-eyed and so close to his neck. It is expected for his childhood trauma of Shizuka Hio biting him to resurface. It is a huge blunder I –“his_ musing was cut short as Aido resumed talking.

“As I just explained, Kiryuu-kun is currently sleeping thanks to the sedative I gave him. However, according to his state once he wakes up, I might have to erase his memory of the events that happened. Otherwise, he might not be able to carry out his duty as a headmaster while being continuously wary and on the edge that his secret might get revealed.”

Burgundy eyes looked into anxious blue ones for few moments before deliberating “You do not have to go as far as erasing his memories. I will see to it so that he does not feel threatened by me anymore, and I assure you that his secret will kept safe. You have my word”

Tense shoulders finally relaxed as Aido breathed out a sigh of relief. Excusing himself, he quickly made his way to Cross’s house to check on the sleeping victim.

 

 

\------------------------  Back in zero’s room ------------------------ 

 

Aido realized his conversation with Kaname dragged for too long when he found Ichiru already sitting on the edge of the bed next to a fully clothed Zero.

“Hey!” the vampire hugged his boyfriend as he came to greet him, the strain of the eventful day apparent in his voice. He nuzzled his face in the crook of his neck and tightened his hold.

“Was it that bad?” inquired Ichiru as he massaged Aido’s scalp, placing butterfly kisses at the top of his head.

“I am sorry” came a muffled voice that sounded like a sob. Ichiru felt his lover tremble in his arms; he tried to lift his head to ask about the reason for the apology. However, Hanabusa tightened their embrace and hid his face as guilt came crashing down in waves and fear gripped at his heart, fear of what they would think after learning he betrayed their trust. He was terrified at the thought of losing them because of his selfishness.

“What exactly are you apologizing for, Hanabusa?” a groggy voice jolted the two men as they looked in the direction of the voice. Zero was awake looking at the ceiling with a hand covering his forehead. Ichiru immediately escaped his lover embrace to go check on his brother. Aido stood there watching the interaction of the brothers, the new family he recently acquired and for which he was ready to fight anyone to protect their happiness. Little did he know how much of a coward he was until today.

“So?” asked Zero again after Ichiru helped him get in a sitting position. Aido had no other choice but to recite the content of his discussion with Kaname and tell them about the circumstance that led to it, omitting the part of physical torture. After finishing, he went down on his knees (dogeza style) to apologize about a million times. Zero asked him to get up, but he refused until Ichiru went to drag him up and onto the bed next to the hunter. Aido still did not stop his apologies until Zero flicked his forehead, earning a stupid lost look on the vampire’s face.

“Baaka! You do not have to apologize that much. You did nothing wrong” stated the ex-human as he gave him a weak punch on the shoulder “of nothing else, you saved my ass back there. It would have caused a huge mess if Kuran were to look into your head with his manipulative power. I shudder just thinking about it. I owe you one, bro!” declared zero with a large grin on his face. Aido held back tears of joy, _“I am soo glad!”_

“Nii-san is right, you did the right thing. So you don’t need to feel guilty about anything, Okay?” Aido nodded at Ichiru who was standing beside the bed before he pulled the silverrette, hug his waist and snuggle up to him.

“Agh! Get a room already?” shrieked the hunter, looking away from the intimate couple.

“Shut up!” countered Ichiru while lacing his fingers in his lover’s soft hair.

Zero looked back at Aido’s meek form before adding, “I want to say sorry as well,” he murmured while scratching his head, looking guilty. Purple eyes looked at him questionably followed by blue eyes just as puzzled. “This mess was kind of my fault to begin with and Hanabusa had to go through some tough time because of me.”

The confession of the hunter made something click in Ichiru’s head and an evil glint shone in his eyes. He put a knee on the bed, climbed toward his twin, and pulled his ear, hard.

“ow, ow, OW! STOP IT ICH! IT HURTS!” screamed the hunter, but his brother never let go.

“It should hurt, you little rascal. I remember when you first came here; Hana gave you those bloody period prevention pills, which you took properly if I believe what you told me over the phone. AND! (pulling the ear more and causing more pain) I remember quite well that he clearly instructed you not to engage in intense intercourse in order not to fuck up your hormonal balance and have you freaking period occur unexpectedly. But NOOO! You, little horny nymph, must have gone and had a weekend marathon sex session with who knows how many after abstaining for some time.” Zero stilled for a moment then looked at his brother asking, “Do you have a hidden camera in my apartment? OUCH!” the question was rewarded by a whack on the head of which the younger twin made sure was as painful as possible. Before Ichiru could resume his scolding, Aido surprised them by bursting in a fit of chuckling, giggling then laughing hard with tears. The twins looked at him as if he went crazy, but then joined him in the fit of laughter.

 

Later that night, Kaname paid a visit to the hunter and provided a formal apology for losing control and attacking him with Ichiru as a witness. They both decided to forget the incident and Zero insisted that Kaname never brings the matter of his unique condition to anyone unless he wants to turn into a mesh from the bullet holes the hunter will enjoy shooting him with. The pureblood gladly complied with the request and left.

 

* * *

 

 

 

The rest of the week was peaceful. Zero managed to pace himself and enjoy some more free time that he would spend napping outside just like he used to do during his student’s days, or he would hang out with the prefects and night class alumni that he grew closer to due to working together and managing different sections of the school. He never expected another storm would be coming his way soon.

 

On Wednesday night, an overly excited Yuki came to have dinner with Zero and informed him that the new teacher taking over for Kaito will come on Thursday evening because he will be living on campus. Therefore, he needs to move in during the weekend to start working the next Monday. The hunter was surprised that Yuki was in touch with Kaito, and he was even astonished to see that the latter would relay such an important information to her before he even hears about it. The last part rather irked him a bit. After making a mental note to bark at his fellow hunter later, he went on as usual with his activities.

The next day, the acting chair was sitting behind his desk with a pile of paperwork he was currently working on scattered all over the piece of furniture. His hunter senses alerted him of the approaching petite pureblood vampire and he looked up to see Yuki coming into the office with a big smile on her face. He noticed that she did not close the door as she came in.

“Good work today as well, Zero!” chirped the round woman.

“Thanks, what brings you here?” asked the hunter while scanning the document at hand.

Yuki tilted her head and sighed, “You forgot, didn’t you?”

“About what?”

“The new teacher… Coming today… Hello!” announced the brunette as she snatched the paper to get the silverette’s attention, “I am sure you did not look at his file either, did you”

The hunter scowled at her before snatching the paper back, “Quit complaining already! If he is here, let him come in and introduce him. Miss know-it-all.” Bit back the man sarcastically.

Yuki got back to her cheerful mood and made a stage like briefing of the new staff member, “Well I will be introducing you to an old classmate of Takamiya-sensei, who is also as highly qualified as him. I became acquainted with him recently and we hit it off right away. Come in Moriya-san.” Zero finished looking through the document while Yuki delivered her speech; he placed the paper on the desk as soon as he heard the footstep stop in front of his desk and the husky voice of the man introducing himself “Nice to meet you, my name is Moriya Gin. I will be in your care from now on Cross-san”. Zero greeted the man as he looked up to see him “Welcome to Cross Academy, Moriya-san, I am Kiryuu Zero. The acting headmaster in place of Cro-“the next words were swallowed as surprised lilac eyes met equally surprised light grey eyes. The silver beauty blanched as he recognized the man standing in his office. It was none other than Gin with whom he had a one-night stand not too long ago. To make matter worse, he is the one that Kaname walked in on him with.

_“Fuck!” was the only thing resonating in a certain silverette’s mind._

 

***wink***

***snicker***

***hide in a corner* waiting for reviews.**

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reviews please!


	8. chapter8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

 

“Zero?” Yuki looked at her flabbergasted brother, worried.

Suddenly, the new teacher started talking loudly “Kiryuu-kun! It has been a while! Never expected to see you here of all the places?” barked the man while vigorously shaking the hand that the silverette has extended.

“Huh? You know each other?” asked Yuki. Zero immediately squeezed Gin’s hand, scared of what he is about to say.

“We met a few times at a pub in my hometown! Wait, did you say your name was Zero, Zero as in Takamiya’s training buddy?” inquired the tall man as he let go of his hand.

Zero’s mouth opened and closed few times, as he blinked continuously, not grasping the situation yet.

“That’s right! I guess since you are quite close to Takamiya-sensei, you must have heard about my brother.” Chirped Yuki,

“Yeah! The more he talked about him the more he made me want to meet him.” Answered the blue haired man as he glanced sideway to look at Zero.

“Well then, how about you show him around campus, Zero.” Suggested the petite brunette.

“Oh! Ok” stuttered the hunter, finally snapping from his daze.

“Great! Then, Yuki-chan, you should go get some rest. You were complaining about the baby kicking too much and making you tired on the way here, right?… Goodnight…” Said Gin as he gently pushed the woman out of the office and made sure she was gone. He closed the door and banged his forehead against it before his shoulder sagged “Phew!!... That was nerve wrecking… Of all the people, my new boss had to be you… Gotta thank Takamiya for his big mouth later…“Trailed off the teacher as he turned around only to be greeted by a scowling silver-haired man still standing behind his desk.

“What was that?” hissed the temporary chairman.

“What? You wanted me to answer your sister saying that _Oh! I bedded your brother some time ago, that is how we knew each other_ and say goodbye to my new job?Besides, most of what I said is true except for the bar meeting.” Grumbled the man as he sat on the chair near the desk.

Zero sagged onto his chair and let out a breath he did not know he was holding, “Who are you anyways?” he asked as he scrutinized the man.

“I am just an ordinary high school teacher. I happen to be a good friend of Takamiya since our college days, and I recently became friends with Yuki-chan when she helped me out of a tricky situation, that’s about it.”

“And you came to know about me thanks to their big mouth.”

“ahahaha, I am not trying to brag, but I tend to have people open up to me quite easily. Still, I was somewhat surprised, maybe confused even. I was expecting Yuki’s brother to look a bit similar, also Cross and Kiryuu. Are you …”

“Adoptive brother, Yes! And I decided to keep my last name.”

“That explains it. Let’s get to the main part, does she know you…”

Zero understood what he was getting at and answered promptly “No, she does not and nobody here knows for that matter. And I am sure you don’t want to stir unnecessary scandals, mister married man” motioning to the glinting metal around his ring finger.

Gin looked confused at first before getting the hint “Oh! No, this is just to keep those scary teenagers at bay, girls these days have no qualm going after their instructor and it caused me quite a bit of trouble at my previous job.”

_“Shit! And here I thought I got something to bargain with!” cursed the hunter internally._

“You were thinking you got a leverage against me just now right. Too bad!” chuckled the teacher, amused at the annoyed reaction he got from the other. He leaned on the desk and whispered, “I am free as a bird, Princess!”

Zero’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance. He stood and crackled his fingers against each other “All right then! Few broken bones and bruises should do the trick. Don’t worry, I will make sure you are able to teach on Monday, albeit slowly and in more pain than normal.” Snickered the hunter with a sadistic glint in his eyes.

The new teacher jumped from his seat away from the desk and raised his hands in surrender “Woaaah! Stop! Stop! I was joking, I swear to god!”

The silver haired man remained silent looking into the eyes of the taller one.

Gin let out an exasperated sigh “Takamiya told me about your bad temper! However, this is beyond expectations. Listen, to make things clear. I am not the type to pester someone or force him or her into something they do not want. Moreover, I have no interest in gossiping and spreading rumors. To make long story short, if you had called me again after that night and we somehow ended up together, I would have jumped you right here, right now. Since you did not, I considered it as a fling that I enjoyed… So, let us take this encounter as our first time meeting and be professional about it, Okay? Though, I would appreciate if you allowed us to get to know each other on friendly terms as well.”

Zero contemplated the situation for a moment, and then extended a hand toward Gin “Once again. Welcome to Cross Academy, Moriya-sensei. I am Kiryuu Zero. Temporarily acting as the headmaster in place of Cross Kaien. I still have some documents to sign, if you don’t mind waiting for about twenty minute, I will show you your new living place and around the campus afterwards.”

Gin reached out and shook the hand eagerly with a big smile, “I will wait. Thank you chairman”.

 

 

About an hour later, the two men were leaving the faculty housing as Zero showed Gin his room. Now they were taking a walk around campus while the hunter explained the purpose of each building they passed by. The last place they reached was the stables, where the horse were out galloping freely in their wide enclosure. Gin was fascinated by the sight, and even more fascinated with the silver beauty leaning on the fence. His silver hair sparkled reflecting the twilight hour colors; his skin glowed with ethereal beauty. The tall man felt he could stare at those violet eyes for hours admiring the distant look they had, making them even more mysterious. _“I am a goner,” thought Gin._ He shook away his thoughts, as he watched Zero reach out a hand waiting for a white horse coming their way.

“That is a beautiful mare coming, and she is expecting, it seems. Yours?” asked the ethics teacher.

“I just took care of her when she was born, like bottle-feeding and other things. She grew attached to me. She is quite the “…*Chomp*… “…the troublemaker…Hey! Let go already, that is not grass!” The hunter trailed off while tapping on the horse nozzle.

Gin was wide-eyed frozen in horror as he saw the mare munch the silver hair of the man who was acting as if he was brushing dust off his shoulder, unfazed.

“Don’t worry Moriya-san; that is something she does whenever Zero is around.” The voice of the brunette pureblood princess indicated her arrival as she joined the two men. “White Lily is nicknamed the Horse from hell, and this is just the tip of an iceberg compared to what she is able to do if pissed” the horse neighed at her and left as if confirming her statement.

“I would have appreciated a prior warning; I felt my heart jump up my throat. Stop Laughing Kiryuu-san! It is not funny! I thought she was going to bite your head off for a second there,” barked Gin while pointing a shaky finger at Zero who was holding his stomach, laughing hard at his comical expression.

 

“So, how did you find the campus and your place? Moriya-san?” asked Yuki.

“I like it. Really! It has a nice feel to it… Thank you for giving me the chance to come here.”

“You’re welcome, I hope Zero wasn’t rude or disrespectful in anyways” singed the brunette while looking at her brother who watched the horse, not paying attention to their conversation.

“No at all! He was the perfect host. Nonetheless, seeing and interacting with him in person, I feel even more intrigued…hmm… How can I explain it?... He just feels different from you guys (means Yuki and Kaito). I guess it might be due to having both attributes… Vampire and hunter, I mean.”

Zero startled at this statement and turned to the two besides him, eyes narrowing on Gin then glancing at Yuki. _“This guy is a human day class’s teacher. So, why does he know about all of the vampire/hunters deal? What is Kaito thinking, that blabbermouth? This is forbidden.”_

Yuki caught on her adoptive brother’s reaction and cut his question by addressing Gin: “Moriya-san! Takamiya-sensei should have already explained to you that our existence is kept hidden and known by a minority,” she waited for the man to nod in agreement before adding, “Since your transfer here was a rushed, and you came here earlier than expected. I did not get the chance to explain to Zero the circumstances of how you came to know about our existence. That is why your observation caught him by surprise.”

“What circumstances are you talking about? How come his memories were not erased like any other witness?” asked Zero with a serious face and knitted eyebrows.

“It is a long story Zero, Actually-“Yuki was interrupted by Gin placing a hand inches away from her mouth and asking for permission to let him explain.

 “I apologize for surprising you like that. How I came to know about your existence is kind of a complicated story so I will try to make it as simple as possible. First, I can assume that you were aware of the pills containing the pureblood of a certain vampire who died some time ago. Sara Shirabuki” Zero nodded “from what Yuki told me, she started distributing the drug for vampires a couple of years ago to have them under her influence and such… The truth is that those pills were going around way before the war…”

 

the hunter could not believe what he was hearing but remained silent to let the man continue. “Sara Shirabuki made use of some wacko scientists to develop and test this drug, her test subjects were of course supposed to be vampires. However, seeing the amazing power that blood holds, those mad-scientists actually smuggled it to humans via black market under various naming according to the properties they want to promote. Just to make a fortune out of it, worldwide”

 

Zero was now horrified at what the man will say knowing what pureblood can do firsthand “The result as you might expect was a disaster. Not only people died from blood poisoning, there were case of people turning vampire just by overconsumption and falling to madness. For those who escaped this fate, another dreadful destiny awaited them…” Gin closed his eyes and took a deep breath before continuing, “I have a younger sister, who used to be a little wild as a teen. She liked to experiment all kind of stuff, and she did consume some of them. Luckily, she stopped as soon as she got pregnant for the sake of her child. Her husband did not stop taking them though as they boosted his ego making him feel stronger and more… well, virile let us say. He was addicted, and died of blood poison shortly after his daughter was born. The turning point for me was when Hina-chan, my niece was about three years old. My sister health deteriorated. She became ashen pale, always sleeping and losing weight at a rapid pace. I sometime find needle punctures on her arms that would disappear by the time of my next visit. I assumed she was taking some kind of drugs and going through mental breakdown. After taking her to the hospital, her blood test came back clean. I was desperate to save her but could not pinpoint the problem. I blabbered to Takamiya about everything after getting drunk one night, and he said that he would come to visit my sister sometime soon. At that time, I did not know that he was a vampire-hunter. I think it was a couple of days later that I stumbled across him at a ball where he seemed to accompany Yuki, but the truth was that he was monitoring the vampire activities there… Anyways, when he ask me to wait for him so that I take him to my sister, Yuki nagged at him to know what is going on and insisted on accompanying us, saying something about Takamiya being too rash and not trusting him. I never knew that, on that night, I would witness horrors that surpassed any fiction I have ever watched… Once we reached my sister’s place, I was the first to go in followed by Takamiya and then Yuki. It all happened in an instant, my sister’s face turned to that of a beast with red eyes and long fangs and she latched in my direction, Takamiya pulled me out of her way and Yuki shoved her own arm into her mouth. Even though I could hear the squelch and sucking sound, my brain could not process the fact that my lovely sister was that monster I was seeing latched at Yuki’s arm and sucking her blood. I passed out that very moment, embarrassing as it sounds. Yuki-chan can explain what happened next.”

Zero was speechless at this point, he knew about the mess those pills made, as he had to clean it up during his hunter missions. He lost count of how many times he cursed that pureblood for being the cause of so much misery. However, it was the first time he interact with a person whose life was turning upside down because of it, and still retaining their sanity. He looked at Yuki in the eyes waiting for her part of the story.

The pregnant vampire exhaled and spoke: “It is still confidential information that only Cross, Yagari-san, and Takamiya-san know about from the hunter’s side. From the vampire side, there is only Isaya shouto-san, myself, Kaname onii-sama, and his inner circle… I guess you had no idea because there was not a chance to inform you, as you did not work on any case connected to this one. His sister was an ex-human, turned via biting not drug. By her own daughter.”

Zero felt chill ran down his spine at the meaning of Yuki’s revelation. _A PUREBLOOD BORN FROM HUMAN PARENTS._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reviews please!  
> I know I am a tease. I forgot to mention that zero’s condition is just the tip an iceberg, and that there will be more ticking bombs to come. After all, this story is about Zero’s deeply hidden secrets being revealed one after the other along with some messed up crazy plot to spice things up. So be prepared *evil laugh*


	9. chapter9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALERT: angst! Angst!... Just angst!  
> (Should I say enjoy? It does not sound right to me)  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

" _A PUREBLOOD BORN FROM HUMAN PARENTS."_ The thought hunted the ex-human all night long. He felt horrified at the idea of history repeating itself. Even if Aido manages to find a cure to vampirism now, what if in other millennia new purebloods are born hungry for power and rise for supremacy again. Their efforts would be pointless. Yuki did explain that Hina-chan is an extremely rare case and the only one so far. Her creation was due to genetic modifications that happened to both her parents due to heavy consumption of the drug. The tests showed that for a pureblood to be born from human parents, both of them should have a history of consuming one particular blood pill sold in the black market; it has higher content of pureblood than the others do. Luckily, they were expensive and not as widely spread, plus the chances of two consumers with modified gene getting together and produce offspring is low. Zero suspected that this was the important issue keeping his master busy. Without a wink of sleep, Zero went on with his daily routine the next day, making a mental note to investigate it once done substituting for the headmaster.

At the end of the day, Zero was in his office with Yuki briefing Gin about the school regulation and all the formal stuff he needs to know. Then Yuki proceeded to relay the teaching material and Zero turned to finish the last papers for the day when Kaname came into the office after knocking. Yuki bounced from her seat despite her heaviness and gave him a hug, not aware of the dark look the pureblood gave to the new guest. Gin got flustered for a moment looking back and forth from Kaname to Zero, trying to understand why the man who walked on them here is. Zero hid his smirk behind laced finger as he watched. _"Now let's see how mister smooth talker will get out of this sticky one, although I doubt Kuran would bust him, but he does not know that"._ Unfortunately, for the hunter, Gin was saved when Yuki introduced Kaname and mentioning how she talked about him to the teacher.

The blue haired man stood and extended a hand to greet him that the pureblood took reluctantly "I am glad to meet you in person, Kuran-san! I always wanted to thank you for taking my sister and niece under your care. I am truly grateful."

Kaname gave a business smile before answering "There is no need to thank me, your sister have been doing a good job as the primary aid of Yuki, and her daughter is growing into a fine lady. She recently became playmate with my cousin's son as well."

"Oh you mean Kei-chan! That is the only topic she talks to me about on the phone lately, her adventures with Kei-chan." Said Gin with a happy tone

"It is a good thing that you were recruited here, Moriya-san! I have to insist though that you follow the rule of being assisted by a prefect or a faculty member should you visit your sister and niece. To guarantee the safety of you all." The ethic teacher nodded in agreement, and Kaname excused himself after giving Zero the reports he brought. However, Yuki stopped him.

"Wait Nii-sama! I almost forgot! Everyone, father decided to come tonight in order to welcome Moriya-san and see how we are doing. Therefore, he is inviting us all over at his house for dinner. Ichiru is on his way, as you may already know. So don't be late." Announced the petite woman with a clap of hands. Zero groaned; he needs to go buy grocery and cook as much as possible to make it seem like he does not want to exhaust a tired Kaien in hope to escape his poisonous food.

  


* * *

  


  


The old ex-hunter arrived just in time to find that Zero was almost done with dinner preparation and Ichiru setting the table with the help of Gin. He was surprised to see his twin sons get along well with the new guy, but was happy about it. A little later, Yuki called saying she will not be able to come because she had urgent matters to attend to, and that Kaname will come for a drink with the Chairman later. Cross was depressed and sulked about not being able to see his lovely daughter after he worked himself to the bone to get a night off. Nonetheless, the chairman enjoyed the lively conversation with Gin and Ichiru as the three got acquainted with each other. Zero contented himself with picking on the food with no appetite.

At the end of the dinner, the conversation turned into a serious one as Zero complained about Kaien keeping him in the dark about the surge of new purebloods.

"Why did I have to hear about it from an outsider anyways? You could have briefed me during one of your annoying phone calls. Is this the hush-hush reason that Yagari-sensei had to step down and oversee it personally?"

"Well-"Kaien started to explain but got cut off by the curious voice of the new addition "Oh! Yagari-san is back into action again. Thank god! That Takamiya was extremely depressed when we talked about his mentor going into hospice care-mmmph" Ichiru was too late to cover Gin's mouth as the word already reached his twin's ears.

Zero's eyes widened and his lips parted in a whisper "Hospice?"

Kaien stuttered trying to find the words to save the situation "No…K…Kiryuu-kun, he did not say that… I ..I believe he mea-" *BAM* *CRACK* the old ex-hunter flinched as his son slammed a fist making the dinner table split in two and sending the leftover dishes flying all over the place.

A feral growl sounded from the back of Zero's throat as he kept his head down. His bangs hiding his expression but his wrath palpable through the tense air across the room.

"YOU believe what?" the taut voice of the hunter sent shivers through the stunned men "Oh! Is there any other word he said that I might have confused with… hospice?" he exhaled and his voice got tighter as he added, "You have five seconds to tell me what you believe he might have said". The hunter was silent for a moment, head still down and not moving.

"Kiryuu-kun… listen… I can exp-EEP…"Kaien did not get the chance to finish as he was yanked up by the collar of his shirt, coming face to face with a furious silver-haired hunter with a piercing glare. Amethyst eyes starting to morph red from anger.

Zero snapped and started screaming bloody murder in his adoptive father's face "EXPLAIN WHAT! DO YOU HAVE A READY-MADE ANSWER FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THIS AS WELL!... Listen well Cross, I am fed up with all your deceptive tactics and you hiding the truth all the time. I am fed up with having to obey orders like a lackey just so that I can make up for refusing the fucking association president's position. Yesterday, I was outraged at the fact that I was not aware of such dangerous information of new fucking purebloods popping out of nowhere, and now… Now you are telling me my mentor... the man I respect the most… the person I owe my life to is… is.. is dying?! And you are probably going between the association and his place! Who knows, maybe Ichiru was visiting him when he tells me that he went on a date! And lets not talk about the other bastard! And… and here I am, fuming like a brat at how he did not make time to meet me before going, since ALL OF YOU made me believe he is out of the county… ON A BLOODY MISSION!" His voice was out of breath and thick with emotion as he tried to swallow the lump forming in his throat, finally letting go of the man.

A storm of guilt, pain and plea went through Cross's eyes before he averted them from the accusing stare of his son. Seconds later, Ichiru came up to his brother from behind, softly gripping both shoulder to prevent him from turning around. He then rested his forehead into his twin's shoulder blade, and whispered, knowing pretty well that he can hear him: "It is not Cross's fault, Nii-san! It is not my fault! …That you did not know is no one's fault… Sensei asked us not to tell you… He…" Ichiru gulped and exhaled in an effort to keep his voice even as he remembered his mentor's words "He is the one who came up with the idea of the oversea mission… He asked us to keep his illness from you and…" letting out a shaky breath, he gripped his brother's shoulder tighter "… and when he is gone… we were supposed to tell you that he died during the mission like any proud hunter would wish to die. That is his last request" _His dying wish,_ trembling hands let go of Zero's arm and wrapped around his waist hugging him tightly. The hunter could feel the wetness where Ichiru's face snuggled on his back; he could hear the soft sobs. However, he could think of only one thing

Zero said softly: "I … I need to go!"

Ichiru's eyes widened and he tightened his hold "NO! NO! You will not! You can't do this to him"

"HE CAN'T DO THIS TO ME EITHER!" screamed Zero as he unclasped Ichiru's hands, the latter tried to prevent him from going with all his might. Sadly, the human twin was no match to the vampiric strength of his brother as he was simply shoved aside. Zero sprinted to the door with Kaien running after him and calling for him to stop. Deaf to the world, the silverette snatched the car keys from the key holder, not bothering with the coat, and yank the door open to leave only to end up bumping against something hard, staggering back for a second. "Kaname-kun, stop him!" yelled Cross from behind when he saw the figure blocking Zero's way out. The pureblood reacted just in time to block him as the hunter was about to bolt out.

"Move out of my way Kuran!"

"I will move once you've calmed down" answered Kaname in a firm tone, resisting the relentless pushing of the hunter.

"I said MOVE.OUT.OFMYWAY!" screamed said hunter as he pointed his gun to the vampire's chin, and looking at him straight in the eyes… Kaname stared back at him defiantly without an ounce of fear, and then smiled.

Suddenly, Zero's vision started to get blurry and his hold on the gun slackened. Kaname gripped the wrist and shook out the gun letting it fall to the floor. Just as the drowsy hunter tried to resist, he pulled the silver head flush against his chest. Zero tried to scream but it only came out as slurred grumble "Bastard! What... did you… do! Let go…stop it…"

"Where were you planning on going in that state?" the pureblood asked, while looking at Kaien, few feet away. The old ex-hunter mouthed Yagari's name without sound, so that the hunter does not get agitated. He could not get any closer as Kaname's aura was starting to affect him as well.

"I neeeed to go see…him" the slurred answer came in a muffled voice.

"What if he does not want to see you? Will you still go?"

"That…none of you busi..ness… need.. ungh.. to go … let go…"

"Do you know where to find him?"

"…" the hunter did not answer as he realized that he had no idea where his mentor was, but he would still look for him nonetheless.

"I will let you go now, but on one condition!" Kaname spoke as he lifted the sluggish hunter chin tilting his face up to look at him "I will drive you there and you are not to leave my side until I say so. Deal!"

"Kaname-kun, what are you saying?"

Zero took some time to process what he was told through his muddled brain and then nodded weakly.

"I will take responsibility for this, Cross-san. Good night" announced the pureblood as he retracted his aura, not letting go of the wrist he held firmly. He took the keys from the hunter's hand, grabbed his coat and then pulled him out then into Zero's car. The ex-human had no other choice but to comply as he was deprived of his weapon and feeling powerless from the emotional outburst.

"The place is just twenty minutes away from here," informed the pureblood as he glanced to his side.

Comfortable silence stretched for a good ten minutes as the car drove in the middle of the dark road. Zero's head leaning on the windowpane looking at the sceneries flying away. He glanced at the driver before starting to speak, "You knew about it, didn't you?... haha… Of course you, of all people, would know about everything," snorted the hunter.

When he got no answer or reaction from the pureblood, he growled in frustration and tried to calm himself before starting to inquire.

"So…What is it he has?"

"Terminal lung cancer"… Zero felt his breath hitch as a memory of their conversation about the academy flashed.

"How?... How long? I mean… How much long-"

"The expectancy is a maximum of three months that may get shortened to two." Kaname answered in an even tone, without looking away from the road straight ahead.

"When did he find out?" the hunter's voice became strained at this point, scared of what more he will learn.

"Eight months ago, it was already in an advanced stage. Yagari-san did go through various therapy and cures, however… it spread fast, way too fast" Kaname gripped the steering wheel tighter as he could hear the heartbeat of the hunter soaring up in the silence of the car. Zero squeezed his hands into fist until his knuckles turned white, and started tapping on his forehead with both fists as he rocked on his chair back and forth curled up into a ball, his eyes screwed shut. The rest of the journey went on in complete dark silence.

  


  


* * *

  


  


  


Long ten minutes later, as the car stopped, Zero looked up and squinted at the neon light of a hospital's entrance. "Room 363, if anybody tries to stop you, show them this card. I will park the car and join you." Came the instruction from the man in the driver seat as he handed him a badge.

The hunter stood in front of the door looking at the room number _"363",_ as he was about to move the doorknob, Ichiru's words repeated in his ears _"his last request"._

In the midst of his internal war, Zero could not hear the nurse coming his way barking about visiting hours being over and only people with special permit allowed and whatnot… The woman was stopped before she reached him as a tall man stood in her way, with a charming smile, requesting her to guide him to a certain doctor's office. The nurse forgot about her ranting and showed the way, smitten with the handsome visitor.

The hesitant silver-haired finally gathered his courage, slowly opened the door, entered the room and closed the door again with a soft click. Inside the pitch-black dark room, his enhanced vision could distinguish a sleeping figure, hooked to various tubes and cables along with few blinking and beeping machinery on the other side of their bed. His breath caught, the young man tried to deny the truth in front of him. As if trying to convince himself that it is all an illusion due to the darkness, he reached out a shaky hand and pressed the light switch, blinking as the dull grey wall turned bright white. He took a few steps closer to the bed, and stopped as the man groaned as he started to open his eyes, squinting at the light and then looking at his guest. "Yeooo! Idiot disciple… I didn't expect you to come visit so soon; those people are as useless as ever." Spoke the man in a groggy voice. He then cleared his throat and blinked a few times before adding, "Judging from that stupid look on your face, I guess I am on the right direction to becoming a ghost." Finished Yagari with a tired chuckle.

Zero's feet were pinned to the floor, not allowing him to move an inch. His face twisted in a pained expression; eyebrows furrowed together, irises widened and lips slightly parted, showing clenched teeth. His shoulders squared and fist clenched on either side of his hips, slightly shaking. The hunter could not believe that the man talking to him was the mentor he grew up looking up to; Yagari's slightly tanned skin turned ashen gray and clammy, his face was drawn and pale making his cheekbones standout. The eyes that looked at the silver haired hunter were sunken and dull. The once brawny and big arms are nothing more than skin and bones.

One bony hand rose and a finger pointed to a table in front of the bed, white cracked lips moved "Quit gawking at me and get me some water."

While the hunter went to fetch a glass of water, Yagari pressed a button and made it so the headrest lifts for him to get in a sitting position. Once he drank the content of the glass in slow gulp, he motioned to his disciple to sit on a nearby chair.

"I hope you did not beat your father to the pulp before coming here?" Zero shook his head in denial, looking down at his clenched fists placed on his knees.

"Listen… ehem… these painkillers are making me woozy, so I might be mistaken. Did the king of those leeches bring you here, as I can feel his presence somehow" Zero only nodded once.

"I'll be damned. That prick! " Groaned the old hunter "So? You came here to scream and blame me for keeping you in the dark... well? Did the cat eat your tongue? Or am I that pitiful you don't have the heart to scold anymore?" grumbled the patient before breaking in a fit of coughs.

"Why?" the strangled voice came from the seat as Zero looked up with glassy eyes. The lump in his throat grew bigger and prevented him from saying anymore.

After recovering from the painful coughing, Yagari cleared his throat and took a shaky breath, and then started speaking in a croaky voice "You know, as I lived for quite a while, and witnessed the death of many of my comrades and dear ones. I came to this conclusion, no matter how long you live with a certain person, no matter how many happy moments you shared together before they die; the first image that will come back to you as soon as you remember them is the last state you saw them in before they disappeared from your life. Of course, other memories will come flooding afterwards, but I cannot help but remember the bloodied form of my comrades when they passed away on a mission, the disgusting form of a vampire scared of dying after I shot them and so on…" He paused a little to catch his breath, and added, "…So, when the verdict was announced, and I learned that I did not have much time left, I… I remembered a certain little kid with bright violet eyes. Those eyes used to shine brighter with happiness when I visit his home, as he would run to greet me every time. When it was time to start his hunter training… The kid stubbornly decided to learn how to use a gun as his anti-vampire weapon, not a sword nor a string like his parents... He raised hell just to have me become his mentor… He worshipped me like a hero, going as far as to mimic the way I dressed and talked at some point. Which gave his mother a lot of grief … I had the best time of my life training him, never expecting one day for him to become the strongest hunter. Nonetheless, I felt extremely proud to watch as he grew into quite the fierce one and praying that one day he would surpass me … hahaaha …" He paused for a minute and glanced at Zero, seeing streaks of silent tears flowing down his cheeks, his bangs hiding his eyes as he looked down. "After his parents died, I gave up hope of meeting him again as I set on a journey to find the culprit for that incident. I was almost certain I was going to my impeding death since I was going after a pureblood, but… fate dictated that I would get a second chance to meet him and help him stand on his feet again…. Well… Anyways… My point is …. The more I remembered how this boy looked up to me the more I hated the idea of letting him see me getting weaker and weaker until my final moments. I hated the image of this sorry state to reflect into those bright eyes, I wanted him to remember me as his strong and proud hero… Too bad this last wish won't come true though!" sighed the sickly hunter.

Zero's eyes widened for a moment as another recent memory triggered of his brother screaming, _"You can't do this to him",_ finally understanding the meaning behind it. He wiped his tears, ashamed of his stupidity and rash actions lifted his face to look at the rare gentle look on his master's tired face. He forced a smile on his quivering lips as he extended a hand on the edge of the bed. He could not bring himself to hold the skinny hand as he bunched up the sheets and squeezed tight.

"I…I…am… ss… fuck!" the hunter cursed as the words refused to come out as his throat tightened so much it became hard to breath. He slammed his head on the bed next to his master and forced himself to try breathing, burning his chest as he took lung full of air. He could feel fingers lacing in his silver strand, massaging his scalp in a comforting manner. As his tense shoulder relaxed, his mentor sighed and retracted his hand "I think it's better if you leave now… No need to apologize; you did nothing wrong… it was my selfish wish that made you suffer like this… I am sorry… Zero!"

Zero's form stilled for a moment, shocked at his mentor's words before he understood the underling message. _"Yeah! He is right. Master is sick, tired, and it is in the middle of the night. I am too much of a mess right now, do not know what to say, or if I will be able to even talk. I cannot afford to hurt him with careless jargon. Better leave"_

As he made up his mind, the late visitor stood up and walked slowly toward the door, looking at his hand about to switch off the light. He took a deep breath and spoke without looking back at the man lying on the bed "Master, you will always be my hero… Always". He heard a chuckle "You bet... thank you, Zero!"

Without any more words, the young hunter switched off the lights and left the room closing the door as softly as when he opened it. He found Seiren waiting outside "Kaname-sama asked me to tell you to wait for him at the lobby, he will join you shortly." Zero did not bother to look at the shorter woman as he passed her and went on his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments please!


	10. chapter10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALERT:   
> lemony part, R18+  
> (I still cannot believe I just wrote my first intimate scene EVER… I felt embarrassed just reading it again to check for mistakes… Did I really write that??? OMG *Huddle in a corner with steam coming out of my head*)   
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

Zero passed through the automatic sliding doors leaving the bustling building. He wandered through the parking and then onto the deserted street. It did not bother him that he did not know the area, nor where he was heading. He just walked aimlessly, bumping into a staggering drunkard he did not bother to avoid, being honked and cursed at by a driver for crossing the street on the green traffic light. He just felt empty and drained, just trying not to think about the fact he will be waiting for the death of yet another important person in his life. For a moment, he wished he could turn back time, if not to save him; it would be just to spend more time with him instead of running away from everything.

Sensing a familiar presence behind him, he wiped his teary face with his sleeve, took a deep breath and stood tall without turning around as he knew Kaname was a little behind him.

“What do you want?” Zero asked, his voice coming out brittle

“I believe Seiren informed you to wait in the lobby.” Came the rich voice of a displeased pureblood.

“I have no obligation to obey your orders.” Zero hissed

“Negative. We had an agreement for me to bring you here. What part of ‘you are not allowed to leave my side until I say so’ did you not understand?”

“I just want to be left alone right now! Don’t you get it?” Zero screamed as he turned around to glare at the brown-haired man standing in front of him now.

Kaname observed the hunter noticing the swollen puffed eyes, probably from crying, red nose, and slightly trembling clenched fist on his sides. _“Mule head”_

The pureblood pulled the hunter by his arm, raised a free hand to the face of the silverette, and pointed two fingers out in the form of a V before he started talking.

“You have two choices, either you come along obediently to the car for me to drive you back and that’s it or I will have to use _that_ again and force you. Of course, if you resist too much to my liking, I might be inclined to erase your memories of tonight and leave you in your ignorant bliss until the dreaded news reaches you just like your mentor wished.”

The incensed hunter threw a hand to his back reaching for his gun, his eyes widening when he realized it was not where it was meant to be.

“Shall I remind you? You dropped Bloody Rose at the entrance of Cross’s house before you followed me like the obedient good kid you should be” *PUNCH* Kaname was surprised as the punch caught him off guard and found his face turned to the side, it did not hurt that much but annoyed the hell out of the pureblood. He took a deep breath and calmed himself as he looked back at the enraged hunter.

“Stop acting all high and mighty, you bastard! And LEAVE ME ALONE!” Zero screamed his lungs out with his face close to that of the taller man, and then he turned around while yanking his hand to get away.

Kaname grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him backward “I guess we will have to go with the second option them.” Said the pureblood sarcastically

Zero stilled for a moment and then mumbled too softly that Kaname would not have heard him if not for his enhanced hearing “I don’t want to go back there”.

Kaname’s lips twisted upwards, _“Now he turns into a sulking child not wanting to go face his parents, seriously!”,_ he let go of the man completely and Zero looked back at him suspiciously.

“Where do you want to go then?” Kaname asked as the hunter looked at him, quickly putting on his poker face as not to aggravate the man by making fun of him.

“I don’t know”

“Should I take you to your place?” He suggested.

“That’s too far away, are you planning to teleport or what?” Zero asked, surprised by the suggestion, but not refusing it.

“It’s too much of a hassle to teleport someone, I would rather drive you there, leave your car, and then teleport back by myself. That would be more convenient for you as well,” Explained the vampire.

Zero contemplated the suggestion, hating the fact that he has no reason to refute the tempting offer.

“Why bothering yourself with a troublesome journey anyways… You can teleport back and I will leave by myself, you can just give me my car keys.” Zero reached out a hand waiting for the pureblood to give him his keys.

Kaname stared at the palm, pondering, _“I myself do not understand why I would go so far to accompany him. Seeing him going from outraged, to agonize and now becoming broken should be expected, so why am I trying to stay by his side for a bit longer? I wonder… Ah! But he will probably be more aggravated if I voiced my thoughts out loud now.”_

He looked up to the waiting hunter said in a monotonous tone: “I gave my word that I would take responsibility for taking you here. Do you expect me to go back and report to Cross-san that I left his son wandering aimlessly in an unknown street by himself? Even if I do not take you back with me, it would be fine if I inform him that I dropped you safely at your place because you wanted to be alone for some time.”

Zero nodded approving the argument, “you just have to drop me and leave, then”. With that, the two men started walking to the parking and then got into the car and departed.

Along the way, Zero murmured softly with his face looking out the window “I owe you one”.

Kaname chuckled just as softly and looked at the back of his passenger “You owe me more than one, Kiryuu-kun”. Unfortunately, the teasing pureblood did not get to see the pink hue adorning the hunter face, as he understood the hint and remembered their little drunken incident.  The rest of the way went on in a comfortable silence.

* * *

 

 

As promised, once in the parking lot, Kaname locked the car and handed over the keys to a sleepy hunter. Just as he was about to leave the premise, he felt a tug on his coat’s sleeve catching him by surprise. Without meeting his eyes, Zero tightened his hold on his coat and whispered, “I didn’t eat much during dinner… kind of hungry… So I will probably cook something now, do you… you know…. The homemade dinner you talked about before…”

 

_“Hey Hey! Couple hours ago, you pierced my eardrum screaming at me to leave you alone, and now you invite me to dinner... Well, in his state, it is better to have company, but for him to ask me, I would never have expected it… “_

Kaname could not fight the urge to tease him “I believe you said that I just have to drop you and leave”.

Zero looked at him with a surprised face before frowning and snorting, “You know what! Forget it! I don’t why I even bothered to ask, good night”.

The silver-haired man let go of the coat sleeve and walked away few steps before stopping as the pureblood called him.

“What’s for dinner?” Kaname asked, trying his best to hide the amusement in his voice.

“Pasta, probably!”

“Sounds good to me. Do you happen to have a computer I can use?”

“Duh!” Zero answered as he rolled his eyes.

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Once inside the spacious apartment, both men shrugged off their coats and hanged them. Kaname sat on the kitchen table and flipped open the laptop Zero gave him after pulling the papers from the envelop he brought with him. In the meantime, Zero headed to his bedroom, took a quick shower in attempt to let out some tension and wore some comfortable cotton pants and plain T-shirt. He was thankful the swelling making him look like he has his tiny breast is gone so he will not have to wear that hateful sport bra to squish them flat, suffocating in the process. _”I should consider myself lucky they only appear during that time (period), I shudder just thinking of having them permanently, I hope Hanabusa finds a way to stop that as well, soon”_

 

Zero proceeded to the kitchen and took out the ingredients to make dinner while Kaname focused on reading the papers at hand and typing on the laptop occasionally. The wonderful aroma of sauce and herbs quickly filled the place and Zero felt his mouth watering. He quickly shooed Kaname to sit on another table in the living room with his laptop so that he can set the table. Ten minutes later, the pureblood heard Zero calling for him to come eat. They enjoyed a quiet dinner with Kaname complimenting the food every now and then. Although he said he was hungry, Zero ended up picking on the food, barely finishing half of his plate but chugging down four beers afterwards. Once Kaname finished eating, Zero started clearing the table. However, the pureblood stopped him asking to go watch TV and rest while he took care of the dishes.

 

Zero gratefully accepted the offer and walked toward the living room, swinging by the fridge first to take a chilled vodka bottle along with the shot glass he already took from the cupboard. Kaname shook his head at the actions of the silverette. _“That won’t make him drunk, but he still drinks it anyways. Would it have been a better idea to let him take care of the dishes to keep himself busy? Sooner or later he will have to face it; running away or bottling things up won’t solve anything.”_  

Few minutes later, Kaname finished the chores, praising himself for doing a good job at something he would usually not do. He dried his hands and headed to the living room to collect the papers and leave after checking on the hunter. Once the papers are in their designated envelop, he grabbed his coat and went to lean on the back of the couch where zero was sitting. However, all thoughts of leaving went flying out of the window when he saw that two third of the once full bottle gone, and the hunter was still filling the glass and chugging it down in one go, not just drinking it. Kaname frowned, walked around to the front of the sofa and reached out to the replenished glass that the hunter was about to drink,  “That’s enough, you’ve had far too many shots already, even if that won’t make you drunk, you’ll still feel sick later.” The vampire scolded as he took the glass away and sat on the couch next to the hunter.

Zero reclined his head on the back of the sofa and covered his eyes with the palm of his hand. Moments later, Kaname saw him shivering, looking at his covered face, the mouth quavered as tears started dripping on his temples. Kaname carefully rested his arm on the back of the couch behind the silver head, he laced his finger into the strands expecting the hunter to flinch from his touch, but nothing happened. When the sniffling got louder, Kaname started twisting and stroking the head in an effort to get him to relax. He did not want to use his power; since he can relate to the pain of losing a dear person, he knew the crying man would relapse as soon as he was left alone.

 

Zero gripped his own throat as if he was choking, and whispered in a hoarse voice “I could not say anything, could not do anything… just stood there… just…” the hand covering his eyes moved to his mouth attempting to stop a loud sob, but Kaname did not allow it. The pureblood moved closer and clasped the trembling hand, then pulled Zero gently guiding his head on his shoulder, “Just let it out…” said the taller man in a soft soothing voice. As if he pressed on a switch, Zero gripped the ancient vampire’s hands and clutched his shirt with the other, then started bawling as loud as he can. Kaname kept holding the silver head firmly, massaging the stiff neck and simultaneously, with his thumb, tracing circles on the back of the hand he was holding. He could feel the dampness leaking through the fabric from where Zero was leaning on his shoulder, face buried in the crook of his neck.

 

 

The pained cries eventually quieted down to soft sobs, the violent jerks turned to slight tremors, only erratic breathing remained with the occasional gasps as tears continued to flow.

 

Kaname slid his hand down from the neck through the back, wrapped his arm around the hunter and pulled to tuck him fully against his side. Zero gasped in surprise and Kaname halted any movement waiting for the usually grumpy hunter to bolt out of his embrace and start screaming. Surprisingly, the onslaught never came. What made the pureblood even more surprised was the fact that Zero relaxed completely, letting out a long sigh, he shifted and made himself more comfortable against the old vampire, nuzzling his face into the smooth neck and not letting go of the hand rubbing his.

 

It was Kaname’s turn to recline his head on the back of the sofa as he stroked the silver hair, relieved that the storm passed somehow. Although he could not understand the reason behind his actions, he could not help but care for the broken hunter, unable to leave him alone. He suddenly felt the hand he was rubbing fumble with his until their fingers were laced together. Not wanting to break the comfortable mood, the pureblood did not bother to comment as he resumed caressing a slender wrist this time, sending pleasant shivers through the hunter’s skin who welcomed the sensation.

 

They sat there for a while, enjoying each other’s warmth. Zero would occasionally shift to snuggle closer into Kaname’s welcoming arms. The pureblood felt himself getting drunk on the intoxicating scent of the hunter, trying his best not to take advantage of the vulnerable silverette. However, he could not help himself from nuzzling the hunter’s hair and inhaling the sweet lavender scent, unconsciously starting to place butterfly kisses on his temple. He felt the hunter stiffen and instantly regretted his actions, as the hand grasping his let go, and the owner of said hand shifted his legs in what appeared to be an attempt to stand up.

 

Kaname slackened his embrace to free the silverette, cleared his throat and pressed his hands on the sofa ready to get up “I think it is about time for me to leav-“his words were swallowed as he felt soft lips pressing against his. His eyes widened in surprised for a moment before they fluttered shut as he marveled in the taste of the silver man he craved since the last incident, not able to push him away. Keeping his hands still on the sofa, Kaname savored the soft sweet lips pressing against his that were moving in lazy motions as if tasting him for the first time. Zero was in a trance, he cupped Kaname’s face with both hands and pressed his lips harder against his, then nibbled and sucked on the lower lip before licking it and kissing him again, groaning in frustration of not being granted access to have more of that velvety taste. He shifted to straddle the brown haired man by placing folded legs on either side on the sofa, he then let his hands travel up and down a toned clothed chest while he placed open-mouthed kisses on a sharp jaw all the way to the earlobe that he licked and bit.  Kaname could not hold himself anymore as his body heated up from the ministration of the wicked hunter. He grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled the man from his neck where he was sucking on the skin; he used the other hand to rub a soft cheek, wiping trace of tears, and then hooked it on the back of a tender neck rubbing the area behind the ear sensually. The action made the silverette lean into the touch eyes closed and let out a soft moan, Kaname took the chance and kissed the parted lips slipping his tongue into the wet cavern. Zero welcomed it as he sucked the smooth muscle and twisted his own around it completely immersed into the spicy taste assaulting his sense… Sadly, His euphoria did not last long as the tongue retreated and a painful tug on his hair followed when he tried to pursue it.

 

Red-brown eyes looked into amethyst ones reddened from crying, “You asked for this and I will not allow you to pretend forgetting about it later” Kaname spoke in breathy husky voice while tracing Zero’s wet abused lips with his fingers. The only response he got was the hunter holding those fingers with both hands licking each digit slowly, while rolling his hips on Kaname’s lap creating a delicious friction between them. _“Although you will definitely regret it later, Kiryuu-kun”_ thought the pureblood before throwing caution to the wind and wrapping an arm around the slender waist of the silverette pulling him into a deep passionate kiss, grunting as he felt him moaning and trembling from the action.

 

Zero’s hands were going everywhere from Kaname’s shoulders to his neck trying to anchor himself as he was starting to become delirious from the continuous jolts of pleasure. Kaname’s hands already sneaked under his shirt and currently caressing, kneading and then caressing again his sensitive sides. Afterwards, one hand traveled north to give the same treatment to his shoulder’s blades and the nape of his neck, successfully sending shivers down his spine and a muffled moan during the kiss. Zero pulled away and cried out as the other hand suddenly pushed under his cotton pants and cupped a clothed cheek, squeezing then pushing against it, hard enough to increase the friction of their grinding. Zero dropped his head on a strong shoulder, panting hard “Ah…nnh… wait!… too muchAAhh!!“ his delicious moan and plea only made the aroused pureblood increase the brutal pace, only stopping for a moment to change their position as he lay the silverette on the couch and dropped his weight in-between parted legs to resume their humping.

 

Kaname propped his upper body on his elbow and cradled the back of the silverette to force him into looking at him while he made a mess out of the moaning beauty. Their ragged breath mingled from the proximity of their face and Kaname marveled at the luminous half lid violet eyes, darkened with lust and desire as they fluttered in harmony with their rocking motion. He sucked on the puckered lips, and then placed open-mouthed kisses on the chin all the way down to the base of the quivering throat. “Nnnnahh… haaah!...” The hunter had no control over his voice anymore, his hands tangled into the mess of brown hair pulling the man above him wanting more while hooking his legs around his waist and tightened to increase the friction seeking release. In response to his action, Kaname pushed him further into the couch rubbing their arousals more fiercely if possible and bit the pale collarbone hard enough without breaking any skin.

 

The intensity of the sensation sent a delirious Zero over the edge, he arched his back like a bow, throwing his head back and opening his mouth into a silent scream of ecstasy as he felt himself spill and soak his clothes. Kaname found himself enchanted by the silver beauty as he watched him ride the waves of orgasm and drop down into the couch, pale skin flushed pink, lips quavering and body trembling from post-orgasmic tremor, panting hard while his once open eyes fluttering shut drowning in the bliss of the moment. The still painfully aroused pureblood leaned and started placing butterfly kisses from the side of a flushed sweaty neck up to a sensitive ear, where he whispered ever so softly, “It is not over yet”.          

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments please!  
> So? Who wants a steamy continuation? *looking innocent*


	11. chapter11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALERT: lemony part, R18+ (this is serious warning, this chapter is a 12 pages of frolicking, smexy teasing and … and… just lemon) so who ever does not like the stuff can skip it.   
> Happy that you liked the last chapter and here is the continuation as promised. LOVe YOU ALL  
> *HIDE IN A CORNER* *RED FACE* *NOSEBLEED*   
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

The intensity of the sensation sent a delirious Zero over the edge, he arched his back like a bow, throwing his head back and opening his mouth into a silent scream of ecstasy as he felt himself spill and soak his clothes. Kaname found himself enchanted by the silver beauty as he watched him ride the waves of orgasm and drop down into the couch, pale skin flushed pink, lips quavering and body trembling from post-orgasmic tremor, panting hard while his once open eyes fluttering shut drowning in the bliss of the moment. The still painfully aroused pureblood leaned and started placing butterfly kisses on the side of a flushed sweaty neck up to a sensitive ear, where he whispered ever so softly, “It is not over yet”.

 

“Uhnn..” Zero groaned as he felt a warm hand sneak into his underwear and massage his still sensitive length for a moment and then letting go. He opened his eyes lazily to meet those wine orbs filled with desire. He blushed as he saw a red tongue licking wet long digits. Kaname could not help the smirk on his face at the reaction and decided to tease the spent beauty :”Hmmm… I’d say… bittersweet?” Zero became scarlet red by now and looking anywhere but at Kaname _“Geez, why am I acting like a girl”_. “So! What shall we do next? Kiryuu-kun” the pureblood asked as he leaned to placing a chaste kiss and pulled away earning a pout from the silverette. “Bed” was the only answer Zero provided as he hooked his arms around the taller man’s neck who scooped him up with ease holding his legs on either side of his hips letting him while feel his arousal. They kissed as they made their way to the bedroom, breaking apart only to laugh if they bump into something.

 

Still pecking and kissing, they finally reached the bed. After detangling their limbs, Kaname pulled the silverette’s top garment up removing it.

Hating to be the passive one, Zero stood on his knees and started to unbutton the pureblood’s shirt while looking at his puzzled face. The hunter laughed when he figured where the man was looking earning his attention as he looked up into his eyes “You were not imagining things last time… it is just that they are not always that… plump?”

Kaname did not say anything as the hands that were on the hunter’s hips started caressing his sides travelling up to his chest, a thumb traced the outer edge of a pink areolas marveling as the velvety softness of the skin before a mouth followed to taste it. “mmaah…” Zero threw his head back, forgetting about the shirt, as he sighed from the pleasure of that hot mouth sucking on his sensitive nipple, nibbling the pert bud while the other was teased, and tweaked between nimble fingers.

 

Kaname finally let go of the swollen nub with a pop and admired his work before pinching the abused hardened nipple and smirked, “it’s a shame though” he commented on the earlier explanation while torturing the silverette. Zero met his eyes raising both eyebrows in a mocking fashion “It certainly did not look like you hated it…uhnn… Ah! That feels good!” the hunter closed his eyes as his fingers delved into brown locks encouraging the man who pushed him down onto the bed, sucked the junction of his neck while massaging his chest, then trailed a hot wet tongue through his chest bone all the ways down to his navel where it dipped in. The ex-human shivered violently and squirmed from the sensation. _“Damn! It feels sooo good… Ah… soHot”,_ “AAAhhng… Fuck! Ngh”. Amethyst eyes shot open as his body jerked up away from the bed and slammed back on it, _“When did he?”._ Zero had to blink few times while panting hard before he figured their new position. In his daze, Kaname got rid of his bottom garments and kneeled between parted legs and took him into his mouth. The silverette tightened his grip on brown lock feeling his toes curl and heel digging into the mattress, overwhelmed by the pleasure given by the hot mouth wrapped around his arousal.

 

As the tugging on his hair felt harsher and more painful, Kaname stopped his torturing pace and looked up to breathless silverette who propped himself onto his elbow. “Don’t want to be the only one again…,” what meant to be a protest came out as a sensual breathy plea to the pureblood ears. The older vampire paused for a moment before he pulled away and sat on the bed. “Come here” he reached a hand to the hunter who grabbed it, and then pulled him up too fast; they almost toppled backwards from the impact. With the hunter straddling his lap again, He directed the pale hand to his belt while kissing its owner hungrily.

Getting the hint, the silverette grappled with it until he unfastened, removed it and impatiently opened the vampire’s slacks. He palmed his erection over the last layer of clothes, awed at the size. Zero flinched for a second as he felt that the sneaky hands of the man kissing him made their way to his lifted bottom. Warm palms cupped perky buns spreading them while smooth fingers explored what is hidden in-between. He sighed in the kiss as he reached out and grabbed the naughty hand bringing it up to his mouth. He pulled away without breaking eye contact and started licking and wetting the salty digits. Satisfied with his work, he directed a creamy finger down again and used it to probe into a wet passage snugly hidden under swollen jewels. Both men moaned as Kaname pushed the digit further. He was fascinated by the hot and tight inside that turned him on even more as he imagined himself buried deep in there. He started slow at first before adding another finger and thrusted harder and faster while stroking the trembling hunter. The wet sounds were drowned by the loud moans and grunts of the silverette who already lost himself to the waves of pleasure. Not able to hold back any longer, Kaname freed himself and pulled Zero to his lap to slide down on him. “AaaaH!... so uuhnnn big… haaah!” the silverette moaned even louder at the feeling of being breached, shaking as he was stretched to the limits ever so slowly. Kaname grunted and groaned as he closed his eyes shut and mouth open, he rested his head on the chest of the man he was holding. He had to stay still, breathing harshly as he was fully sheathed inside the tight walls, in an attempt not to let go so soon.

 

The brown haired man suddenly felt the hands on his shoulder gripping too tightly and the body of the silverette stiffening abnormally; he pulled his face away and looked up to find the once flushed hunter gone pale, almost green.  He quickly relaxed the arms that were wrapping the slender waist and cupped the sickly looking hunter. He asked anxiously “Hey! You okay… what is wrong? Did I hurt-“ ***hurl* *puke***. The silverette’s body went limp as he dropped his head on Kaname’s shoulder smearing whatever left on his shirt and mumbled, “I’m sorry… felt sick suddenly”.

 

Successfully turned off, Kaname crinkled his nose at the horrid stench assaulting him. He pulled out, pushed the drowsy hunter on the bed and made his way to the bathroom for a much-needed shower. Once done, he came out wrapped in a towel drying up his hair with another and called “Kiryuu-kun, can I borrow something to wear?” When he looked at the bed, the hunter was out cold, sleeping. The pureblood felt helpless for the first time in a long while, he run a hand through his wet bangs before sliding it over his face and letting out a long exasperate sigh, “This has got to be the best joke so far. You really leave me speechless, Kiryuu kun”… He paused for a moment staring at the sleeping face, then his lips stretched into a smirk “I wonder how you are going to make up for it and few other things as well.”

 

Around forty minutes later, Kaname was sitting on the kitchen table, topless with his hair pulled in a messy ponytail. He was on the phone engaged in a serious German conversation when a video call popped on the laptop he was using. He hanged up on it as it was distracting him. However, the caller was quite persistent as they kept at it until he was done talking on the phone.

Annoyed, Kaname decided to answer the call and make it clear that Zero is not available as he was not sure if the silverette would be bothered if he disconnected all together to keep working.

After clicking on the green button, a red-haired man with bright green eyes appeared on the screen looking irritated as he talked in English without looking at the camera “Hey Z! What took you so long to answer; I have been trying to contact you since forever. Your phone is switched off, and you take forever to answer this call. Wha… Who are you?” the man finally realized he was talking to the wrong person as he looked at Kaname with a surprised expression.

“Mr. Allen I presume?” Kaname asked in a fluent accent.

“Yes that’s me. Who am I speaking to?” inquired the American

“Kuran Kaname. I apologize if I startled you. However, I wanted to inform you that Mr. Kiryuu is currently sleeping. He lent me this computer for me to finish some important work. I can go wake him up if you have some urgent business with him or I can relay your message if you do not mind”

“Oh! Okay! In that case, no need to disturb him. You can just ask him to call me back as soon as he can. I would be grateful.”

“Sure, that would be my pleasure. It was nice talking to you” Kaname replied with a charming smile in hope to finish the conversation as soon as possible, but to no avail.

“Ah! Sorry but can I take some of your time, if you’re not too busy.” Allen asked sheepishly, intriguing the pureblood.

“I have no problem resuming my work as little later. What might be the matter?”

“It’s nothing serious. I am just curious, that’s all”

“Curious? About what?” Kaname inquired tilting his head to the side, lost as to where the conversation was heading.

“Zero never lends his possessions to anyone. In fact, he loathes having anyone peek into his personal stuff. Now that same Zero is snoozing away while, you yourself are using his computer, apparently sitting comfortably half-naked in his kitchen. Sorry if I am being inconsiderate or rude but, May I ask if you were Zero’s boyfriend.”

The question took the pureblood by surprise as he realized that he was too focused on the phone earlier to remember putting something on before answering a video call.

“I apologize for my appearance; I was busy on the phone and completely forgot about this detail. Please excuse my blunder.”

“Oh no! Sorry if I made you uncomfortable! That is not what I meant, and I do not mind your appearance at all. You do not have to worry. I was inquiring out of concern for my dear friend. That is all there is to it.”

“Concern?”

“You see, since his last relationship ended in quite a messy way. Zero appeared to have lost interest in such a thing and never been steady with anyone ever since. To tell you the truth, I have always been concerned about his unhealthy lifestyle and him being alone … That is the reason I was excited to see he has someone he trust other than Ichiru around him. Maybe I am getting over my head with assumptions, but yeah, that is what I thought. “

Kaname suddenly remembered the conversation with Aido about Zero’s first time ending up in pregnancy and abortion, _“Is this guy talking about that incident? Aido did say it happened during the time he was in US.”_.

“Are you perhaps talking about his first partner?” inquired the curious pureblood.

“Oh! So were aware of it. Yeah, I was surprised when Ichiru told me it was his first time being in a relationship. “Answered the red haired man.

“Well, I heard snippets of it, but I did not know that it resulted in a bad breakup. Could you tell me more about it?” Kaname could not help but use the fact that the man believed he was in a relationship with Zero to know more about the intriguing hunter. Luckily, Allen took the bait easily.

“Well, it was kind of my fault to be honest. Back then, we were a group of freelancing developers that would work together occasionally if one of us landed a big project. We were originally three people, Zero, myself and another girl. When we got overwhelmed with work and Zero being overloaded as he was still a student at that time, the girl introduced this guy she knew as her capable old classmate. I did not like him from the start and Zero immediately picked his interest. He pestered him shamelessly until he gave in a got into a relationship with him. I have nothing against gays and no trouble accepting the outcome. However, on the second month of their dating, things started to get ugly. The guy started treating Zero like a cash cow always borrowing money saying he would give it back when he gets some work. What is worse, he was a complete pervert who had no qualm pulling him into the bedroom even if they have guests over, letting them hear everything. I was outraged because I knew Zero was too good for him and deserved better. Therefore, I went ahead and investigated the guy. Well.. As I suspected, he was a complete scum; gambling addict, substance abuse, women, you name it. I got my hands on some pictures and proofs and gave them to Zero, which was the reason for their breakup. What scared me the most is the cold impassive reaction of Zero toward the whole issue, he just called him and asked for the breakup, gave him a wad of cash when he asked as condition for it, and looked at me saying it would not be funny if he caught some disease from his fooling around. Afterwards, as you may know, he started his habit of looking for one-night stands if he felt the need for some company. Sometime later, Zero had to go back to Japan and Ichiru took over his position. Zero might not know about this, but that bastard actually had the guts to come back asking for more money threatening that he would spread intimate pictures of his brother and ruin his reputation…. If I had to compare, I would say that Ichiru is far more cunning and scary than Zero. That sly fox actually hired him into the company with a good salary and let him do as he please while keeping watch on him. I guess he expected his greed to get the better of him because he took the bait and started embezzling money to satisfy his growing gambling addiction. Ichiru was waiting for that as he immediately filed the report that sent him to jail, spicing it up with blackmailing and harassment.”  Allen finished the explanation with a smug look on his face remembering the evil doing of the silverette.

 

Before Kaname could comment or say anything, his phone started ringing and he excused himself. Before hanging up, Allen requested that this conversation stays secret, as he was sure Zero would strangle him for revealing private information just like that.  

 

Once done with his call, Kaname breathed out and relaxed, satisfied with the outcome of his conversation. “Now, then” He stood from his seat and grabbed Zero’s phone, turned it on and went to place it next to the sleeping hunter. Looking at the clock, it was four a.m, he went back to the kitchen and started rummaging around the cupboard and fridge.

 

An hour later, Zero stirred and groaned as his phone was buzzing right next to him. He grabbed it and answered without bothering to check who is calling.

“What…” the sleepy hunter talked with a disgruntled tone.

“Nii-san? Are you sleeping?”

“Yeah, what is it, Ich?” Zero answered in an annoyed tone wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep.

“Sorry… Did not mean to wake you up… I was just too worried and kept trying to reach you for some time… I know Kuran said you wanted to be left alone… sorry. I could not help it since I know how important Yagari-sensei is to you.” Ichiru said softly, stuttering with a tone filled with worry.

 

The last sentence successfully sobered the sleepy hunter up as his eyes shot open when he remembered the events of the past few hours and how he ended up where he was. Upon closer inspection, Zero realized he was stark naked under fresh new sheets with no trace or smell of spew or vomit anywhere around. He paused for a second sensing his surrounding to confirm his suspicions when he felt the pureblood presence nearby.

“Nii-san?” Ichiru’s voice snapped him back into focus.

“Sorry Ich. Yeah… Listen, I am fine… You do not have to worry… Also, I meant to apologize as well for my unreasonable outburst, but not over the phone. We will talk about this when we meet up next, Okay. I have to go now” He hanged up the phone after listening to one last lecture of Ichiru insisting he forgive Kuran for his blunder since he helped him great time.

 

_“Agghhh! Damnit! Why do I always lose my head whenever that guy is around! And why the heck is he still here anyways…”_ the hunter grumbled as he got out of the bed to put on a pair of boxers along with a shirt barely covering his stomach. He shivered as the fabric brushed his still sensitive nipples. He felt his body heat up as he remembered the sensations of the man teasing them. _“How can I pass out so spectacularly just when we were at the best part of…”_ he whimpered from unsatisfied desire than froze _“Wait! Why am I so disappointed? Get a grip already!! Am I seriously getting this horny for no one other than that pureblood! What is wrong with me?”_ The hunter whined and groaned at his train of thought as he paced around in his bedroom, biting his nails before gripping a fistful of hair and pulling at it in frustration _“But it felt so damn good! That was the longest foreplay I have ever had, and the best. Aagh! That bastard kept pushing my right buttons turning my brain to mush… Fuck! Gotta stop thinking about it! NOW! There won’t be a continuation anyways, he probably lost the edge completely thanks to my awesome stunt (the puking), and I am so not going to beg for more.”_ Once he reached a firm resolve. The silverette made his way to the kitchen where the pureblood was.

 

Zero jumped in surprise as he took in the profile of the man sitting at his kitchen table focused on the content of his laptop with a mug of fragrant steamy coffee next to it. Zero stared at the toned creamy torso and well-defined arms, and then looked up the perfectly sculpted face with unruly chocolate fallen bangs crowning it. If he had not snapped out of it in time, the silverette would be drooling as he stared at those slightly parted voluptuous full lips that made a mess out of him last night. The hunter cleared his throat as he walked around the island to get into the kitchen space.

“Finally awake?” the pureblood commented offhandedly without looking away from the screen.

“Yeaaah! Why are you still here anyways?” Zero inquired while trying to sound as annoyed as possible.

“Thanks to a certain person, I had to send my clothes for cleaning and currently waiting for them. I helped myself to one of your pants while you were asleep” The pureblood glanced at the hunter who flinched and looked away.

“Oh! Right! I do not mind. Sorry about that.”

“It’s done and over with now. Just remember not to overdo it with the alcoholic substance if you are that intolerant.” The older vampire lectured, adding insult to the injury.

The hunter opened his mouth to protest but found no words, because the brown-haired man was spot on. He was not drunk, but all that vodka did make him sick.

“I suppose you might be feeling queasy after throwing up and sleeping right after, I already made some coffee and a couple of light sandwiches if you want to eat.”   

This caught Zero by surprise as he followed the direction where the finger was pointing to the kitchen counter. He saw the coffeemaker full and a plate with two delicious looking toasted sandwiches besides it. Embarrassed as his stomach grumbled at the sight of the food, he made his way towards it and filled a coffee mug while munching on the tasty meal. He picked the mug, turned around resting his back against the counter, and took sips of the refreshing drink while discreetly staring at the handsome man inside his kitchen. His eyes rested on the lips that touched the rim of the coffee mug remembering how they tasted on his own, then travelled to admire the strong shoulders and well defined arms remembering how good it felt having them wrapped around his body. His gaze finally reached lewd fingers and he jolted as he felt his body stir at the memory of those digits squirming inside him driving him mad with pleasure. The hunter snapped out of his reverie when he heard the screech of the chair being pushed and seeing the pureblood coming his way with the mug in hand. He gulped loudly and looked away when the man stood beside him refilling his mug from the coffee machine. A pink hue creeped up his face as he realized that Kaname was going commando under the thin cotton pants he was wearing, it did not help that the pureblood put them quite low on his waist that his pelvic bones were showing.

The pureblood glanced at the nape of the hunter’s neck. The corner of his lips curled up as he noticed the flushed color of the pale skin. “Oh! Allen-san called while you were asleep and asked me to tell you to call him as soon as you can” Kaname spoke close to the hunter’s head on purpose for his breath to tickle him and brushed his naked shoulder against the silverette. The latter flinched, reached to the empty plate and slipped away from the man going to the sink, keeping his back facing him all along and thanking him for taking the message.

Zero put the mug and plate into the sink and gripped the edges with both hand for support. He was feeling frisky and the smell of freshly showered Kaname only heightened his senses. _“Shit!”_ he cursed inwardly before sighing and starting to speak monotonously in hope to dispel the sexual tension “If you took the liberty to borrow the pants, why did you not help yourself to a top garment”

“Sorry but I am not interested in crop tops. The pants are barely reaching my ankles as it is.” Kaname commented innocently, teasing the silverette while he inched closer, enjoying the view of the hunter’s back as he leaned over the sink. _“Damn you tall prick!”_  

“Well, sorry for being too short” Zero huffed at the sarcastic pureblood without looking back. He yelped suddenly as he felt the warmth of the pureblood sticking to his back like glue, trapping him between strong arms as the taller man placed his hands on either side on the sink. Hot breath sent shivers down his spine as the pureblood talked into his ear “I am sorry, I did not mean to offend you in any ways.” Kaname smirked as he felt the jolt of the smaller figure trapped in his arms. Zero shuffled, and then tiptoed closer to the sink to put some distance from the hot body behind him. It only had the opposite effect as Kaname inched forward and Zero found his back even more flushed against his chest and his lifted rear in a compromising position as Kaname pushed against him. “Ah! No..uhnn” The silverette’s eyes widened and he bit his lips at the sound coming out as he felt a hot tongue trailing the nape of his neck than pull away, leaving a cold breeze tingling. “However, I find it quiet rude for you to comment on my appearance when you came in here prancing around and flaunting those tempting legs and delicious behind.” Kaname stated while he stuck his face to the hunter’s cheek enjoying his gasps as he pushed him more against the sink, leaving him with no escape route.

 

“Mmmhh! HaaH!” Zero whimpered at the open-mouthed kisses, licking and sucking that Kaname showered his neck and jawline with. _“I can’t stand it anymore, God!”_ his knee buckled from the sensation leading to him putting his entire weight on the older man’s hips that were keeping him in his bending position. The added sensation of hardened length snuggled in the right place and pushing against him sent Zero’s brain into overdrive. One hand immediately let go of the edge of the sink and reached back to hook the neck of the mischievous man behind him then pulled. He twisted his upper body slightly and captured those lascivious lips he has been drooling over since he woke up. The actions caught Kaname by surprise, but he recovered fast and deepened the kiss while reaching up under the annoying fabric to tease the erect abused nubs. “Ahaaah! Shit!” the hunter broke the kiss as he lost balance. Luckily, Kaname grabbed him on time before he toppled over to the floor, turned him around so that the silverette rest his back on the sink with hands clutching the taller man’s arms for support. Both chuckled at the occurrence before Kaname sneaked a hand down, starting to slide the piece of garment that is the silverette boxer while looking at the laughing Hunter with eyes dark with lust. Kaname smiled as a slight frown adorned the flushed face of the silverette before it dissipated into a wanton face with glistening parted lips and hooded eyes as he started fingering the wet passage. “Uhnn… ahn… yess…” the silverette let out a breathy moan as he squirmed and shifted his hips and legs to take in more of those lewd digits, loving the way they fucked him.  His arousal rose to full glory as Kaname teased his bundle of nerves relentlessly, the hunter’s legs finally gave out as the heat coiled where all his blood rushed, ready to explode. Kaname noticed how close his partner was, so he immediately pulled his fingers away earning a disappointed whimper from the unsteady hunter. The pureblood dragged him toward the table, discarded the computer on one of the nearby chairs, and lifted an aroused Zero on top of the wooden furniture. The hunter hissed as the cold surface made contact with his heated skin, but soon forgot about it as Kaname pulled up his shirt throwing it on the floor before proceeding to remove his boxers completely. Now, the silverette laid as naked as a newborn, sprawled on the table for the pureblood to enjoy the view. Kaname smirked as the hunter became self-conscious of his disposition suddenly; he flushed from head to toe and tried to bring his parted knees together. The pureblood did not allow it as he grabbed and spread them even more than before while looking at the embarrassed hunter and caressing his pale inner thighs, “No! Do not do that! I want you like this…,” the older vampire ordered as he gave Zero a once over all heated stare that made the already vulnerable hunter become scarlet red but more aroused than ever. Zero looked away from the older vampire while the other started pushing downs his own garment and positioned himself to continue from where they were interrupted last night.

  
When he gathered the courage to look back at what the pureblood was doing, Zero’s eyes widened in shock and he inched away just in time before he buried himself inside him. The persistent vampire pulled his hips in order to prevent his escape, but Zero pushed on his tight abs and yelled, “Wait! Time out! Time out”.

Confused, the vampire let go of his prey, not understanding the reason for his agitation. Zero scooted over and began to step down from the table pushing the man to the side only to have said man grab his arm and prevent him from going anywhere. “Where do you think you are going?” Kaname asked in an irritated voice, thinking that the silverette was planning to leave him high and dry once again for some stupid reason. Zero looked back at him in surprise, and then snickered at the priceless flustered expression he rarely sees on the arrogant man’s face. He looked into his eyes and talked in an amused voice “First of all, you are hurting me with that death grip of yours; secondly, I was just going to grab a condom and be right back”. Kaname let out the breath he was holding, pulled the silverette on the table again before kissing him deeply and speak in a husky voice close to his mouth “You stay here, I will go. Where is it?”

“Bedroom, top drawer of the night stand to the left of the bed.”

In the blink of an eye, the impatient pureblood teleported to the bedroom and opened the drawer. He got slightly annoyed to see that the hunter kept packets of different sizes, but did not bother dwelling on it for too long as he grabbed the larger size. He picked one and teleported back, pleased to see the naked beauty stroking himself waiting to be ravished.

 

“You’ve got quite the collection in there? I was wondering what are the vampire restraining handcuffs are there for?” teased the pureblood as he placed himself between parted thighs, pushed the hunter so that he lay on the table and then pulled his knees keeping them up, opened, and ready.

 

“Ah! Those are for me” the hunter gasped at the pull and answered in a breathy voice, as he looked at the man ripping open the wrap and starting to put the rubber on in an irritating slow motion.

“Hmmm… what for?” the pureblood hummed while concentrating at the task at hand, riling up the aroused hunter on purpose.

“To suppress my vampire side when I am fucking a human… it helps exciting them as well, they tend to get a little rough and into the game... “

“So you like rough play! Huh!”

“A little bit yeah! But I hate pain. Any more questions? Detective-san … Oh! AAAh!” the silver head shot back banging on the table as the pureblood shoved himself fully inside in one go.

“Nope!” Answered the taller man as he catched his breath from the delicious sensation, and then smirked as he looked at the gasping silverette, savoring the tantalizing view.

He immediately moved into action, pulling out halfway before slamming back in again and grunting at the hot sensation of those quivering walls tightening around him in attempt to adjust to his size. He set a harsh pace, drowning in the pleasure of the tight cavern. However all movement ceased almost instantly when he realized that the lewd moans turned into grunts and groans of… _”Pain!”._

Kaname immediately noticed that Zero was breaking in cold sweat with eyes screwed shut.

Worried, the pureblood reached a hand to caress a slick cheek catching the hunter’s attention who immediately leaned into the touch sighing at the halt of his movement. He let out a breathy whimper, “Sorry… It… It hurts when you slam it in... So, Um… “Kaname heart dropped as he feared what is coming _“not again!”_ the silverette resumed after calming his ragged breath “So, Um… Can we use the backdoor instead…?” asked the hunter with a sheepish smile when he saw the stunned expression on the purebloods face.

 

“Pardon!” Kaname was dumbfounded is the least that can be said to describe his state.

“I am asking you to pull out and use… You know the other entrance instead.” Clarified Zero, starting to feel uncomfortable.

“I don’t get it. This is not the first time you’ve used your woma-“

“Don’t you dare say the word!” the hunter glared as he gripped the hand cupping his cheek, surprising the older vampire.

“All right! It certainly does not look one if that makes you feel better. It looks like kind of like a slit.”

“You bet! it is just a useless aperture.”

 “Useless! Do you not get pleasure from being taken like this?”

“Are you trying to ruin the mood this time?”

“No” Kaname shifted accidentally, earning a moan. “I am just curious”.

“I never felt female orgasm if that’s what you are on about. Lets say that… okay I will name them wet hole and dry hole!... Fuck! I can’t believe I am explaining this now… Anyways, I use the wet one cause its practical since it lubricates fast and close to that switch (prostate gland) so I peak faster. Other than that, completely useless. Now would you pull out and get on with it… Damnit?

“So why would it hurt?” teased the vampire as he guessed the reason.

Zero rolled his eyes and glared before looking away “Yours is … too big… long so … Damnit! Just let it go already! Ahnn! Bastard”

Kaname chuckled as he pulled the grumpy hunter into a passionate kiss until he relaxed.

“Okay one last thing and I will do as you asked”

“What is it now?”

 “Which one did that new teacher use?” the hunter was taken aback at the mention of Gin and he unintentionally tensed, making both of them grunt at the pressure.

“Wha… Wha.. do you need to know that for?” shrieked the hunter.

“Just answer!” ordered

“The wet one “looking away.

“All right then” the pureblood pushed the hunter back on the table, lifted his knees and spread them further apart before resuming his thrusting at a slow torturous pace this time.

“Whaa… Ahnnn… Fuck! Did you uhnn. Hear a word haahhnn!” the hunter protest turned into mewl, gasp and the lewdest moan he ever made as the slow pace allowed him to adjust to the size of the length that rubbed him at the right places.

_“How do you expect me to change when you were obviously enjoying my fingering earlier… agh… I just need to get you used to this one as well… Simple as that.”_

Minutes later, the only sounds that can be heard in the silent kitchen are grunts, moans, skin slapping and the loud rattling of the table from the vigorous movements.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don’t kill me!  
> I really wished I had a more “rich” English vocabulary while writing this as I was getting stuck every now and then. If you found some weird phrases, just know it was literal translation from French to English. Sorry about that  
> ALSO, there will be three pairing, I already uncovered two, let’s see if anyone can guess who would be the third pairing *wink*


	12. CHAPTER12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.  
> The answer to “is the third pairing yaoi (male/male)” is yes. I wonder if anyone can guess after reading this chapter. Another hint is that there is no OC in this pairing.  
> Enjoy

**SATURDAY 1P.M:**

Toga Yagari was in his bed reading papers when he glanced at the door opening. A tall brown haired man came in and stood close without saying a word.

“heeh! The king finally made his appearance” Yagari started talking sarcastically while sizing Kaname who looked at him with a blank expression.

“If you have nothing interesting to say, leave!” huffed the old hunter, getting irritated by the presence of the pureblood.

 

“Hunters…” Kaname started talking in a contemplating tone. “Or should I say the first hunters who came into existence were humans who directly ingested toxic levels of pureblood. Altering their genes. As a result, their offspring were born a little different from humans. Therefore, Hunters nowadays possess enhanced speed, strength, and ability to sense vampire presence as well as slow aging. The last and most important thing they inherited is their fast healing ability, though not as fast as ours. As a consequence, a brave hunter always expect that his death would come from a fatal wound during a battle, or poisoning or anything related to external factors. They unconsciously relied on those vampire genes they hate so much to keep them sturdy. Thus, they tend to forget that their human parts can be just as lethal, that they are not immune to the strongest illness that strike humans. An example of those hunters is the ruthless infamous vampire hunter that will be soon known as the late association president, Yagari Toga.” Finished the pureblood as he stared at the sick man.

 

Yagari threw the papers on the table nearby and looked back glaring at his visitor before laughing bitterly,

“Are you that bored that you came to give a history lecture and point out my recklessness? I never knew you were so jobless. Oh! Or is it that you were upset that I continuously refused your offer? Is that why you decided to come personally instead of sending that persistent bodyguard of yours? ”

  

“Pardon?” Kaname asked, confused about the offer.

 

“I am talking about me refusing your blood as a healing elixir.” Clarified the old hunter.

 

Kaname paused for a moment before he understood what the hunter meant.

“I am afraid you are mistaken, Yagari-san. I have never offered my blood as a cure for anyone and would never do so for that matter.” He stated in a flat tone.

 

Yagari quirked an eyebrow, looking at Kaname questionably. The vampire sighed and started to explain the truth he assumed judging from what the hunter said.

“Seiren never asked for my blood and I did not send her with the intention of giving you any. In fact, I am surprised she comes to visit by her own accord because I did not send her and she never reported coming here.”

 

It was Yagari’s turn to get confused as he opened his mouth to inquire only to be cut by Kaname resuming his explanation.

“From what you told me just now, I can safely assume that the blood you were going to get was Yuki’s.” announced Kaname,

 

Yagari’s eyes went wide as realization dawned on him. _“That girl! I should have suspected it first knowing her personality. She has always been a meddlesome brat”_

“It is a good thing that you refused their offer, Yagari-san!”

 

“Why is that?”

 

“Those girls, especially Yuki are probably not aware that administering pureblood to other than vampires is a double-edged sword. It is true that it could cure your cancer if it reacts well with your system, but it could also bring your doom faster than expected because of your body rejecting it turning into poison.  If it was really a cure for all, I would have already injected it into your blood without you even realizing it.” Informed the pureblood.

 

“So that’s how it is! And… How would you have pulled that stunt if it were the cure as you say?”

 

“It’s an easy task; I just need to give the order as the owner of this hospital and it would be incorporated into your IV drip”

 

Yagari blanched at the revelation. “Fuck! They certainly do not call you the King for nothing. How far does your power extend anyways?”

 

Kaname smirked at the remark and then threw an envelope he was holding on the shocked hunter’s lap.

“Trust me! You would not want to know! Enough of the random rambling now. The reason for my visit today is that.” Said the pureblood pointing to the papers Yagari pulled out. “As you can see, the first batch is your medical records since before you were diagnosed with cancer until yesterday. The second batch is a translation of a report from a famous German doctor who recently discovered a cure for terminal cases such as yourself. According to his observation of your records, you have a 10% chance of being cured. The treatment is extremely harsh, thus requires the patient to have been physically strong before suffering from the chronic illness. If weaker humans manage to win over the battle by undergoing this cure, I do not see why a strong hunter would not be able to.” Finished Kaname as he folded his arms waiting for an answer.

 

“Why go through such lengths to help a dying man,” asked the old hunter without looking away from the report.

 

“Take it as a compensation for contributing in blowing said man dying wish. It is also to give a chance to my loyal bodyguard in order for her to repay you for saving her life before.”

 

Yagari flinched at the implication to the incident with his pupil. He looked up to the standing man and asked curiously “How is he?”

 

“Apart from being depressed to the point that he invited ME over for a homemade dinner at his place just so I do not leave him alone. I would say he is fine.” Deadpanned Kaname, holding a snicker as the eyes of the old hunter widened the size of a saucer and his mouth went slack, frozen in shock. _“I wonder what he would do if I said I had him for dessert”._

 

“It… It was that bad of a shock, huh?” stuttered the hunter as guilt started creeping into his consciousness for causing his favorite disciple so much pain.

 

“Well, this all I came here for. You can take your time going through those papers to make up your mind. Once your decision is final, you can contact your doctor to inform him whether you accept or refuse. Have a good day, Yagari-san” with that, Kaname left the dumbfounded hunter and went on his way back to Zero’s apartment.

 

Once inside the bedroom, Kaname could not help but smile at the sight of the hunter curled up under the covers, deep asleep. He stripped out of his clothes and put them neatly on the armchair in the corner of the room, and then got under the covers joining the hunter to get some sleep as well since he left directly after taking a shower and cleaning the slumbering silverette.

**SATURDAY 6 P.M:**

 

Amethyst eyes twitched as Zero snuggled up to the warmth that wrapped around him, sighing at the comfortable feeling. He opened his lazy eyes and startled when he realized that the warmth came from the pureblood holding him to his chest with their limbs intertwined together. _“How in the world was I able to sleep with someone else in the bed? A vampire no less!”_ Zero tried to set free from the embrace but Kaname unconsciously pulled him closer by the waist. The hunter flustered at the action as his face came closer to the sleeping man feeling his steady breath tingling him. 

 

The silverette could not help but feel enchanted by the unearthly beauty of the brunet. His eyes roamed admiring the fine traits of the vampire, his glossy chocolate hair sprawled messily on the pillow and stray strand fell on his perfectly sculpted face, covering some of the trim well-drawn eyebrows. Violet eyes traveled down to admire crescent shaped long and full eyelashes casting a shadow over slightly prominent cheekbone, hiding mysterious wine orbs. The breath tingling the silverette came from a fine nose with a perfectly shaped nose bridge that ends just above succulent parted lips. The hunter reached to caress the taut skin above a sharp jawline to enjoy the silky smooth texture of a flawless cream-colored skin. He gulped as his fingers carefully traced perfectly shaped lips, suddenly remembering the events of last night while whispering “Kaname”.

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx **FLASHBACK** Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 What started in the kitchen somehow ended up in the bedroom. There in the middle of the bed, amongst the crumbled dirty sheets and scattered pillows, Zero sat on all four panting hard and gasping as Kaname plunged into him at a brutal pace, making his mind go blank as a hand reached down to stroke him in time with the hard thrusting.

 

“I can’t… uhn… Ah cum… anymmmmmore” gasped the silverette

 

“Of course, you can… ugh… you’re leaking so much already” Kaname grunted relishing at the sensation of the tight passage squeezing him as Zero got closer to his nth release.

After a few thrust, Zero felt his muscle convulse as heat pooled into his groin.

  

“Ah! Shit! Cum…haaah…cu…fuck! AAhhh” the silverette dropped his head into the pillow he was clutching muffling the sound of his wild scream as he shot his load into the dirtied sheets, trembling as he felt Kaname’s hands roam around his sweaty back and hips before he pulled out.

 

The hunter dropped unceremoniously on the bed, panting hard and glancing side-way at the man still standing on his knees staring at him. _“shit! I have no strength left… I lost count after the sixth time I came, but I am sure this guy came once only and still fucking hard,” cursed the hunter inwardly as he tried to calm his racing heart._

 

“See? I told you can…” talked the vampire in a husky voice dripping with lust. Kaname grabbed the pale leg to prop it onto his shoulder and adjusted the limp body of the hunter so that he lay back on the mattress. “No!... stop… I can’t… How long do you want to torture me until you are sated you bastard! Agh fuck!” Zero whimpered as he pushed the man’s hips weakly.

 

Kaname ignored the plea as he plunged once again into the hunter, earning a pained groan at the uncomfortable sensation. He then started to stroke the still sensitive length in time with his shallow thrust.

Zero’s eyes were screwed shut from the pain of the intrusion. He gritted his teeth cursing the man hovering above him while hiding his face into the bunched sheet he was clutching to his right.

 

“I am sorry Zero! Haaah! Just a little more… I am almost there…” a jolt like an electric shock run through the hunter as he heard the pleading voice call his first name. He slowly opened his eyes only for them to widen more as he took in the desperate expression on the aroused man above him. Knowing his face should be a sloppy mess as well since Kaname had to wipe a bit of saliva from the corner of his mouth and licking it before resuming his slow rocking.

 

The pureblood brows were scrunched upwards making his eyes look desperate as if pleading the silverette. His face was glistening with sweat as droplets traveled from his temple to collect at the tip of his chin, his breath was ragged and mouth open as he tried to pace himself not to ram into the tight passage forcefully and reach his release knowing how painful it might get for the sensitive man underneath him.

 

Kaname continued to call Zero’s name repeatedly. Zero felt something inside him stir and the flame of passion going ablaze once again. He slowly reached out, touched a sweaty cheek, smiled at the man as he held it, and kissed the palm. The silverette curled up both legs so that his knees were up and his heels resting on the small of Kaname’s back. His free hand sneaked around the taller man’s hip and tugged, encouraging him to dive deeper inside him without breaking eye contact.

 

“Oh god! Ugh… so tight… so good… Zero!” Moaned the pureblood as he threw his head backwards at the feeling of the tightness clamping down on him as Zero bucked up to meet him halfway before getting him to dive completely inside him. He dropped on top of the silverette. Now with both chests pressed against each other, Kaname grabbed the hunter’s hands on both side and whispered into his ear “Call my name…”

 

“Eh? ….mmm” Exclaimed the hunter before biting his lips at the hot friction of their bodies rocking together.

 

“Call my name Zero, please…” the whisper turned to a breathy moan and a hard panting followed indicating how close the older vampire was.

 

Zero pulled his hand away from the grip of the pureblood and placed them on his sweat slicken lower back, pressing on it while whispering “Harder… Kaname… move”. The gentle whisper and the action snapped the last thread of his control as the pureblood rested his forehead on a pale shoulder and started pounding into the silverette so hard it made the bed creak loudly. “Yes…Yesss…faster…Kaname…shit! Oh god! Agaiiinnnnn” Zero scratched kaname’s back and gritted his teeth as his body started convulsing again, unable to believe another orgasm coming so shortly.

 

“Together… Zero… Now! ugh haaah” that was the last coherent thing said before both body shuddered at the violent orgasms, Kaname let out a guttural sound like a growl and zero screamed in a hoarse voice. Zero felt faint after going blind from the intensity of pleasure he went through, moaning slowly as he felt Kaname throb and pulsate inside him. The pureblood kept his head on his shoulder not moving yet. Unbeknownst to Zero, Kaname was reigning in an intense urge to drink from him as he heard the frenzied blood rushing through zero’s pulsating vein so close to his ear.

  

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx **end** **of** **FLASHBACK** Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

Zero jumped and pulled his fingers; as he felt something wet touch them. “It is better to snap back to reality if you don’t want to get anymore aroused that this”.

 

The hunter gasped as he realized that Kaname was pumping his hardened member, he could not react on time as he climaxed almost immediately. The pureblood pecked the hunter’s lips before throwing the covers and pull out tissues to wipe himself and the spent silverette. He then stood from the bed and went to grab his clothes that he started wearing. Zero pulled the cover over his naked form and peered at the man.

 

Feeling his stare, Kaname talked while he fixed the cuffs on his shirtsleeve “As I said, you better snap back to reality already. You need to get ready to go back. I will be going first; my people will be waking up soon”   

  

Zero fidgeted under the cover and looked to his side before mumbling “What if I still want to escape reality some more?”

 

Kaname chuckled as he put on his suit jacket smoothly, and then went to kiss the hunter lightly

“Sadly, that is not possible. No matter how much you crave the pleasure, anymore would wreck your body. I can safely assume that you are in a great deal of pain right now. I placed the pills and water on the nightstand, have some before getting out of the bed. See you later” Said the pureblood before he transformed into black mist and disappear.

 

“Why would he assume I will be going back today, that idiot!” huffed the hunter before grabbing the water glass and gulping the tablets.

 

He immediately shifted and got off the bed only to end up tumbling on the floor. “Ouch” groaned rubbing his back “Of course I would be in pain from being fucked for five straight hours, only stopping to change the damn positions… I thought I was going to die by the end… Is he on Viagra or something? Ugh”

 

The silverette climbed back on the bed, gulped a handful of nasty pills, then pulled another set from the drawer and took two of them, “better safe than sorry”. Forfeiting the bath and anything else, Zero snuggled under his cover and drifted to sleep again.

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx **AT** **CROSS** **ACADEMY** Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

Kaname materialized inside his office at the research lab. Knowing that Aido would not come around unless summoned, he opened his closet where he kept a change of clothes he was grateful to have. Distracted by his rush to get the clothes and change, he did not notice the ash blonde vampire sitting beside his desk in the dark office until seconds later.

 

“It is quite rare for you to be waiting for me here Ichijou. Is there any urgent matter you came to report?” asked Kaname as he shrugged his jacket and threw it into the bin.

 

Takuma squinted at the back of his leader before standing up and approach him while speaking “Well, I was surprised today to have Yuki-chan come ask me about you, saying that you had a meeting this morning and still not back since then. Since I, your personal assistant, had no idea about you having an appointment today according to your work schedule. I had to make up an excuse saying that it dragged for too long and that I might have to go take you to another one right after.”

 

Kaname turned around with his shirt half unbuttoned and smiled at his angry friend “Well done! As expected of you!” while tapping on his shoulder.

 

Takuma brushed his hand off and glared at him “So? What is the reason for your absence, you know better than to act recklessly while being closely monitored by the association, Kaname”

 

“To put your mind at ease, I made an unplanned visit to the sick association president today to offer one last chance for his recovery, anonymously. So technically, you did not lie about me being in a meeting. Is that all?” asked the pureblood, looking impassively at the forest green eyes scrutinizing him.

 

“So you are telling me that your so called meeting with Yagari Toga dragged all day since yesterday. And that is why you came sneaking into this office instead of going to the dorm to change out the clothes that reek of sex and the smell of a certain silver ex-human!” stated Takuma in an anxious tone.

 

“Sharp as always my dear friend,” answered Kaname in a mocking tone.

 

“What on earth are you thinking Kaname? Do you realize that you just slept with your wife’s adoptive brother? How can you do this to Yuki-chan. She has been worried about you all day while you were having a sexcapade with none other than Kiryuu-kun.  Moreover, how did he agree? Oh God! Please don’t tell me that you raped him?” Takuma was furious and trembling from anger as he reprimanded the pureblood.

 

Kaname rested a hand on the noble’s shoulder while the other hand covered his mouth as he shook from laughter, then breathed out and looked at Takuma, amused.

“Relax… first of all, it was consensual, so very consensual. As a matter of fact, he was the one to initiate it” Takuma gawked in shock as if his friend has gone crazy telling nonsense “I swear it’s the truth, no rape or torture. I assure you. Besides, why are you so fired up about Yuki? Since when did you start to care so much about her feelings?... Hmm?...” mused the pureblood while tapping on his chin and then resumed before Takuma gets the chance to answer ”Aha! Let me guess. In reality, it is not Yuki’s feelings you are upset about. It is the fact that I slept with another guy. Right?”

 

“Kaname, stop acting innocent. I am clearly talking about you cheating on your mate who is bearing your child with her brother that she recently managed to patch things up with. How would she react if she learns about this? The rift between them would grow bigger, and issues that are more dangerous might result from this, the least would be revenge or family destruction. No! Two families being destroyed, yours and Cross’s.“

 

“So, the solution is simple. She does not need to know.”

 

“Kaname!” screamed the noble in exasperation, “do you mean that this is not going to be a one-time deal?”

 

“I would certainly seek him again, if I desired company… It was very… how I should say it… intense?” replied the pureblood with a blissful expression as if remembering the feeling, irritating his loyal follower.

 

“Kaname! Please stop this foolish behavior! What is the matter with you! The girl you have loved for over ten years is finally yours and both of you are expecting a child. Now, of all times, you are thinking of having an affair. Don’t you dare tell me that Zero who is a level D and weaker than the pureblood Yuki-chan is able to satisfy your beastly sex drive more than she would. ”

 

Kaname leaned on the noble and whispered huskily in his ear “Are you talking from experience? Ta . Ku . ma?.. Maybe you were upset because I did not come seek YOU for company.” before he chuckled and were shoved backward by the incensed blond.

 

“Kaname! You are getting annoying.”

 

“Am I wrong? After all, weren’t you the one who was sulking after I awakened Yuki and took her by my side to the point of running off to become a pet for that hateful woman.” Stated Kaname, faking an upset tone.

 

Takuma blew his top at the nonsense his friend was spouting, he started yelling while pointing a shaky finger at the amused pureblood clenching the other hands to his side” You know perfectly well that is not the case. Moreover, that incident from LONG time ago was a mistake of reckless youth. Just so, we are clear! I respect you, admire you as a leader, cherish you as a precious friend, but I have never been in love with you and never will. Thus, I would never entertain the idea of being your partner even for a second. So stop changing the damn subject and trying to distract me. You will listen and do what I tell you this time. You are to cut off the affair you are planning to have with Kiryuu at once and care for your family like any decent man would do. A blunder on your part can start a freaking war if you are not aware of that, YOUR HIGHNESS!”

 

Kaname observed the outraged reaction of his friend and listened patiently to his preaching until he finished. He then let out a long sigh and shook his head to the sides before talking in the same amused voice he started with “You are too serious Takuma. Not fun at all!”

 

“What?” Takuma was confused at what was supposed to be the answer to his tiring lecture.

  

“I am saying that you never take a joke well when it comes from me. How many years have we known each other?”

 

“What are you talking about, Kaname? I am certain that you having slept with Kiryuu is not a joke.”

 

“Well yeah! That is not a joke. I am sorry if I offended you by the insinuation of you wanting to be my partner, I am perfectly aware that you are in a loving relationship with your partner and I know how deep your loyalty runs. About the thing with Kiryuu, there will not be a next time probably even if I wanted to. What happened was merely comfort sex. He was depressed after learning about and seeing Yagari-san, he came onto me and I did not refuse. He will probably deny and refuse later once his righteous consciousness kicks in. There you have it! Happy now?”

 

Takuma stared suspiciously before his shoulders relaxed but the frown remained on his face. He made his way to the door and turned to say one last thing before leaving. “As long as you keep yourself in check, I have nothing to say… One more thing, instead of just changing clothes, I would advise you to take a shower to get rid of the stench. Have a good day, Kaname!”

Once the noble is out of sight, Kaname snorted and shook his head as he unbuttoned the rest of his shirt. “ _First Aido goes against me to protect Kiryuu, and now Ichijou preach to me because he is worried about Yuki. ‘Do not hurt him’, ‘do not hurt her’, huh? I wonder when their loyalty started to shift in weird directions. Haaa… Well, I will take his advice about the shower to heart from now on.” Pondered Kaname before a smile stretches his lips._

Meanwhile, the silverette was still sleeping in ignorant bliss. Not expecting what will befall upon him in the coming weeks because of his reckless actions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it seems Kaname will be taking care not to get caught from now on *wink*   
> comments please!


	13. chapter13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

The sleepy hunter woke up the next day, early morning, by Allen calling him. The American business associate was extremely furious from the lack of contact from his partner; he ended up giving him a painfully long lecture along with heaps of work. Now, late evening of the same day, Zero was driving at full speed towards the Association Headquarters residence building.

he screamed his lungs out talking to himself inside the empty car, “That bully, where in the world do you find a freaking company president swamped with things like end of the year budget check, book management and employees evaluation. I remember clearly having an accountant for that shit as well as the HR department to fire whoever slacks and recruit whoever qualify. But NO! I have to go through their work again because Mister Paranoid does not trust their judgement. Oh! Let’s just not mention revising the new contracts to be signed and check proposals for subcontractors, those are among my duties, but did he have to shove all the load on me just because I have been out of action for couple of days. Damnit!” huffed and cursed the hunter “And now I barely had time to swing by Ichiru’s place to apologize before I go catch up with Kaien who is already in the freaking association’s housing and after that I have to fix those paperwork and look over the same freaking stuff I did but for the school this time. Is this some kind of divine retribution or something? Shit!” Whined Zero before pulling in front of the housing and getting inside towards his adoptive father’s apartment.

Three hours later, an ex-human with a bad case of migraine entered Cross’s house at the academy. Without bothering to turn on the lights or remove his coat, Zero flopped on the nearby couch and let out a huge sigh. His talk with Kaien took forever since the guy would not stop apologizing and explaining things over and over again. _“I feel so drained”_

Just when he was contemplating the idea of ditching the leftover work and go to sleep, the doorbell rang.

Opening the door after hanging his coat, Zero found Aido on his doorstep holding what looked like a suitcase for some medical supplies.

“Yeo! What’s up?” inquired the drowsy hunter,

“Welcome back, you told me this morning that you would be coming today and I have been going back and forth checking if you arrived. You could have at least given me a specific time; this stuff is a pain to carry.” Complained the blond haired vampire.

Zero raised an eyebrow because he completely forgot that he even talked to Aido today, he looked at the luggage and asked, “What is that anyway?”

It was now Aido’s turn to raise both eyebrows in surprise before furrowing them “Did you even concentrate on what I was telling you, it is time for your routine checkup Zero! I came to take blood samples today and you will have to come tomorrow for CT scan and the other tests in the laboratory.”

Zero face palmed himself for forgetting about it. It is something they have been doing regularly for the past five years or so. He sighed then looked at his guest before talking in an apologetic tone “Sorry Hanabusa! The past couple of days have been like a roller coaster, and I just came back completely drained. I do not think it is a good idea to do the checkup with me in this state. Even though you warned me about this before, I am sorry; I have been a mess and could not take proper care of my body for it to be in a stable state for the tests. Can we do it in a couple of days, I would have calmed down by then.”

Aido let out an exasperated sigh “I suspected as much when Ichiru told me about what happed that night. I thought you were okay when you talked to me on the phone, but I guess you were distracted even then. Okay, we will deal with it three days from now. And do not try to run away.” Finished the blond pointing a warning finger at his friend.

Zero gave him a weak smile and saw him off before he closed the door and went directly to bed not bothering with anything else.

The next day started with Zero waking up earlier than usual and working on what is left of the work that Allen dumped on him. Once done, he grabbed his coffee and headed to the chairman’s office in the main building to start another day battling with the paperwork. All the way to the office, the silverette felt like something was nagging at the back of his head but cannot seem to remember what it was; he brushed it off as nothing important and went on with his day.

As soon as he started to concentrate on his work, an overly active brunette came barging in his office. “Good morning Zero! How are you doing today, dear brother?”

The man sitting behind the office continued going through his documents scribbling here and there, completely ignoring his guest.

Yuki puffed her cheeks while putting her hands on her hips. “Zero, come on! If you are angry with me for hiding the truth about Yagari-sensei, I will kneel and apologize. Don’t ignore me please; do you want to make your little sister miserable on a happy day?” 

Zero threw the papers on the desk, crossed his arm and scowled at his sister:” Yuki, I am not going to tire myself getting angry with every single person who hid the truth form me, so you can forget about it, it is not a big deal anymore. Besides, I know that is not the reason for you coming now when you are supposed to be sleeping. So, out with it, it is creepy when you try acting cute to get something from me.” 

“You jerk!” hissed the brown-haired woman

“Thanks for the compliment” Zero replied.

“Grr… haah… Anyways, which one do you like best! This shade of pink or this one, I have been through fifteen shades and narrowed down to these two, I just cannot decide.” Whined the brunette.

“Seriously Yuki? You are asking me to choose between two shades. Well… here is what I think; they look the same to me. What are they for anyways?”

“Painting for the baby’s room”

“Oh great! Of all the things I have been asked to do, this has to be the most hilarious task; choosing the color of the baby’s room… Wait… baby’s room?” Zeros’ eyes widened and he unclasped his folded hands “It’s a girl?”

“Yes, we are expecting a baby girl!” beamed Yuki “and guess what, since we have been arguing for too long about the name, Kaname-onii-sama and I decided that her favorite uncle will be the one to choose the name from the list we prepared. You will do it won’t you? Please say yes! Please! Please! Pretty please…”

 “Alright! All right! Got it! Do not get started with that annoying nagging of yours! I just need to choose a name from the list, right. Here… give it to me and I will decide on it when I am done with work, I will tell you about it tonight. Okay?”

 Yuki run around the desk and gave Zero a peck on the cheek with an “I love you, bro” and then ran out of the office after placing the list in front of the stunned hunter. The hunter threw his head backward bumping it on the back of his seat, and then covered his face with both hands “Oh God! What have I done?” He kept one hand on his face and the other reached out to the piece of paper Yuki left. The paper was literally vibrating form how his hand was shaking. Zero let out a dry laugh “What the heck is this, there is at least fifty names written here. Is she trying to kill me?” he threw the paper on the desk again and looked aimlessly around him and then to the ceiling,

 _“what the heck have you done Kiryuu Zero, just because you were desperate does not mean you had to seduce you sister’s husband for fuck’s sake!”_ a voice inside his head reprimanded him again and again.

The hunter pushed the incident with Kaname to the back of his head previously only for it to trigger again, when Yuki blurted his name. At that moment, Zero felt like someone poured ice-cold water on him as realization of his sin dawned on him. _“Even if I did not care about her as much as I did in the past. It is still bad no matter how you look at it, and that bastard just took advantage of it and enjoyed himself all night long playing with my body… No! It is of no use putting all the blame on him, I have my share in it too… I seriously lose my cool whenever he is around even though I hate him so much… Damnit! Why did I have to realize this late in the game, how should I face her from now on… Hello Yuki! The favorite uncle that you just begged to bestow the name of your daughter actually seduced your husband into sleeping with him, surprise!.. Like hell, I would say that…_

 _Fuck it! I will just consider as one of my flings and I will soon forget about it. No matter how awesome it was.”_ Zero paused his thinking looking out of the window and then started whining and making a crying face by himself _“GAAAH! Damnit! Why did it have to be like that! Why was it that good! No, it is precisely because he is too good that I should never seek him again. Besides, it is not as if I slept with the same person twice before. Why should I do otherwise now, especially with my freaking sister’s husband?_

_Moreover, that euphoria I reached repeatedly that night is too dangerous; I cannot allow myself that much pleasure or my body would get addicted… That is it… I will just forget about it and play dumb if he ever hints to it. If push comes to shove, I will refuse him flat out.”_

Once he came to his final decision, the hunter resumed his work as if nothing happened. Afterwards, he chose the name “Ai” for his soon-to-be niece, it had a nice ring to it and reminded him of the hopeless crush Yuki had for Kaname during the ten years since he saved her. Lucky for him, Zero did not stumble upon the pureblood all day.

 Later that night, when Zero was getting the ingredient out of the fridge, he sensed the aura of a pureblood and froze. _“Please don’t come here! Please don’t come here”._ A minute later the doorbell rang, _“Damnit!”_ Zero opened the door with the paper Yuki gave him in hand. There stood the last person he wanted to see today, Kuran Kaname.

“Good evening, Zero” greeted Kaname with a smug look on his face.

Zero scowled at the insinuation of being called using his first name _“this is going to be a pain”_ and then answered the greeting “Good evening, KURAN! And that’s Kiryuu for you, don’t you dare mistake it again”

“Ouch! Already regretting it, aren’t we?” smirked the pureblood

“I don’t know what you are talking about! I guess you came here to collect the paper for Yuki who is busy teaching, right? Here, I already circled the name I liked.”

“‘Ai’, huh? Yuki is going to throw a tantrum because we ganged up against her” Kaname chuckled and looked at the confused face of the hunter before explaining “I was the one who suggested this name, it kind of reminded me of the affection and love she used to try hiding when still human.”

Zero’s mouth went slack from the surprise. Not only did Kaname think of the same name as him but it was for the same reason as well. The hunter flustered before he stuttered his next words “Well… You will have to deal with her tantrum and I will not be checking for another name, it was already a headache going through the seventy-two names both of you collected. How did you manage to think of so many anyways?”

Kaname pondered for a minute before answering, “It collected throughout the whole year, we never settled down on one. That is why we had to get your help since the due date is close.”

“Well… Thank you for the extra headache! Now, if you will excuse me. Good night Kuran” Zero commented hurriedly before closing the door in the face of the pureblood as he was about to say something. He rested his back against the door and sighed, _“Safe”._

“I thought I clearly told that I will not allow you to pretend forgetting about it later”

“Wuaaah! What the fuck are you doing! Shit!” The hunter jumped and screamed at the pureblood materialized in front of him inside the house _“there will never be enough doors to keep this bastard away because of his teleportation”_

“Oh! I am sorry, did not mean to startle you,” Kaname answered in an amused tone as he got closer trapping him against the door, enjoying his flustered state.

“So, as I was saying, you are not allowed to pretend to forget about what happened between us like the incident before, you were neither drunk nor drugged. It is useless to deny it,” added the brunet with a smooth voice as he placed his palms by the doorframe on either side of Zero’s head.

Zero gritted his teeth and hissed at the arrogant pureblood while looking away “I am not pretending to forget as much as I wish to actually forget it. No! To be honest, I wish such a thing never had to happen in the first place”

“Oh! Really?” exclaimed the pureblood “And may I know the reason for that… Could it be that you did not enjoy it as much as I did?” Zero blushed and Kaname smirk widened “Of course that is not the case; you were moaning, writhing and rubbing against me like a kitten in heat… hmm? Was it the aftermath that upset you? Nah, Zero, tell me?” Kaname dragged the last part as he leaned closer and whispered it in Zero’s ear, sending shiver down his spine since he used the same aroused voice.   

Zero pushed the pureblood back full force, face red with anger and frustration, and started speaking in a menacing tone “Just stop your blabbering already, bastard! So what if we had a night together, so what if you were a fucking god in bed, so what if I was moaning like a bitch. You think you own me now? Stop kidding yourself, who do you think you are? All right! I am not going to pretend to forget about it, okay? However, there won’t be a next time either? No matter how good it was, I do not sleep with the same guy twice. So get off your high horse already. We had a great night and that’s it, no more.” Zero paused to catch his breath “And yeah, you were right about the aftermath. Sex with you is quite inconvenient. Because you went at it like a fucking bull, I had to rest for the next twenty-four hours to recover from that shit. Therefore, no thank you, I do not want to go through that again. Get out!”

Zero finished as he turned around to open the door for the pureblood only to have his arm pulled and back slammed against the wall “What the fumphmmm” Kaname grabbed his chin and forced a deep kiss as soon as Zero opened his mouth to protest. _“This piece of shit…”_ Zero’s hand flailed in all direction trying to balance himself from the sudden tug, and then started pushing on the pureblood’s shoulder and screaming into the kiss to let go. The irony was that his screams sounded like moans that fueled Kaname’s desire.

Starting to feel irritated with the hands pushing against him, Kaname grabbed a slender wrist wrenching it behind Zero’s back forcefully, the other hand let go of his chin and swiftly grabbed a bunch of hair to pull the silver head back and deepen the kiss. _“Fuck, I can’t move, too strong… damnit… Ahnn”_. Zero started feeling dizzy from lack of oxygen, the hot muscle continued to explore every corner of his mouth, sliding against his teeth and relentlessly tasting him regardless of his muffled protest. The helpless silverette tried to breathe through his nose harder to keep his sanity, but his captor had quickly learned his right switches.

Moments later, which felt like hours for Zero, heat engulfed his body and his legs gave out to the intense sensation. Kaname let go of him so that he crumbled on the floor, panting hard and tinted pink. Kaname crouched down in front of him and reached out a hand to caress his cheek only for Zero to slap it away weakly. Kaname ignored the action and reached the hand again, faster this time to cup his cheek and get him to look into his eyes. Satisfied with the dark lust he found in amethyst orb, “Don’t you think it would be a shame to make it the last time. You don’t find such a good chemistry so often, and it will only get better with time.” Kaname talked in a soft tone laced with a hint of desire.

Zero looked at him, still trying to catch his breath, scowling before his expression changed to that of pain and guilt. He whispered “Yuki… Ai…” and looked away from scrutinizing wine eyes, which widened for a second. Kaname chuckled while shaking his head and leaned over to tease the hunter some more. However, the doorbell rang suddenly startling both of them.

In a moment of distraction, Zero jumped and opened the door before Kaname could trap him again. “Tsk…” the pureblood clicked his tongue in irritation as he heard the voice of the visitor and decided to disappear into thin air before they come in.  

“Hello Kiryuu-kun! Sorry if I came at a bad time. I bumped into Aido-san and he told me that you arrived. I wanted to check on you and apologize for causing such a mess… You know… by talking too much…” The blue haired bulky man known as Gin stuttered as he spoke to the silverette before looking at him properly

“Are you okay! You look …. Flushed? Do you have a fever…” inquired the concerned teacher as he reached a hand to touch Zero’s forehead. The hunter grabbed his hand with his slightly shaking one, “No! I am fine you do not have to worry. Also, I should thank you instead of you apologizing to me…. Well… lets say you saved the situation on many levels” answered the hunter with a gentle smile to show his gratitude before pulling the man inside the house. _“Especially the one just now” thought Zero._

“Come in, I was about to make dinner, I will make some for you as a thank you.” Announced the hunter when relief washed over his as he turned to find the brunet gone. 

“You don’t have to do such a thing, Kiryuu-kun!...” answered the confused teacher as he was pulled and pushed to take a seat on the kitchen table.

“I insist… It is thanks to you that I came to learn about few things that I was oblivious about, the most important one being the condition of my mentor… Just so you know, I was a wreck the past few days because of it, that is true! It will take some time for it to sink it, but I think it is better than staying ignorant.” Zero was rambling while cutting the ingredients he took out of the fridge earlier.

Gin gave a relieved smile before inquiring, “So, did you manage to have a good talk with him”

The hunter paused his movement and looked back at the sitting man with a wistful smile “I think all I managed to do is look pathetic while he did all the talk.” 

Gin felt like punching himself for causing such a sad expression to show on the silverette face, “I am sorry about that. Nevertheless, it is fine you know! Anyone in your position would be rendered speechless from such shocking news… it will take some time, but make sure you go back and have a good talk. I am sure you would want to spend as much time as possible with him regardless of anything. “light grey eyes followed the silverette anxiously as he moved around in the kitchen before the reply came.

“Em… I guess” nodded Zero, he was about to change the heavy subject, but was interrupted by the buzzing of his cellphone in his pocket. He unlocked the device and opened the text message **“I will come to your room early morning, look forward to it. Kaname”** the peeved hunter immediately deleted the message and was about the throw the phone away when it suddenly started ringing and vibrating, making jump in surprise. Zero was ready to blow his top regardless of the presence of his guest if it was Kaname calling. However, his eyes widened as the subject of their conversation appeared to be the one to call, Yagari Toga.

Zero looked at Gin in surprise before looking back at the phone to answer it and started pacing around the kitchen, making Gin as anxious as he was.

“Hel… Hello, Master!” stuttered the hunter

“You took you sweet time answering the call, brat!” huffed an annoyed Yagari over the line

“Sorry, I was busy. How are you! I…” Zero started talking hesitantly as he did not know how to broach the subject of his health without getting all sissy and emotional again.

“Zero!... listen… Actually, I called because I had some news to tell you… by the way, where are you now?” Toga inquired before proceeding with his talks

Zero felt his stomach flip at the mention of the word news, _“Oh God! Please do not tell me it is something bad; please do not tell me he does not have much longer… I do not have enough time as it is already. God!”_. Gin noticed the tremor of the hunter’s figure while watching him from the back, and started to worry.

“I am at the academy. You know, chairman duties and stuff, it is Monday after all.” Answered Zero with slightly shaky voice.

“Good! Good!” repeated Yagari “All right! Back to the news,” Zero bit his lips and braced himself by shutting his eyes closed “The truth is, Ku… No, the doctor overseeing my health came to me two days ago with a suggestion… He knows this other physician, a specialist when it comes to lung cancers especially terminal stages… Ehem… after looking at my records, this specialist stated that if I undergo the new cure he personally implemented… I… I would have ten percent chances of survival…” Yagari paused to hear Zero’s reaction, but was greeted with silence “Zero?... Zero? Are you still on the line?”

Meanwhile, amethyst eyes were wide and mouth gapping open looking at nothing in particular. _“Cure? Survival? Chances? Specialist?”_ Zero’s brain became overloaded, as he could not grasp the meaning of what he was hearing, that his master might not be dying anytime soon. A slight shake of his shoulder snapped him back to reality when he looked up to find Gin behind him, looking extremely worried.

Without bothering to shrug off the hands resting on him, he got back to his call with a breathy anxious voice.

“Yes, Sensei, I am still here! … Um… So, you are saying that there is a chance to… you know… remove the…” Zero cursed inwardly at his inability to say the word

“The cancer, yes Zero! There is a chance to remove it, although small, but yeah. There is a chance I can be cured completely. Although it does not guarantee that, I will be able to get back to action as I used to be, but it would allow me to have few more years to live instead of counting down the weeks… “Yagari was abruptly stopped by the unexpectedly upbeat voice of his disciple piercing his ear; he kept the phone away and listening with a happy smile “YOU WILL DO IT RIGHT! You are going to go through with this treatment right. No! You have to do it! Even one percent chance is worth it! Tell me you will do it! MASTER!” by this time Zero was clutching the device with both hands sticking it more to his ear as if fearing he would miss a single sound of his master’s voice, his body trembled from the mix of emotions of anticipation and hope that he had to lean back on Gin’s chest for support.

Yagari let out a breathy chuckle before answering “Calm down, brat! You do not even need to tell me. I will do it. You are the first person to know, and I called to tell you that the treatment would be in a hospital in Germany. Therefore, I will be going abroad for that duration, for real this time, I swear it! You had better come see me off before I leave, idiot. You answer?”

“Yes! Yes, of course!” came a strangled answer from the silverette.

“All right! Since you are the first to know, I will leave the task of telling the others to you. It is too much of a headache to talk on the phone for too long. Deal with it for me, please!”

“Okay, with pleasure. Good night, Master!” Zero hanged up and stared blankly at the phone. After following his every move and reaction, Gin wrapped his arms around Zero’s shoulder and rested his chin on top of the silver head before talking “So, Zero! Are you going to stay dazed for too long or will you finally grace my presence by telling me the good news that made you all giddy with excitement.”

Zero pulled back to reality hearing and feeling Gin talking on top of his head, he shuffled a bit for the bigger man to let go of him, which Gin did promptly. Zero turned around to face him, started reiterating his conversation with Yagari, and then flashed a childlike smile scratching his head after announcing the news of his travel. Gin swallowed loudly as he felt his heart thrum in his chest at the sight of the blissfully laughing hunter. He smiled back, trying not to miss a single gesture to etch it deep in his memory “That’s awesome! Lucky for me to hear such good news firsthand. So? When will his flight be?”

Gin’s question earned him a dumbfounded look from the silverette who instantly went into panic mode grabbing his bangs and cursing “Shit! Shit! I was too happy that I completely forgot to ask. Damn! He said he is tired so will be probably sleeping now, and I have to call everyone. They will ask me and it will sound just stupid to say I do not know. Agh! Oh right, dinner! Sorry Gin, you will have to wait… Let’s see” Zero was talking as fast as he was pacing until Gin jumped and stopped him, cupped his face to get him to focus on what he was saying “Hey! Hey! Zero, Relax! Breathe… yes, that’s right! Now you will go pick that phone and call whoever has to know. From what you told me, it seems Yagari-san just made up his mind about the whole thing, so I assume that he still did not set the departure date because there will be some paperwork for his visa and discharge from the hospital to deal with. Okay? I will take care of the dinner so go do your thing.”

“yeah you’re right!” Zero nodded, finally calm “I will call the others. Oh! Gin, you don’t have to trouble with dinner, I will get to it soon, it won’t take me long to call.”

Gin grinned and pointed to Zero’s hands “You think you will be able to hold a knife with those shaking hands. Don’t worry, my cooking will be edible.”    

Zero was about to protest but gave up as Gin made his way to the counter and started cutting and cooking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments please! ;)


	14. chapter14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

Zero was about to protest but gave up as Gin made his way to the counter and started cutting and cooking.

“Okay! Let’s start with Cross” announced the hunter as he dialed the number of his adoptive father… Half an hour later, Zero tucked the phone in his pocket and sighed while rubbing his temples. _“Sensei was right; it is a pain to call too many people on the phone… Let’s see… Cross, Ichiru, Kaito, Shouto… Ichiru will call Hanabusa and he will relay the news to Yuki. I guess that will be all”_

Gin glanced at Zero while placing the plates for dinner “You’re done already?”

“Yeah! Finally! Is Dinner ready? That was fast! Let me help you.”  Answered Zero while going to the cupboard.

“Oh! Yeah, thanks… Zero, I think you forgot to call Kuran... Or did I miss it?” inquired Gin

“Why should I call him? It is none of his business.” Deadpanned Zero

“Huh? I thought he was the one who took you to see Yagari-san. So I assumed that you were pretty close for him to go through the trouble of driving you, plus he is technically your brother-in-law.” Gin explained with a curious tone.

Zero scrunched his nose in disgust surprising Gin with his reaction “Please don’t assume something as gross as us being close, Gin. That… That thing is what I hate the most in this world… I would not hesitate twice about killing him once he makes a mistake that will put him on the list. I swore to be the one to eliminate him one day.” Zero growled, his eyes filled with hatred that shocked Gin.

“Sorry, I did not mean to offend you! Oh yeah! I remember that you reacted badly when you found him in your apartment the time we first met. You hate him that much?” the human inquired again, still not convinced that the hunter would hate the pureblood to such an extent.

“Yes! That does not even begin to express the amount of hatred I harbor.”

Gin was confused by now, “Why? I mean, what did he do for you to loathe him this much?... I mean… From what I gathered, the guy have been worshipped like a hero by both vampires and hunters…”

Zero snorted “Yeah right! A hero because he threw his own heart to help hunters fight a war that he caused in the first place. Please spare me that shit Gin! I have my own reasons, and if you are that curious to know, it can resumed in a few words. He was the one who caused my life to turn upside down since the age of twelve.”

The human sitting at the table was horrified at the statement and more at the wrath that flashed through lilac eyes.

Gin remained speechless as he filled a cup of water to drink. Zero joined the table praising what he prepared until he noticed his discomfort.

“Hey! Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“No! no! it is fine, I am okay! I just… I thought the pureblood that turned you into vampire was dead?” the blue haired human whispered, disgruntled.

Zero’s eyes widened “Ah! No, I think you misunderstood. Kuran is not the one who turned me, and yes, the one who bit me did die. He just had a hand in it, even if it was indirectly and for the sake of protecting someone else… Haaa… listen; let us not ruin the mood any further. Okay! I am in high spirits thanks to the good news and it calls for celebration… How about we drive to town and have a drink later, we won’t overdo it since you have early classes tomorrow, I promise!” Zero started begging in an upbeat tone in an effort to reverse the sour mood he caused. Gin smiled, relieved that the tense atmosphere dissipated somehow and nodded “I am totally up for it”…

Later that night, Zero received a call from a super excited Yuki who had heard the news. She insisted that he informs her as soon as the date is set so that she can go see the old hunter off. When talking to Yuki, Zero remembered the irritating message that Kaname sent him, _“look forward to it, my ass! What does he take me for?” Zero smirked as an idea sparkled in his brain “Well, since he went through the trouble of announcing his arrival, I should prepare a welcome fit for the king of bloodsuckers”._

After a lot of shuffling and moving inside his room, Zero looked around with a satisfied grin on his face. _“Preparations done”_. The hunter changed into his sleepwear and slid into his warm bed for a goodnight sleep.

Early morning, the king of vampires returned to his chamber, outraged as he swallowed a bunch of blood pills to alleviate the pain and stop the bleeding in the palm of his hand. Kaname had been badly burnt when he was about to push the window to Zero’s room open. The Hunter put up a powerful anti-vampire spell that served as a repelling barrier; it sent the pureblood flying into the nearby tree, literally… Once the bleeding stopped, Kaname opened his door to Takuma who got alarmed by the scent, when he was just about to go to sleep. Kaname reassured that he accidently injured himself while cutting some papers and that he was fine by now.

Later, the pureblood sat behind his desk holding his fountain pen and tapping it on the document in front of him. He softly mumbled to himself “Well! That is to be expected from the hunter who should have been the Association president at some point. Setting up a barrier that would repel a pureblood is not a feat anyone can pull on a whim.” A wicked smile appeared on the face of the vampire as he contemplated his next move, “but I already have a hold on your weakness, Zero”.

For the next few days, Zero kept his guard up against the pestering pureblood. He made sure not to be alone with the brunet. Luckily, Kaname would not come near him during the day because of how active the school building gets with students everywhere. After day school hours finishes, the hunter would make sure to have company, go hangout with Gin, help prefects with their patrols or be with Aido for his tests. He would only go back home to sleep or if he has work, and he would set up the barrier again.

 

Takuma was unknowingly helping him as well. Since the noble did not trust his leader fully when he said that Zero would not seduce him again. Therefore, Takuma made sure to accompany Kaname to the meetings at the chairman’s office.

Almost a week passed by with that pattern. Zero started to feel the exhaustion from having to use the powerful spell every night. _“I think this should be enough to make that thick skinned bastard understand that there is no way anything would happen again between us. Seriously, why is he so persistent?”_ pondered the silverette, annoyed.

Friday evening, Zero worked later than usual finishing the major tasks concerning the school management. Once done, he relaxed in his chair and started thinking about his plans for the night. Ichiru called him earlier that day saying he would be coming over to hangout since Zero will be too busy to visit during the weekend, the elder twin decided to drive to town to do some shopping for dinner. He called Gin inviting him to join them. They have been getting along quite well recently and he found that the company of the teacher was quite pleasant.

Zero’s thoughts were interrupted when he detected the presence of two pureblood approaching the office. He groaned at the fact of having to see his hateful pursuer. Barely a minute later, Yuki knocked twice before wobbling into the office and flopping on the nearby armchair. The usually upbeat and cheerful brown-haired woman looked exhausted. Zero furrowed his brows and stared at her, worried. “Is something wrong? Yuki?”

“She had gotten too excited when Takuma brought the blueprints for the new condominium. Since it will include only the alumni of the night class, each one of us was given free rein on the interior design and organization of their unit. As a result, Yuki spent about forty-eight hours looking up various things, and of course did not settle on anything by the end.” Explained an exasperated pureblood who followed Yuki inside the office.

“Can you blame me? The construction took ages to complete the exterior. I was waiting day and night for the moment I start decorating our daughter’s room. Am I wrong, Zero?... Zero?... why are you looking like you want to kill me?”

“Don’t you know why? You almost gave me a heart attack… Damn it! How did you expect me to react to your dramatic entrance, then your flopping like a balloon on that seat and looking like hell… Give me a break!” Spat the silverette wiping his face in frustration, _“And also for bringing the one person I would not want to see the most with you”_

Yuki’s eyes glistened with tears and her lips pursed and quivered as she started crying, “Stop yelling at me you jerk!”

Zero was taken aback by her reaction. His eyes travelled to an equally confused Kaname who started calming his mate. Few minutes later, Yuki stopped her fit and apologized “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me”. Zero was still staring at her in confusion _“No matter how harsh I talked to her, she never had a reaction this bad. What in the word is going on here… Wait! Is it… No way… It couldn’t be?”_

“Yuki?” Zero spoke softly to get his sister’s attention.

“Mmm?” hummed Yuki before looking into slightly amused amethyst eyes, getting irked again.

“Are you, by any chance having your mood swings again?” inquired Zero, barely holding himself from laughing. He was certain of it since he witnessed the beginning of her pregnancy. She went as far as getting pissed from a simple greeting and she would get fixated on the weirdest things such as frying up to twenty eggs because none of them came out in the shape she was looking for. Yuki’s eyes widened as she remembered.

“Isn’t that supposed to be just at the beginning of the pregnancy?” She questioned.

Zero laughed then stopped abruptly when she glared at him, “Well, I am not sure but it might be that thing called nestling. You will have to consult with the girls about the details. However, it is something related to the stress from the baby coming soon. Nonetheless, do not pull the stunt of not resting for so long again. You might want to prepare the best room for her but it would be useless if she gets uncomfortable where she is now.” Grounded the hunter while pointing at the round belly of his sister.

Yuki casted her eyes down and puffed her cheeks, feeling guilty as charged. “Fine, I got it! I will go check this nestling thingy and go rest. Ah! We came today to give a proper thank you for choosing the name, Zero! I am sure she will feel proud to know you were the one who named her in the future. I will be going ahead then, good night!” The brunette winked and wobbled her way through the door, not paying attention to a silverette calling her to stay a bit longer for Kaname to accompany her back.   

“You seem quite knowledgeable about pregnancy, Zero” Kaname spoke in a smooth tone as he closed the door.

Zero flinched at the remark, _“Damn you Yuki”._ He started arranging the papers on the desk, purposely ignoring the man in his office. Kaname covered the distance to the desk, putting a hand on top of it, and leaned closer to the busy silverette “Are perhaps talking from experience?”

The pureblood missed the ghastly look on Zero’s face since he was facing down, eyes hidden by his silver bangs. Zero recovered quickly, putting on his trademark scowl and looked up into amused red-brown eyes “if you have that much free time to talk nonsense, I would appreciate if you gave me the reports you came to submit.”

Kaname extended the hand holding the documents for Zero to take them. As soon as the hunter’s hand came close, he dropped the document on the desk, grabbed the pale wrist, and pulled.

“Isn’t it about time you stop this hide and seek game, Zero?” Whispered the pureblood in an irritated voice. The amused look in his eyes long gone.

Zero pulled his hand away from his grasp. “It won’t stop until you quit pestering me.” He gathered the documents and proceeded to place them in their designated place on the bookshelf.

Kaname turned around in his direction and leaned on the desk.

“You know, Zero!”

“That’s Kiryuu for you.” Spat the hunter without looking back

“You know, Zero” answered Kaname dragging his name longer with his rich voice “What you doing is leading to the exact opposite of your goal.”

“Oh! How so?” asked Zero sarcastically.

“When a prey is trying its best to run away, it only fuels the instinct of the predator to chase it down and capture it.” Explained Kaname with a smirk on his face as he noticed the jolt of Zero’s body.

The hunter was starting to feel uncomfortable with the heated stare he felt on his back. He contemplated whether to wrap up this conversation in a civil way or to just bolt out of the door and run for it. Of course, after the last words of the pureblood, his pride and ego kicked in and he made the wrong choice of debating.

“It is quite refreshing to hear you admit your true nature, beast!”

“Well, at least I never denied who I am, or tried to play the human like someone else.” Teased Kaname

Zero gritted his teeth. He felt like shooting the pureblood for mentioning the touchy subject of his nature. He took a deep breath and tried to change the subject.

“What I do is none of your concern, Kuran! Why are you still here anyways?”

“I think you know perfectly why.”

“How brazen of you to come here with your pregnant mate to ask me for an affair! Sorry dude, I am not interested in becoming anyone’s paramour” Zero turned to face Kaname while talking as calmly and coldly as possible.

Kaname remained silent for a moment, his eyes trained on the determined look of the silver-haired hunter. “So you would have accepted to have another shot with me if I weren’t Yuki’s mate?”

“No!” came an instant answer

“That was fast! And may I know why?” Kaname asked again while his lips curled into a smile.

“Because I simply hate you to the core.” Deadpanned Zero.

Kaname laughed dryly as he pushed his weight away from the desk. He gave the hunter an icy stare that made Zero’s hunter instinct kick in full force. Kaname started walking slowly toward the silverette while Zero connected his hand with Bloody Rose at the back of his hip.

“So you hate this beast to the core, huh?” Kaname paused looking up for a second as he took a breath that sounded like a hiss “Yet, you had no qualm seducing me and drown in the pleasure of my embrace. Am I wrong, Zero? Can you explain how those two statement fit together?”

“I have nothing to explain to you. Now you better stop where you are or I will fucking shoot you.” Screamed Zero, the hair on his neck prickling as he sensed Kaname’s aura unleash slightly. He kept his guard up as not to succumb to it.

“I can explain it for you. You simply cannot resist carnal pleasure… You love it… In fact, you seem to use it as an outlet for your emotions, a tool to run away from reality… Actually, I am well aware that you came on to me only because I was there at the right time and at the right place. Anyone else would have done it for you, you would not have cared one bit.”

“SHUT UP!” Zero yelled as he pulled Bloody Rose, pointed it toward Kaname and fired multiple times.

“Too bad, you missed” The pureblood had teleported in time to materialize in front of zero with bloody rose pointing past him. Zero reacted just as fast throwing a punch to his face. Sadly, Kaname was faster in stopping it with his hand before it came any close to its target. Using that moment of distraction, an enraged Zero stuck his gun’s barrel to Kaname’s temple… *BANG*  

In a split of a second, the hunter found himself pinned to the bookshelf as Kaname grabbed his wrist in time to push it into the shelf and have the bullet hit the roof instead of blowing the pureblood’s head.

 _“Damn this bastard and his crazy strength”_ thought internally the hunter as he glared into wine orbs that were too close to his. All motion stopped for a moment, as they were glaring at each other, their breath mingling from the proximity of their faces. The next moment, Zero called out to his weapon for it to awaken its true form, ready to launch another attack. Kaname jumped away instantly putting enough distance to avoid the growing vines.

The pureblood put on a victorious smile when he saw the vines retracting and disappearing before reaching him. The shocked look on Zero’s face was the best prize Kaname could have asked for. He approached the frozen hunter and lifted his chin up to make him look into his eyes, “that was a silly move, Zero! You have been using that powerful spell daily for a considerable amount of hours, if you add to it the bigger workload you had to deal with, it is easy to predict that you would be exhausted after a whole week. Therefore, your gun, Bloody Rose will not find enough power in your tired body that it can consume to manifest its true form and retain it. Since it already chose you at its owner, it will not risk sucking out all your life energy, which is why it retracted itself against your command… Look at you now! Totally helpless and out of breath” Kaname was enjoying the sight of a wheezing hunter, face twisted in pain as he leaned on the bookshelf for support, all while glaring at the pureblood with eyes filled with fury.

 _“Shit this… this is bad… I don’t have an ounce of strength in my body… Damn…I am losing my focus… I have to get out of here… fast before I pass out”_ Zero went into and internal panic mode but made sure not to show any of his fear. However, as much as he wanted to move, his drained body barely kept him up straight let alone moving.

The arrogant vampire decided to pick up from where he left last time, so he grabbed the silver head and forced the hunter into a passionate kiss that melted him. When Kaname finally pulled away, Zero was already flushed and his abused lips were swollen. Kaname had to grab his sides to keep him from falling as his legs already gave out. He chuckled then whispered into sensitive ear,

“See? You always become like this from something as simple as a kiss. Besides, you already slept with me once, doing it again should not be a problem… Whether I am Yuki’s mate or not was not an issue from the start, so quit using it as an excuse already.” Kaname finished his talking by licking the silver earing and nipping at the earlobe, earning a shiver from the helpless hunter. Nimble fingers started unbuttoning the hunter’s shirt and quickly sneaked in to tease his chest.

Zero screwed his eyes shut, hating that his body was responding to the touch of the taller man when his mind thought otherwise. The scent of Kaname engulfing his senses added to his feather touch made Zero’s body heat up in anticipation as the sensations from their passionate encounter came rushing back. They both slid down to the floor.

Zero tried to struggle but only succeeded in dropping few books as he grabbed around the shelfs in a failed attempt to keep himself up. Kaname kept caressing his chest while kissing him repeatedly, whispering in between “Your body is a slave to pleasure, *kiss*, and I *kiss* can take you to the highest peak *kiss* I am sure you know that already *deeper kiss* so…” Kaname pulled away to look at the disheveled form of the panting hunter “the sooner you give in the better it will get” 

*knock*…*knock*…*knock*

Zero jumped suddenly at the knocking that successfully cleared his fogged mind. Kaname smirked and went to the door while the hunter clutched his unbuttoned shirt and tried catching his breath. The female prefect standing outside the office was startled to see the pureblood coming to great her instead of hearing the chairman’s voice granting her access.

Kaname explained that Zero stepped out of the office and that he will relay her message when he comes back. The prefect promptly reported that no incident occurred during their patrol and that she will retire to her room.

As soon as the girl was out of sight, Kaname closed the door and turned in direction of the hunter to resume their activities. However, the ancient vampire was caught off guard by a bullet flying to the left side of his face, almost grazing his cheek and snipping few strands of hair before being embedded in the wooden door.

Zero was in a crouched position with Bloody Rose pointing towards Kaname and the container of blood pills in his other clenched hand. _“So he found a way to recover a bit of energy, huh?”_         

“Don’t you dare come any closer, Kuran! Or I swear I will rip you to shred!” snarled the silver haired ex-human.

“Stubborn aren’t we?” Kaname let out an exasperated sigh as he felt his phone vibrates. He answered a flustered Aido who was asking about his whereabouts. Kaname remembered that he had a meeting to attend outside the school premises and Aido was supposed to drive him to the location.

“I guess we will stop here today, and I will stop pestering you, Zero. So you do not need to exhaust yourself anymore. However, I can predict that you will come seek me out yourself, soon… I will look forward to it. Have a goodnight” the pureblood left the office with a smug look on his face, already arranging his next move to have the silverette give in completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments please!


	15. chapter15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALERT! There will be a bunch of mature contents scattered in the upcoming chapters   
> Enjoy 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

_“However, I can predict that you will come seek me out yourself, soon… I will look forward to it”_

The parting words of Kaname kept repeating in the stunned silverette’s mind as he sat on the floor of the office leaning against the wooden furniture behind him.

 _“As if I would seek him out, ever…”_ Zero pushed himself on his knees and then grabbed the bookshelf to be able to stand up on wobbly legs

 _“Shit! I seriously made a fool out of myself, running out of energy at a critical moment like that. If it was a battlefield, I would have been dead by now. How stupid!”_ the hunter reprimanded himself as he took shaky steps reaching a nearby chair where he sat in relief.

Zero took more blood pills from the container, swallowing them with a disgusted face then breathed out loudly. He relaxed in the office for a good thirty minutes until he felt that he would be able to move without staggering like a drunk. _“At least, that prick won’t come near me anytime soon.”_

He rearranged the scattered books and picked up his gun, staring at it for a moment before tucking it in its place. The hunter locked the office and made his way back to the house. He found Gin already waiting for him at the front door.

“By any chance, does ten minutes means an hour for you, Kiryuu-san?” Gin greeted him with a cold voice, faking annoyance although his eyes were a dead giveaway that he was not mad.

“Sorry, something came up and I got delayed. Do you mind driving, Gin? I don’t feel too good.” Answered Zero weakly, handing the car keys.

“I don’t mind, do you feel alright? Is it lack of sleep? You’ve been staying up late and not getting enough rest during the day after all.” Inquired the blue haired teacher, worried.

“Probably yeah! “

“I told you it was crazy to juggle between all those impossible tasks. Being chairman never meant for you to assist others in doing their duty. You even went through the trouble of helping the prefects in addition to your humongous workload. I don’t get why you like to torture yourself like that?”

“I know, it is fine, don’t worry! I will catch some sleep on the way to town and I will cut down on my varied ‘activities’ starting next week. Let’s go?” Zero reassured his friend with a tap on the shoulder while he made his way to the car.

Gin grabbed his arm to stop him on his tracks. Zero looked back at the serious face of the teacher expecting another lecture “No, you are not going anywhere… You will go and sleep until Ichiru arrives in a couple of hours… I would have suggested that we all go out to have dinner but that might add to your burden, so I will take your car and go do the grocery to cook dinner tonight…. Ah A! NO! I won’t take no for an answer, now go!” Gin stopped Zero when he was about to object and turned him to face the front door. He gave a gentle push to his back and made his way to the car without looking back.

Zero’s shoulders slumped in defeat as he unlocked the door and walked into the house. _“Gin can be so pushy at times… However, he does it for good reasons, so I let him get away with it…. He seriously needs to stop spoiling me so much…. Anyways… It is true that I need some rest; my body still feels lethargic even after downing all those pills… haaah… I will just sleep a bit then get up to help with dinner; it was my idea in the first place.”_

The tired hunter made his way to his bed after getting into clothes that are more comfortable. He was worried about sleeping without the barrier, but exhaustion got the better of him and soon he went into deep sleep. Sure enough, the pureblood kept his word and did not come to pester him.

 

 

\-----------------------------------------------------  4 hours later –-------------------------------

 

 

 

Zero stirred as he felt some pleasing rubbing on his silver hair, then soft caresses on his cheek. He leaned into the touch more, urging the hand to continue. He slowly opened one eye.

“Finally awake! Lazy bum.”

“Ugh!...” Zero groaned as the neon light of the room hit his sleepy eyes, quickly covering his head with the blanket.

“Come on, Nii-san! How much longer are you planning to sleep, it nine pm already. Do you want to continue until tomorrow morning?” Complained Ichiru as he pulled on Zero’s blanket.

The elder twin jolted when he heard the time. Zero quickly threw the blanket and looked at Ichiru. “Just how long did I sleep?”

“No idea! I came couple of hours ago and found Gin putting out the grocery to make dinner. He forbid me from coming up to wake you saying you overworked yourself and need to rest.” Ichiru explained as he got under the covers to cuddle with his brother.

Like in their younger days, Zero automatically tucked Ichiru’s head in the crook of his neck and hugged him. He let out a long sigh. “I assume Gin took care of everything in the end.”

“Yeah! He is setting the table with the help of Hana, they told me to come get you…” Ichiru paused for a second, pulling away just a little to stare into his brother’s eyes and cupped his cheek “… Nii-san! You do look very tired… What is going on?... and don’t try to brush me off saying it is nothing… From what Gin told me, you were doing extra tasks that you would not bother with usually… I know for sure that you get like that when trying to get your mind off something… “

Zero looked away from his twin’s scrutinizing gaze, starting to feel uncomfortable because Ichiru always sees through his bad habits. “It’s no-“

“Save your breath if you were going to say ‘it’s nothing, I am okay’… What is it? Tell me! Are those nightmares recurring more often that you are not getting any sleep… Is it Yagari-sensei’s condition that you are concerned about… Zero! I don’t like it when you keep bottling things inside until you end up hurting yourself…” Ichiru complained, now effectively scowling at his brother with an extremely worried expression.

Zero let out an exasperated sigh and rested his forehead on Ichiru’s. They remained silent for some time, just looking at each other. _“Well… it is not like I can tell him that I have been warding off a stalker who happens to be the king of bloodsucker who wanted to bed me again after I slept with him once… As a result I exhausted myself using too much magic and keeping myself busy and around people all the time.”_ Zero debated internally before he finally started to speak

“Listen! It’s nothing major, really!... the past week has been hectic… starting with that mess about sensei. After that, Allen dumped the end of year work on me because I ignored his call… Once done with that, I directly came here to do the same thing for the school, and you know that, when I work overtime, I tend to become restless and unable to stay still… I admit overdoing it this time… Sorry for worrying you, Okay?” Zero whispered with a gentle and soothing voice while rubbing Ichiru’s head.

“You’re stupid as always, Nii-san! Did the idea of calling me for help ever cross your mind, I am sure NO!” huffed the younger twin as he started getting out of bed, but Zero wrapped his arm around his waist, successfully preventing his escape.

“Come on, Ich! I said sorry. I know you have your own demons to slay at work and I thought I could handle it. Turns out that I overestimated myself. Now, stop sulking and do not start giving me the silent treatment when I finally get to spend some quality time with you. I miss you...” Zero whined and pouted, knowing that Ichiru is weak to that face.    

“Fine!” barked the younger twin as he stood up “Now, go freshen up and join us downstairs. Gin apparently went all out and prepared a feast. I never knew that guy was such a great cook, he might overthrow you and become the best here.” Ichiru teased and ran, dodging the pillow thrown his way.

A feast was an understatement; the quality of the food rivaled those in high-class restaurants. Gin made sure that Zero ate until he could not take anymore. Aido and Ichiru enjoyed watching the two bickering. The four men had a pleasant and fun dinner, then headed to rest in the living room and continued where they left off with their conversation.

Before leaving the kitchen, Zero was about to take care of the dishes only to have Gin stop him again and drag him to go sit comfortably while he went to get them dessert and drinks.

Ichiru leaned in to whisper softly into his lover’s ear “Hana? Do you see what I see?”

“If you are talking about Moriya sensei trying his best to take care of your brother. Yeah! I see it clearly and I pity the guy. They have gotten quite close lately” Aido commented dryly

 “Yep, it is painful to see how oblivious my brother can be to such obvious signs. I am sure he sees him as nothing more than a good friend.” Ichiru sighed

 “Your brother is clueless about romance. I lost count how many tried to woo him and he ended up blowing them off without even noticing. I wonder how long Moriya-san will hold out before giving up hope.” Aido wondered.

 “I wish I could help, he is such a great catch”

Aido raised an eyebrow glancing at his lover, Ichiru smirked “Not as great as you, rest easy! Jealous cutie!”

The golden haired vampire sulked before adding, “You already promised not to interfere with his affairs. Don’t start playing cupid again.” 

The younger twin looked away from the gaze of his boyfriend, knowing what he meant by his statement. “I know… I will just observe and cross fingers.”

 

 

\----------------------------------------------------- later that night –-------------------------------

 

 

After a fun and relaxing night, Zero saw everyone off. He had hard time kicking Ichiru out to go with his boyfriend instead of staying with him just because he was still worried about his brother’s health. The silver hunter popped two sleeping pills in his mouth, headed to his bed and sighed, _“I think I will finally have a good sleep after so long”._

 

* * *

_The sound of hard breathing registered in the silverette ears, the feeling of hot skin gliding along sweaty body… a husky voice whispering into his ear “cum for me, Zero”… Loud moans echoed… more heat registered as he felt his inside quivering at the intrusion … he felt his back stiffen, his hips shiver… Suddenly his mind went blank as he let out a loud scream with his body jerking upwards…_

“Aahng…” a breathy moaned escaped before amethyst eyes shot open.

Zero took a moment to recognize his surrounding; he was in his room back at the academy. The room was bright from the sunlight filtering through the widow. His sharp hearing picked up the sound of birds chirping and the chatter of the cleaning staff outside.

The hunter groaned and shifted, “What the fuck was that?”… He moved to throw the covers only to freeze the next moment. His eyes went wide and mouth gaping open as he slowly fumbled down his body and discovered his soaked underwear… “You’ve got to be kidding me”… the twenty four years old hunter soon turning twenty five had just experienced his first wet dream.

Zero bolted to the bathroom after grabbing a change of clothes, he quickly showered and proceeded to wash his underwear all while cursing non-stop at the man who haunted his dreams, Kuran Kaname.

“Well… Well…Well! Look what we have here”

_Crap!_

Zero looked up the sink mirror to see the reflection of Ichiru leaning on the doorframe with a smug look on his face.

“Nii-san! Did you abstain so long that you started having wet dreams… maybe that is the reason for your exhaustion… I have never seen you going through sexual frustration before, it is kind of… funny” Ichiru enjoyed teasing his brother who glared at him through the mirror… It is rare for him to catch his elder twin in any embarrassing situation, the guy was always cautious since young age when it comes to stuff like this. Now, he is going to poke fun at him for some time. 

“Ichiru, I am seriously not in the best moods, so I will politely ask you to leave me alone for now.”

 “Nope, it is too much fun to let it go”

 “ICHIRU!”

“So, who is it that you dreamt of? I know it is not a bikini model, someone you slept with and rocked your world. Or maybe someone who showed interest in you and you liked it…. So?”

 “ICHIRU! DROP IT! I AM SERIOUS!” Zero yelled loud enough for a vein to pop in his forehead, showing how irritated he was and startling his brother. He felt humiliated enough for having to dream about his ‘stalker’. He did not need his brother to make him the butt of his jokes because of it as well.

“Woow! Easy there! All right, I won’t bug you anymore. Geez, nii-san! You don’t have to be that sensitive, it is just a wet dream, not a big deal… it happens to all of us… Call me up when you’ve cooled your head… we made plans for today if you want to join, Gin will be there as well.” Grumbled Ichiru before leaving

_“not a big deal huh?, it is not a big deal when you are used to this shit, not when it is the first time and with the last person you would have wanted to be with”_

Zero finished washing and cleaning, and then went to have breakfast with the others. Gin showed interest in visiting Ichiru’s bar, so they planned a trip there. The teacher made few calls to meet his friends as well since it was his hometown. Zero liked the idea of having company during his trip for he decided to go back to check on his place and maybe go pick up a guy to make him forget about the bad week he had to go through.

The three grown-ups set off as soon as they finished breakfast using Zero’s car. They had fun lazing around at Ichiru’s place, helping him restock and open the store, which Gin liked a lot. The teacher regretted not knowing about such a great corner when he lived around there, he hit it off right away with the bartender Ryou. However, the thing that Gin was happy about the most was discovering a new side of Zero he never knew before, his music.

The blue haired man was mesmerized by the silverette playing as well as his form when he delicately touched the piano. Unfortunately, Zero did not stay long. He excused himself saying that he needed to go check on his place and get some work done. Ichiru had a hunch about his brother’s real agenda but decided to stay quiet, even if he did not approve of his obsession.

True to his plan, Zero did have a one-night stand, two successive nights to be precise. He had a comfortable trip back to the academy on Monday early morning, as Gin was the one driving them back while Zero slept all the way. The acting chair resumed his duty with replenished energy and clear mind. Since Kaname kept his words, proving it by coming at the end of the day to report on his progress and leave, Zero sighed in relieve, Happy that he was over this tricky issue.

As he was about to leave, Zero received an unexpected guest into his office, Shiki Senri. He had not seen the noble since he came back to the academy because Shiki was busy traveling around the world. Zero was surprised at the initial change he noticed, the mahogany red haired vampire came into the office greeting him with a wide smile and sparkling blue-grey eyes, nothing like the usual expressionless face and flat tone he used to have. His adoptive son who was giggling on top of his shoulder was messing with his hair. Rima followed the two bickering males into the room as well.

 “Hello Kiryuu-kun! I came back two days ago and found out that you took on the position of the chairman here. I wanted to greet you before leaving again, I am glad I was able to catch up to you.” Shiki greeted with a nod as he put his son down and fixed his clothes.

 “Good evening, Rero! Miss you!” chirped Keiichi as he ran around the desk and jumped on the lap of a surprised hunter

 “Keiichi! You should not bother him too much and I told you to call him Zero-oji-san didn’t I?” grounded Rima

 “No! Rero is Rero!” huffed the kid as he scowled at his mother who glared in return before letting out a defeated sigh.

 “It’s okay, To- Shiki-san” Zero spoke in a soft tone as he adjusted the kid in his lap

 “Rima and Senri are fine Kiryuu-kun, it can get confusing with two Shiki’s in the room” Senri interrupted pointing at Rima and himself with a wink.

Zero smiled back “As you wish, Senri! I am glad to see you are doing well! It has been quite a while since we last met. I never expected you to be one to get married as soon as you finish high school let alone have a kid. I have to admit that I was impressed when Ichiru told me!”

 “Yeah! I myself would not have believed it if someone foretold me about my future few years back. Speaking of son, that mischievous kid has been nagging me all weekend to come see you, he has grown quite attached it seems. I might start getting jealous,” Senri, pouted at his son who clutched Zero’s arm and gave his dad a teasing tongue out.

Zero chuckled at the exchange. Rima went around the desk and picked the kid coaxing him into sitting on the low table to complete his drawing exercise before they leave.

Shiki sat on the desk chatting with Zero about random things until the hunter popped the question that has been gnawing at him since the noble came into the room with his son

 “I am sorry if I am being indiscreet, Senri! I cannot help but notice the striking resemblance you have with Keiichi. I know for a fact that he is not your son, but I have to say that nobody would suspect that you are not related if they didn’t know the truth beforehand… I mean…” Zero tried to approach the subject in the most subtle way but still did not find the words

Shiki interrupted Zero’s train of thoughts with an amused expression “Kiryuu-kun, If you are referring to the story I fed the media about Keiichi being a child conceived in vitro to keep Rima’s image as a model, that is indeed a lie. And no, I did not have a relationship with another before going out with Rima. And yes, Keiichi and I are related by blood.”

Zero startled at the last bit of information, “wha… I don’t get it”

 “Keiichi is my half-brother.” Announced Senri softly

 “WHAT??” Zero exclaimed a little too loudly before apologizing for his scream.

Senri paused and looked at Keiichi to make sure he is concentrating on his drawing again, knowing that Rima would make sure he does not hear them.

He started explaining “The fact that you don’t know proves that everyone have kept their promise of not revealing the truth even to the closest kin. Actually, it happened during the time you were in US and since you came back during the busy time of war, we did not really have the leisure to sit and talk about our lives… Anyways, to make long story short, Keiichi is the son of Rido that he conceived by impregnating an ex-human he turned during his last battle… I know how much of a shock it might be for you to hear it now, sorry about that…”

Zero was flabbergasted, he did not know how to react to the news, the only thing he could ask was “What about the mother, I mean the real one”

 “She died shortly after birth” Shiki explained “It seems she looked for Ichiru whom she knew was Rido’s aid when he awakened. She begged him to take care of her child and protect him. Although she hated that man, she could not get rid of the baby growing inside her and she was worried he might be killed just because of who his father was. After she died, Aido and Ichiru brought Keiichi -” *Ring* *Ring*

His phone ringing interrupted Shiki; he answered and then turned to Zero with an apologetic smile “Sorry, Kiryuu-kun! I have to go; Kaname is waiting for me to depart for an important meeting… Rima! Yuki-chan said that she would be back in forty minutes, so you can leave Kei-chan in her care instead of taking him to the photoshoot. Bye!”

 “Good, have a good day!” Rima answered giving a peck on the cheek of her husband before he bolted out. She turned around to a confused hunter and gave him a wistful smile.

“I guess it gave you quite a big shock to know that he is the child of the man you killed with our own hands?” she stated looking at the child who fell asleep on the couch, she sat next to him, caressing his red hair.

Zero frowned and reclined in his chair. He let out a long sigh and rubbed his temple, feeling a headache.

He looked into cerulean blue eyes and then cast his eyes down “yeah! It was… quite the surprise… I have to say… Especially knowing that my twin was behind it as well.”

 “Oh please don’t blame him! Ichiru-san was keeping his word probably. Only the inner circle of Kaname-sama knows the secret and few others like Ichiru who actually brought him to us.” Rima explained, trying to alleviate any conflict that might arise between the twins

“And, are you okay with this Rima? I mean… It is not like you can’t bear children of your own?” Zero asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

Rima chuckled softly before answering, “I think everyone who knows about it asked me the same question…”

Zero blushed slightly, embarrassed from his bluntness and surprised at how outgoing the noble woman became.

 “To answer your question, Yes! I am more than okay… In fact, I was the one who encouraged Senri to go ahead with the adoption. We were planning to have children after I retire from my career as a model because of how peculiar vampire pregnancy can be... However, I think that I fell in love with the bundle of joy named Keiichi as soon as I took him in my arms… At that moment, I knew that I could not let go of him, so yeah! I am more than okay with it. In fact, I am grateful for having him in our life. He just made everything brighter and more enjoyable, especially for Senri. You might have guessed it by witnessing the change in his demeanor. Keiichi is like the sun for us.”

Zero was amazed at how Rima’s eyes shone with pride and happiness when she was talking about her son. He did not dare interrupt her bragging. Therefore, he decided to keep the rest of his questions for another time.

Rima noticed the hunter’s intentions from the way he was intently listening. She then decided to let him know about everything so that he is on the same page as the others.

 “Kiryuu-san! Would like to hear the story of how Keiichi was introduced?”

Zero nodded and Rima stared in the distance recalling the day that symbolized a turning point in her life.

 

 

 

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX   FLASHBACK XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 

It was a regular day after the ball where Yuuki appeared for the first time after her awakening as the pureblood princess. Rima and Senri were visiting the Kuran mansion to relay the message of Takuma Ichijou who was still working under Sara Shirabuki at that time. Kain and Ruka were present as well to report the happenings at the Hanadagi castle.

The nobles were surprised to see that Aido Hanabusa is not present in the mansion since the blond noble was supposed to be the tutor of their princess. The only residents they found were Kaname, Yuki and Hanabusa’s father Nagamichi Aido. Yuki suggested that everyone sits in the parlor to have a cup of tea and catch up since it has been sometime since they gathered at the same place away from formalities.

Halfway through their peaceful evening, a storm barged into the parlor that is Hanabusa Aido cradling a baby in his arm with a flustered Ichiru trailing behind him. His sneaky entrance and shocked expression when he saw everyone gathered earned him the attention of the nobles and purebloods present. He greeted everyone and got greetings back. Aido started feeling uncomfortable as everyone stared at the bundle he was carrying then back at him.

The blond noble vampire took a deep breath and started talking “I am glad that most of the circle are here, that would make things easier for us. Everyone, I would like to introduce Keiichi, he will be our adopted son after the formalities are dealt with, so again, allow me to introduce Aido Keiichi son of Aido Hanabusa and Kiryuu Ichiru.”  Hanabusa gave a sheepish smile while Ichiru hid behind his boyfriend beet red from embarrassment.

The announcement earned them few gasps, jaws slackening and eyes bulging out. However, the most dramatic reaction was that of Aido Nagamichi, who yelled as he stood and knocked the cups on the table “What in the world are you saying, Hanabusa!”

Aido flinched at the screaming of his father that stirred Keiichi from his sleep. “Father! I can explain”

 “Don’t ‘Father’ me! What do you think you are doing, bringing more shame to the family than you already have? Was it not enough for you to take a human of hunter lineage as a partner and now you want to register a child of unknown origin into the family calling him your son. What are you? Stupid?”

Ichiru flinched and Aido’s lips tightened “Father! I believe we have been through the issue of my relationship with Ichiru many times already. Are you going to bring it up again now?”

Nagamichi realized his blunder and cleared his throat before talking in a calmer tone “Ichiru-kun, I am sorry! I did not mean to offend you. As for you, son! Your relationship with him earned our blessing only because he proved himself worthy of being a member of the family, none of it was a fruit of your hard work. The registration of this child will not be official unless I give my approval as the head of the family, and that will not happen. Like I said earlier, I will not accept an orphan with unknown origin into the family.”

Hanabusa paused and looked at Keiichi and back at Ichiru who was clutching the hem of his jacket… “So you would be okay if you had an idea about his origin?” Ichiru gasped and tightened his grip on his lover’s arm earning a reassuring smile from the blond.

“Enlighten me then!” stated Nagamichi while folding his arms in a stern posture.

 “Keiichi is the son of Rido Kuran,” Aido announced with a steady and strong gaze.

The announcement caused an uproar in the parlor as all the vampires stood up at the news and expressed their surprise demanding a detailed explanation. Aido briefed them about the circumstance of his conception, how Ichiru was tangled in the problem and how the mother passed away leaving the child in his lover’s care.

Before the elder noble snaps out of his shock, Yuki took a step forward and spoke first “Aido-sempai, seeing that the child is Rido’s. I believe it is a better choice if Kaname-oni-sama and I took him under our care. He is related to us after all, our cousin…”

 “I apologize Yuki-chan! I am afraid I cannot agree with your proposition” Ichiru objected firmly “It is exactly because he is Rido’s son that he should not be registered under the Kuran’s family. It might put his life in danger because of those who might seek revenge against his dead father. That is exactly what we want to avoid and protect him.”

“Kiryuu-kun is right, Yuki” Kaname spoke from his seat in a calm voice while staring at the bundle in the vampire’s arm “Even if you wanted to go ahead with your idea, it would be impossible. The child has no right to the Kuran family name because his father was erased from the family tree a long time ago.”

Yuki faltered as she looked at her brother with pleading eyes. She felt sad seeing the innocent child being rejected by so many because of no fault of his own.

As the arguments and discussion went on for longer, Rima started to get bored and turned to ask her husband-to-be if he would like to leave, knowing how uncomfortable he can get when his father was brought up in any discussion. That is when she sensed the agitation of Senri as he stared at the crying baby in Aido’s arms.

Senri was squeezing her hand to a painful level unconsciously. At first, Rima thought he was furious, angry or shocked. However, she was surprised when she looked into his face; Senri’s eyes spoke of yearning, as if he was barely holding himself back from rushing and snatching Keiichi from the blond vampire. She squeezed his hand back. When he looked at her, Rima gave him an approving nod with a rare dazzling smile while letting go of his hand.

Shiki took a shuddering breath gathering a bit of courage as he stepped up to join the conversation “ I am sorry to interrupt your excitement, however, if we are talking about rights and family, then I would be the most entitled to adopt this child as I am his closest kin, his brother and not a Kuran in the registry. Therefore, since your negotiation with your father are not getting you anywhere, Hanabusa, I would request of you to allow us, Rima and I, to adopt Keiichi as our son.”

The debating parties were taken aback by the sudden suggestion. Hanabusa, still adamant on his decision, tried to stand his ground but was interrupted before objecting  

 “Sorry, maybe I did not express my request properly so I will say it in another way” Suddenly, Shiki bowed a ninety degrees angle and said “Hanabusa, I beg you to leave Keiichi in our care and allow us to raise him in the loving family that he deserve. Please!” Rima then followed her lover by bowing as well.

 “Please raise your heads both of you,” urged a flustered Ichiru as he put a hand on Rima’s shoulder “Toya-san are you sure you are ok with his decision?”

 “Absolutely” answered Rima with finality as she went toward the crying baby asking for permission before she took him in her arms. She cooed at him while rocking back and forth until the bundle of joy stopped crying and started smiling as he pulled at her ponytails.

Shiki joined caressing his head before placing a kiss on a plump cheek. “He such a handsome little thing” He spoke softly marveling as he looked at the baby with loving eyes.

Aido and Ichiru could not utter a word as they observed the scene of a happy family unfolding in front of them.

 

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  END OF FLASHBACK XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 

“That would sum it up. It was quite hard to convince your twin that we will take proper care of the child. After that, Senri made sure to erase all proofs that might trace back to Keiichi being Rido’s son. He went as far as to falsify some medical records and other stuff. It was not legal, but Kaname-sama bended the rules that one time. Come to think about it now, it might be some sort of atonement toward his cousin or something… The point of the story is that, when I saw Senri’s expression and then his decision, I immediately understood that he wanted to give Keiichi what he himself was deprived of, a family. Senri never knew his father and his mother was not the typical loving parent you might think about, so he probably wanted to give his brother the chance of living the life he wished for himself. Kei-chan affected our life in a very positive way. Heck! Even his psychotic mother became an amazing grandmother. She is dedicating herself to spoiling him rotten now, thinking he is Senri’s son. She did not suspect anything due to the strong resemblance you noticed.” Rima finished the story with a blissful smile as she cradled the sleeping child in her arms. She excused herself saying it was time to go meet Yuki and leave for work. The door of the office closed, leaving a stunned Zero sitting on his desk, having hard time assimilating what he just learned. _“What is the meaning of this Ichiru?”_

After staring out of his window for a while, pondering. Zero decided to set the new findings aside and resume his work, he will talk about it the next time he meets his brother because he wanted to have some peace of mind after the hectic week he had been through.

Unfortunately, Zero’s peaceful time was short-lived. That night, he had the same dream yet again, of Kaname embracing him. The hunter woke up in the same state as before, albeit more enraged. The erotic dreams went on every night, getting more vivid and exciting each day with Zero appearing more wanton.

Come Thursday, Zero became more and more anxious. The hunter started unintentionally daydreaming about the brunet, remembering the wet dreams and sometime reacting to the content. He felt miserable. The loud ringtone of his mobile snapped him out of his lamenting and he answered his brother.

 “Hello Ich! What’s up?”

 “Hey Nii-san! Sorry, I know I called this morning. Am I interrupting your work or anything?” Ichiru spoke in a hurried voice.

 “No! is everything alright?”

 “Yeah! Yeah! I am good don’t worry, I was wondering if you were free later. I am on my way to Cross-city right now, and I would appreciate if you could give me a ride to the association because I have to meet with Cross there and then I would like to go see Yagari-sensei. You could lend me your car if you cannot drive me around. I will stay over with you and leave the next day early morning.”

Zero thought about the possible plans and then voiced his suggestion. “No problem, Ich! Actually, I might have a better plan”

 “What is it?”

 “You are not going to see your boyfriend even if you stay the night right?”

 “Yeah, Hana is on a business trip with Kuran. He won’t be back until Friday night, Saturday morning maybe!”

 “Great! Here is what we can do; I have my bi-monthly meeting tomorrow morning at my company, so I was planning to take off tonight and rest at my place. I can come pick you up at the station, do your rounds and then depart right after. What do you think?... I would like to visit master as well, though I would pass on going into the association.”

 “Cool! Let’s do it your way then.”

 “See you later then, bye.”

 

* * *

 

 

Few hours later, Zero was enjoying the trip back to his place with the company of his twin. He always appreciated being with Ichiru. The presence of his brother always manage to alleviate Zero’s bad mood and takes his mind off the gutter, no matter how annoying Ichiru might get. They were listening to the radio and joking about some funny news when Zero suddenly switched off to get the attention of his twin.

“I forgot to tell you that Shiki Senri came to visit me today!” Zero spoke in a cheerful tone

 “Really! It has been ages since I last saw him. I bet Kei-chan is happy to have his daddy back after almost four months of absence. How was he?” Ichiru beamed at the news

 “He was fine!... Kind of different, I was surprised to be honest.”  

 “Yeah! I know what you mean. I guess becoming a father brought some good change to his previously introverted, pessimistic and closed off personality. With Kei-chan cheerfulness and cuteness, it is hard not to smile around him. That kid has a unique soothing aura around him. Ugh! I am missing him now, can we go back.” Ichiru whined as he remembered his favorite kid

 “Nope! We cannot! And yeah, you’re right! That child is quite the bubbly one, hard to believe that he is the son of Kuran Rido.” Zero deadpanned glancing at his brother as he turned right at the traffic light. He pulled over at the parking lot in front of his brother’s place and turned his head to look at the frozen Ichiru who was looking ahead.

 “Ichiru?” Zero spoke in an interrogating tone, expecting explanation.

 “Um… Nii-san! How…”

 “I heard the interesting story of how my twin and his lover brought a baby to the Kuran mansion, that baby was Rido’s son from a deceased ex-human, and that Shiki was there asking for his adoption. Of course, those are the headlines. Rima took the trouble of reiterating the events down to the smallest details.” Zero explained with emphasis.

 “Look, nii-san! I am sorry I did not tell you earlier… I just did not have the chance to…”

 “Seriously Ich? After all the times you blew my ears with useless stories about them, you are saying you did not get the chance to mention such detail?”

 “I tried! I seriously tried to… May I remind you that a few weeks back, before you start working in the academy, you were livid towards what you call the bloodsuckers? I admit that I hid the truth about Kei-chan to protect him from you. I did not know how you would react knowing how much you hate the Kuran, especially Rido for what he did to our parents. When you came back during the war, you were literally bloodthirsty, yearning to eradicate every single vampire alive. Imagine if you knew about him then, you might have blasted his head without thinking twice in your rage. I was scared of your reaction. Can you blame me? You were going crazy at that time!” Ichiru yelled in frustration as he defended himself.

Zero leaned back on the headrest and looked at the neon light illuminating the street. Moments of silence stretched before the hunter turned to look into the anxious face of his brother. He gave a faint smile as he ruffled Ichiru’s hair to get him to relax “I won’t blame you… I will not… You did the right thing! Now go take your stuff up and come quickly so that I drop you at the bar. I need to go rest, it is getting late.” Ichiru let out a sigh of relief and quickly went to get ready for work.

Once in front of the bar, Zero grabbed his brother’s hand before Ichiru left the car, “Sorry… you know… for always making you worry… and thanks for everything”

Ichiru’s eyes widened before he gave a wide smile showing his perfect teeth “You are welcome, troublesome brother! Good night!” Ichiru earned a punch in the shoulder but it did not faze him from laughing and winking at his twin before closing the car door and leaving.

 

Zero’s gaze followed his back until he entered the back door of the bar. The hunter clutched the steering wheel until his knuckle turned white while banging his forehead on it few times. He squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled sharply until he got rid of the wave of anguish that seized him. Once relieved, he drove off to his apartment praying for dreamless sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments please!


	16. chapter16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy ;)  
> Love you all  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

****

_His knees were hitting his chest in his position as the pureblood above him pressed on his thighs and pounded into him mercilessly… “ughnn… Ah… ah.. AHH… Yes, Kaname..ung there More”… the thick rod kept hitting the spot that drove Zero mad with sheer pleasure. The silverette pressed his palms against the headboard to increase the impact of the thrusting, his eyes rolled back as he felt the heat coiling and his orgasm threatening to shatter him completely… “Oh! GOOD!... Ka… Kaname touch me pleaaase AAAHhnnn…. So close!...uhn”… Zero sobbed as he thrashed his head sideway when Kaname grabbed the hand that he was sneaking toward his aching cock. “No can do… you’re cumming with just me fucking you… no touching Zero”… after one long hard lunge, Zero’s mouth fell open in a silent scream and gasping for air as he threw his head back violently, clutching the pillow with both hands from the intensity of the orgasm that racked his very core…_

“Fuck my life” was the first thing Zero Kiryuu had to say as he woke up breathing hard and sweating in the bedroom of his apartment. He stared at the ceiling for few minutes, contemplating whether he should shoot himself or the pureblood the next time they meet, _“Maybe both”_.

It was still early morning, but the hunter forfeited sleep. At first, Zero believed that the nightmare might be some kind of mind control the pureblood was using to harass him, and he felt frustrated because he could not find any proof of that. That theory was scratched out because Zero still experienced the wet dreams even when Kaname went on a business trip with Aido away from campus. He even verified with the blond vampire that his boss never left his sight. The last explanation was the location; Zero could not deny that he never felt at ease on campus, so that might have been a trigger. However, after last night, the hunter reached the only possible conclusion; his body yearned for the pureblood’s touch even if his mind was against it. _“This is the worst! I would take on the usual nightmares anytime if it means not having these dreams… “_

Zero cradled his steaming coffee mug and sat on the windowsill, observing the early activities of the compound’s residents; an old woman taking her dog for a walk, a man doing his morning jog, an office lady looking haggard, probably back from working overtime or drunk…  

The longer he observed, the more pathetic Zero felt. He started to remember how things are changing in Cross Academy. How people are going on with their life, moving forward. From an outsider point of view, Zero is currently leading the perfect bachelor life; independent, well off, sought after, blah, blah, blah… But the hunter knew he was nothing as perfect.

As his mentor said before, Zero is the shell of a broken man. Shizuka cracked his peaceful life first, and when he started to see a semblance of stability, his hateful nature took over to torment him eternally. If that was not enough, the events that followed shattered him to pieces, and no matter how much the people around him tried to patch him up, it was useless. He is broken beyond redemption. He wished he could rewind time and undo so many things.

Zero managed to accept his identity as a vampire, reluctantly. Now that he is able to consume blood pills, the guilt of being a beast he hunts did not weigh on him as much as before. However, he could not find a way to tame his other beast, his other self. It is ironic how the trauma of Shizuka’s bite caused him to become an emo recluse, not wanting to get close to anyone and just wishing to die after killing her. After her death, he somehow lost the will to live and started counting down the days until he falls into madness, which never came. Instead, fate dictated that he gets broken once again by another traumatic abuse leading to worse consequences than just turning into vampire, leading to more changes in his body and mind than he ever wished for . Zero’s breath hitched as he clutched his mug trying to relax from the jolt; a flash of past events whirled in his mind before he chased the nightmare away.

He laughed softly shaking his head sideway before resting against the window frame and taking another sip of the drink.

“Company president by day, prowler by night… I wish there was a pill to quench this thirst like the one for bloodlust… I am tired already! How long does it have to go on before I have had enough… I have been working harder to keep it under wrap, so that it does not control me… haaa…. It seems I failed big time! Good job me! You just screwed yourself even more, revealing your other nature to your archenemy. ” Zero spat bitterly to no one in particular.

He went to place his mug into the sink and caught his reflection in the fridge, suddenly remembering Kaname’s words _“_ _You simply cannot resist carnal pleasure… Your body is a slave to pleasure”._

Even if the pureblood meant it as an insult to rile him up with those words, Zero could only feel cold fear creeping up inside him at that time. For a moment, he thought the man got him all figured out. For a second he thought the side of him he tried so hard to hide was exposed, and to the last, person he wished for him to know. This uncontrollable thirst caused him enough trouble before and to those around him. He was lucky enough to have Ichiru and his boyfriend stand by his side at that time, even if they were not left unscathed because of his obsession.

Zero took a seat on the kitchen table and rested his head on folded arm. He had to admit that coming back to Japan, going to Cross Academy helped a bit. His nocturnal activities reduced considerably compared to the time he was in U.S. He wanted to stop it, he really did. At first, he only felt disgust and self-loath.

When did he become numb to all of it? When did he start to seek it? When did start loving it? He could not remember. He always wondered, with that big pride and ego he had, how could he stand spreading his legs wide open and beg a man to penetrate deep inside him, but he did, and he enjoys it. Suddenly, Zero remembered a fight he had with Ichiru because of his twin’s preaching few years back, when it all started, _“You need help Nii-san! This cannot go on forever and you know it! You might not believe me, but there is treatment for this kind of disease, yes. Whether you like to hear it or not, I don’t care nii-san! You are becoming a freaking sex addict! If you do not get a hold of yourself, this obsession is going to take over your life and destroy you. When are you going to realize it?”_

Zero gave a dry laugh as he stood and headed to his bedroom. He picked the outfit for his meeting, headed to the bathroom next to take a shower, and get ready. “What is there to destroy in an already broken man? Ichiru!” *DOOR CLOSE*

 

 

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx the same day evening xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 

 

Zero finished his meeting and extra work at his company earlier than expected. He headed to his brother’s place to hang out because he did not feel like being home alone. Ichiru was surprised but glad since it was rare for his brother to come uninvited. The younger twin informed his brother that Aido and Gin will come to the bar that night inviting him to join them, Zero agreed promptly. The hunter decided to take the first step into changing his lifestyle, which is to go against what his inner self is pushing him to. If it were a while ago, Zero would have refused the invitation and went looking for a one-night stand to quench the heat currently soaring in his body. However, he decided to suppress it in favor of his social life. He really wanted to move on from his 17 years old self, badly.

As agreed, Zero went back home to get out of his formal clothes and get into ones that are more comfortable and casual for the night. Barely thirty minutes later, was the hunter already in K-bar, entertaining the customers with his piano playing while waiting for Aido and Gin to arrive. Ten minutes into playing, Zero suddenly felt a chill running down his spine that caused him to miss a note and falter.

He sensed a strong presence approaching the bar, a pureblood. If it were any other day, Zero would not have minded it and it would not have affected his playing because many vampires frequent this bar as well as fellow hunter and humans. However, the familiarity of this presence shook him up, Kuran Kaname. The hunter changed to playing a piece he knew by heart, with a slow tempo while keeping his eyes glued to the entrance. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw the three men entering the bar and being greeted by his twin. The first to come in was Aido followed by Gin and lastly Kaname. They stopped to shrug off their coat that a dazed waitress took care of. Afterward, Ichiru was guiding them towards the least crowded area of the bar counter. Amethyst eyes met wine orbs for a spilt of a second before Zero abruptly looked away and busied himself with the music sheet in front of him, he blocked out all sound and sensation around him in an effort to chase away the image that flashed in his mind along with the heat soaring in his body.

Zero was so focused on playing and not thinking of anything else that he jumped when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Nii-san?” Ichiru whispered softly “I thought you would have picked up on their arrival, but it seems you were really engrossed with the piano, huh?” he added with a teasing smile before finishing “Hana and Gin arrived around forty minutes ago and they are getting bored waiting for you to finish and join us. Also, Kuran is here with them. Can I ask you to try acting nice even if you do not feel like it? Everyone is here to enjoy some time off away from their busy life, including him it seems. So?”

Zero scowled at the broad back of the brunet before grunting his question “did you invite him?”

Ichiru raised both hands in a defensive manner “No! This is not my doing, and it was not Hana’s either. Believe it or not, Gin was the one who ambushed and dragged him.”

Zero’s glare travelled to a dark blue haired man twisting on his seat to look back at him and waving happily for the twin silverette to come join them. _“That idiot”_

The defeated hunter heaved a long sigh shaking his head sideway. He closed the piano cover, followed Ichiru down to the counter, and sat next to Aido who was sitting next to Gin followed by Kaname, making a point that the presence of the pureblood was not welcome in the least. Kaname let a faint crooked smile slip at the hunter antics.

The bartender Ryou made sure to cater to their preferences by making their favorite drinks on the first round. He went to the cellar especially to pick the best wine they had to serve the pureblood, adding a couple of blood pills upon hearing that the vampire came here directly after a business trip. His consideration earned him a grateful nod from Kaname, who savored the high-grade drink lazily while listening to the lively conversation going. He was not interested in joining the noisy bunch at first; he wanted to get back to his room and rest. However,  the mention of Zero being here made him change his mind as he did not see much of the silverette lately, and keeping his promise of not harassing him is getting harder by the day. Kaname’s attention snapped back to the ongoing banter as Ryou blurted the fact that Zero learned how to make a few cocktails and was good at it. Gin jumped at the new information and pushed a reluctant Zero into making them a round of drinks right away, with the support of an excited Aido and two smirking Ichiru and Ryou.

Zero gave a signature death glare to Ryou before shifting to get down the barstool. He went around, greeted few regulars on the way and got into the back of the bar where Ryou handed him the shaker with a mocking bow. He looked at the expecting puppy eyes of a certain troublesome ethic teacher “Just so you know, I only learned Vodka cocktails so far, so don’t get your hopes up and keep it simple”, Gin nodded with a wide grin that pissed Zero even more. He started with his drink and then proceeded to ask the other about what they wanted, Kaname being the last on his list.

Zero had hard time concentrating on making the drinks and maintaining his poker face (pissed face) because of the red-brown eyes following his every movement. He was extremely conscious of the look in Kaname’s eyes that he accidently met when he asked the pureblood about the drink he wanted him to make. The brunet was practically stripping him naked on the spot with the heat and lust Zero saw those deep eyes, a look no one would recognize unless they had a taste of what the man can do in bed. Kaname had a wicked smile covered by his laced fingers as he observed how the hunter’s cheeks were turning slightly pink while the silverette averted his gaze.

The cocktail Kaname ordered only added to Zero’s agony because of the underlying message, “sex on the beach”. The hunter could not bail out of it since Ryou confirmed that he knew how to make a little too quickly to his liking. Gin whistled at the bold name of the drink that Kaname uttered with a deadpan poker face and started throwing some dirty jokes about Kaname being frustrated due to Yuki’s pregnancy etc.…

Zero, on the other hand, was regretting accepting his brother’s invitation all together. He started feeling worse, when he unintentionally reacted to the pureblood scrutinizing gaze. He tried to calm down as he finished making the drink and slid it on the counter towards the man who ordered it. Kaname accepted the drink gracefully while subtly brushing his fingers against Zero’s. The warm skin contact startled the hunter who yelped and jumped. The action would go unnoticed if it was anyone other than Zero, but for the grumpy hunter to make that funny sound, it earned him the attention of everyone present. Thanks to his quick thinking, Zero reached to his jean’s pocket, pulled his phone, and checked it, leading everyone to think that the vibration of the mobile device surprised him. He put on an apologetic expression scratching the back of his neck before he looked up to his brother and the two sitting next to him, completely ignoring a certain brunet, saying “Sorry guys! Unexpected work came up, so I have to get going. Enjoy your night”

Zero did not miss the dejected look on Gin’s face and apologized once more to his new friend promising to make it up for him some other time. He beard two more minute of whining from Ichiru, Aido, and Ryou before bolting out the bar and slipping in his car, heading into the opposite direction of his place. _“I am a hopeless case after all!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments please!  
> I really appreciate constructive comments, inquiries(questions) and critics.  
> feel free to put suggestion or requests if you feel like it (even if it is not related to this story), I would be happy to abide if it strikes my imagination :D


	17. chapter17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!!!!  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

  

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx back at K-bar xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

After Zero left, the atmosphere at the bar became stale, especially with the previously upbeat teacher currently sulking like a child whose parents left him alone. Gin lost count of how many sighs he let out while trying his best to pay attention to the conversation with Aido and Ryou. Meanwhile, Ichiru invited the pureblood to sit in the VIP room where they could talk without worrying about prying eyes or ears.

“I apologize for the nasty attitude of my brother, Kuran! Please don’t mind him too much?” Ichiru started the conversation as he relaxed in the comfortable plush seat after placing his drink on the low table in front of him.

Kaname joined him by sitting on the seat facing him and doing the same about his drink. He folded one leg over the other, threw a hand lazily on his knee while he cradled his chin with the back of his other hand which elbow supported him on the armrest of the comfortable seat, the deep red velvet fabric added to the relaxing atmosphere of the room.

“Don’t worry about it, Ichiru-kun! He has all rights to despise me. After all, I did nothing but inflict pain upon him for my own profit and goals for few years. I am grateful that you, on the other hand, do not hold a grudge against me as well for causing the tragedy of your family.”

Ichiru laughed softly, “It is more like I can’t hold anything against you in that regard because I have been an accomplice in it as well. After all, I did encourage Shizuka to massacre them and then fled with her leaving my brother half-dead. I am eternally grateful that he found it in his heart to forgive me and I made an oath to dedicate the rest of my life atoning for my sins.”

“Wise decision” stated Kaname,

“Anyways… I don’t think that we came here to reminisce about the past did we?” Ichiru said in a joking tone while he lifted his glass in Kaname’s direction and reclined again to take a sip. He held it in his hand while looking at the pureblood, waiting.

“I assumed as much… So? Did you invite me here to provide information or to ask for feedback?” Kaname inquired as he nursed the drink Zero prepared.

“I was hoping for the second option, seeing as you just came back from the meeting regarding the finding I provided Cross with not long ago. It will take him at least a week or two to fill me in with the official reports, too much time wasted.” Ichiru complained.

Kaname smiled before answering, “Well… patience has never been a virtue of the Kiryuu clan, I suppose! The answer to your query is a positive one. Your assumptions were right all the way, and we held an urgent meeting to discuss counter measures regarding those findings.”

“I am sure the patience remark is quoted after Cross, isn’t it? That man is just too laid back for my taste, which makes me impatient in his opinion.” Ichiru stated as he rolled his eyes

“This is really troubling. When I collected the information and compiled those statistics, I was hoping that the alarming increase of the pureblood-based pills was only due to an old stock making its appearance. However, I could not deny the possibility that a new pureblood could have been involved in making new ones…. Deep down, I was praying I would be wrong and that the DNA comparison would return that, it was Sara Shirabuki’s blood.” Ichiru let out an aggravated sigh while running his finger through silver bangs.

“It is in fact an unpleasant discovery. However, knowing this fact is always better than staying ignorant about the impeding threat. We have you to thank for noticing. For now, we issued a medical team with a warrant to collect blood samples from all members of the remaining purebloods, starting by myself, Yuki and Shouto-san of course. We are conducting it in the guise of collaboration to my research to turn vampires human as not to alarm the culprits…. Anyone who refuse is subject to immediate arrest for rebelling against the peace treaty which impose full collaboration with this research.” Kaname explained with a wicked smile by the end.

Ichiru’s eyes lit up with a mischievous glint “Nice! I can safely assume that this underhanded strategy is your idea… We would be extremely lucky if we can sniff out the culprit this way… However, my intuition tells me that the most suspected people are the ones who went into hiding during the war. Especially two of them who hold quite the grudge against you and the association.”

Kaname contemplated the clanging ice in his glass, letting out a sigh, “The young master of the Touma family as well as the wife of the late lord Hanadagi.”

“Exactly! After all, they were amongst those who encouraged the attack after the old parent perished. Not to mention that the young Touma is well known for his thirst for bloodbath and war.” Ichiru added with a solemn face, remembering the casualties caused by those filthy monsters.

“The association is constantly on the lookout for their whereabouts. We cannot be certain that they are active in any of this yet, so even if we find them, we cannot arrest them unless we get proof of them turning humans, killing humans, or producing those tablets.” Kaname’s voice betrayed his poker face as a hint of irritation could be perceived for he remembered that the rebellion of those purebloods was due to his foolish actions in the past.

“If those were not enough trouble, we are having cases of rogue hunters in addition to rogue vampires that are forming ruthless alliances respectively to throw off the peace treaty. A headache!” 

“Those are not that much of a hassle as long as they do not have powerful individuals backing them up. The rogue hunters seems to go according to the old hunter law of killing vampires going on rampage, which help us in some way. It is troublesome only when they target innocent vampires who are trying to live peacefully. “Kaname explained

Ichiru’s eyes flickered, as he seemed to remember something “Speaking of vampires and hunters. A question has been bothering me for quite some time. From what Hanabusa explained to me about the pills; overconsumption could lead to three cases, turning directly to a mad level E vampire, dying of blood poisoning, and the worst case of two compatible consumers producing a pureblood as offspring. Am I right?” Ichiru paused waiting for Kaname who nodded confirming his findings

 “Okay! Can you explain to me why none of these humans turned into a hunter as another consequence of overconsumption?” Ichiru recognized a flash of confusion on the pureblood face and decided to elaborate, “What I mean is, the original hunters were once humans without any special power. The first parent provided them with toxic amount of pureblood, many perished of blood poisoning. However, those who survived formed the original Hunters, our ancestors. Moreover, no record of the humans, who consumed the parent’s blood, turning vampire has been found. As an ancient vampire who witnessed those events in person, I was hoping you could explain the reason why it is different now?” Ichiru’s voice was upbeat as he was anxious to know the answer

Kaname sighed, inwardly wincing at the sharp brain of the silverette and his acute observation; _he definitely should not make an enemy out of this kid._ “The answer is simple; the difference is in the blood itself”

“How? We are talking about purebloods in both cases” Ichiru insisted, as he still could not see what Kaname meant.

“My memories of that time are still a bit hazy, like a fog hovering over them. However, I can distinctly remember that there was two types of what came to be known as purebloods nowadays. The purebloods that you know, Ichiru-kun, are the ones from the second generation onwards. The ancestor of purebloods and of all vampires for that matter are known as the first-borns. A handful of them existed back then.  The bite of a firstborn can turn a human into a vampire and after providing their blood; the vampire becomes a stable level C immediately without the risk of falling ever. That is how they formed their army. The descendant of a firstborn and level C resulted in the noble class of level B. Needless to mention that they have an immense amount of powers that allows them to control various species. The major difference between a firstborn and a pureblood that answers your doubts is that, if a human ingest the blood of a firstborn, there is a chance for them to acquire the powers to fight vampires, thus becoming a hunter if they did not perish. However, if a human were to ingest the blood of a pureblood… Well you know what happens. Also, killing a firstborn is more difficult than killing a pureblood because certain conditions have to be met for their attacker to be able to take them down for good.” Kaname finished his explanation and waited for a wide-eyed Ichiru to compose himself and state his next inquiry.

Ichiru gulped before talking “It is good to know that pureblood cannot turn humans into hunters for now. At least the risk of more rogue vampire hunter disturbing the peace will not arise. The minority rebelling seems to be manageable. Unless a firstborn appears and decide to play around turning humans and wreaking havoc, which should be impossible right?” Ichiru asked giving Kaname an uncertain look. The silverette could not read the blank expression on the pureblood’s face and the brunet silence unsettled him.

“Kuran, there is no more firstborns alive and moving around in this Era is there?” Ichiru’s brain was working at lightning speed picturing horrid scenarios of a firstborn rising for supremacy. He shuddered at the thought.

“Rest assured, Ichiru-kun. None of the purebloods active is a firstborn. I can confirm that as the oldest alive.” Ichiru sighed in relieve but tensed at the next words “However, it does not mean they all perished already…. Ten thousand years ago, few problematic firstborns rose for supremacy aiming to make humans their slaves and rule the world. Other pacific firstborns did not agree with it and sided with the humans, the first parent is the prime example of them. It took around three thousand years of discontinued battles to eliminate the problematic firstborns. Some of the pacifists perished during battles, others could not handle the repetitive bloodbaths and decided to go into slumber escaping everything… Sadly, after everything settled in place, the hunters and purebloods associated once again to eliminate the slumbering firstborns as well. Even those who helped saving them previously because they were scared they might awaken and become power hungry like their vicious kin… to make a long story short, the historical records state that all firstborns have been eradicated. However, we can never be sure that the ancestors did not miss one slumbering away all this time” Kaname finished with a crooked smile, teasing the panicking silverette.

“You’re having the fun of your life scaring the hell out of me Kuran, aren’t you?” Ichiru let out an exasperated sigh at the sight of the pureblood mischievous expression “All we can do right now is to trust the records. Wait, does that mean the new pureblood kids are similar to the firstborns in term of powers? If that is the case, how can one put a stop to them if they are tougher than purebloods. How did the old firstborns perish anyways?” Ichiru blanched at his own realization.

“I cannot explain it well, but the information I have from long ago tells me they are not. I do not have a proof yet, and my memory is unclear. However, I am sure they are not the same, just regular purebloods. As for ways to defeat a firstborn, a fellow firstborn can kill another by taking his heart out or cutting off his head, which is the same for pureblood. However, if hunters wish to take one down, they have the only option to rely on one weapon that should be wielded by a descendant of an old bloodline that possessed powers that can subdue the strongest vampires ages ago. Unfortunately, I cannot trace the lineage of said ancestor to tell you who would be able to defeat a firstborn nowadays. I have been slumbering for a long time and the family trees of hunters are more complex than the lineage of vampires. ” Kaname added

Ichiru had a gut feeling that Kaname was not telling him everything but decided not to probe further. He will have to work around the new information provided and dig for clues that might help them in the future. He stood from his seat while speaking “Well, thank you for answering some of my doubts and questions in addition to providing me with valuable new knowledge. I will make sure to use it wisely” Ichiru winked at Kaname.

“You’re welcome. Both hunters and vampires always appreciate your help. We need as many clues as possible before setting the plan into motion. Yagari-san and Shouto are stalling any major action which is leaving everyone on edge.”

“As I said, the one behind the stalling, Cross, is too patient and laid back. Nonetheless, I support him in bidding his time. The enemy is still unknown and his key players are not ready for action yet.” Ichiru replied as he opened the door for Kaname to leave and followed behind him toward the counter where Ryou and Aido seems to be teasing a blushing Gin.

Ichiru immediately flipped to his frivolous and flirty attitude and went to join them. He halted as soon as he heard what Ryou shouted out to him “Hey owner! It seems that Zero-chan acquired another hardcore fan” the bartender was grinning while Gin hid his face with both hands. Violet eyes met the electric blue ones of his boyfriend who gave him a shrug and looked away sipping his drink, visibly annoyed.

“Stop twisting my words, Ryou-san! I am not a fan or an admirer. Do not make me sound like a creepy stalker. It is embarrassing… Now that the cat is out of the bag, Ichiru-kun” Gin pulled his hand away from his face and looked at a surprised silverette with determined gaze “I like your brother and I am planning on asking him to go out with me, soon… I mean when I gather enough courage…. Uhm… What I want to say is… I hope you do not object and that you could help me gain his affection one way or the other… he quite thick-skinned and I am at my end’s rope. Please help me guys!” Gin whined by the end of his talk.

Ichiru gave him a pitying look and was about to say something but stopped when he met his lover’s eyes again. He cleared his throat and looked into desperate gray eyes while he leaned on the counter beside the blue haired man “Zero is one heck of a tough cookie, Gin” Ichiru smirked at the defeated look Gin gave him “But, who knows? Your persistence might pay off, unlike others. However, I cannot help you... I have absolutely no objection whatsoever of you eventually dating my brother if he accepts, I think you are great guy, but Zero hates it when any of us interferes in his private life. Therefore, we would not be able to be of much help in getting you two closer. Sorry!” Ichiru gave the teacher a sad smile as he patted his shoulder, unaware of what is happening to the brunet behind him, who was listening to every word exchanged and observing every expression and action with a clenched jaw in effort to keep his irritation from showing on his face.

Kaname cleared his throat before speaking in a fake amused voice “I see that you have a lot on your plate tonight! Aido, I need to settle some important paperwork that Ichijou needs to send soon. Therefore, I will be taking my leave now; you can take your time and bring the car later tonight or tomorrow since I will not need it anytime soon. Have a great time everyone!”

“I can drive you back Kaname-sama, we are all going back to the academy in a couple of hours. You can relax in one of the VIP room meanwhile if you wish.” Aido suggested, trying his best not to sound rude by making his leader wait until Ichiru closes the bar so that he takes his lover back with him.

“I don’t need a ride Aido, you know that perfectly well. Besides, I would be done with my business before you even set foot out of this place. Good night” Kaname explained before heading to the gents.

Aido sighed and looked back to find a confused Gin looking back at him questionably. The blond vampire grinned and explained, “He went there to be away from witness’s eyes. He will teleport, or maybe he already did and is currently sitting on his desk going through those papers he was talking about.”  Gin made an ‘Oh’ motion with his mouth and nodded in understanding before he got back to his whining and talk about his crush on Zero.

 

 

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx In the night district few miles away from K-bar xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 

 

Inside the bustling environment of a famous gay nightclub, at the corner of the backroom lit with fluorescent red light, two guys were engaging in what seemed like intense sex. Zero was pushed up against the wall with his pants and boxers bunched at the ankle of his left leg which was lifted up allowing the man fucking him to thrust as hard as he can while the silverette clawed at his back urging him on “Harder..haah!... FASTER damnit! Uff”

His partner was already sweating and out of breath, sucking on whatever naked skin he could find and pounding harder “God! You are sooo tight, baby…Ah… I can’t last much longer!”… with that last statement, the guy ejaculated inside his condom barely 3 minutes after putting it on… he looked up at Zero and gave a sheepish smile “Sorry! Give me a minute and I will bounce right up sweetie”.

Zero rolled his eyes as the other kissed his cheek. "pull out” he whispered 

 “What?” huffed the spent man.

 “I said pull your dick out of me if you don’t want me to snap it in two! Now!” Zero glared before pushing softly to get his point across.

The man complied but still insisted on being able to go for another round soon. The hunter ignored him completely as he put his clothes on, wincing when he tucked his softening length in. He cursed under his breath as he left the backroom to leave the club. _How desperate can one be to end up with a premature ejaculating piece of junk, luck is seriously not on my side tonight. His body and looks were totally my type though._  

On his way out of the club, he felt his arm pulled and someone shouting “silver”, apparently trying to get his attention.

“What?” the grumpy hunter snapped as he looked back to the man in question, quickly assessing him, _not my type at all,_ and then glared right into his eyes again.

 “I see you did not take long inside!” the skinny bean sprout said, the comparison being the first thing that popped into Zero’s head when he checked him out.  

 “…”

 “Going home already?” added the stranger  

 “And how is it any of your business?” barked Zero over the loud music

 “I could make it my business if you let me accompany you,” the man announced with a smug look on his face

 “Not interested!” Zero pulled his arm away with ease and left the club going towards his black Jeep. His eyes rolled back in annoyance as he heard hurried footsteps following him into the empty parking.

 “Wait!... Wait! I promise you won’t regret it” The guy talked as he picked up the pace to reach the silverette

 “Yeah! Yeah! That is what everybody says; just like that guy suffering from E.D I left in the backrooms… cut me some slack would you?” Zero snorted as he pushed a button to unlock his car which headlight flashed twice. The stranger started running towards him at this point. He reached in time when Zero was about to open the door.

 “I that’s what you’re concerned about, I can last about thirty minutes, minimum,” emphasized the guy while huffing repeatedly as he smacked his hand on the door beside the hunter to prevent him from getting in the car. He smiled when he got the attention of the slightly shorter man. Even though Zero did nothing but glare at him while internally planning his demise.  

 “Back off!” Zero snapped at him and glanced at the hand blocking his way from getting inside his vehicle.

 “I am okay with car sex if you don’t like the hassle of bringing me home,” The skinny stranger whispered seductively in the silverette’s ear as he pushed himself away from the car and stood behind him, too close Zero’s comfort who jumped at the next action. At this point the man was kneading zero’s manhood over his jeans while rubbing his butt with his own hard on to give him a feel of it, which successfully picked the silverette interest. _Get a blindfold and use him as dildo, no need to look at him… Might as well tie him to the bed! That could work!_

 “Get in the car, fast!” He ordered

The guy beamed and got it the passenger seat. He watched as zero was about to fasten his seat belt but prevented him from doing so when he caught a glimpse of the bulging tent.

He took the liberty to unzip the jeans and bend down, “It will be uncomfortable for you to drive in this state”,

Zero gave him a sideway smirk “I can accept your offer but don’t expect me to reciprocate” that was the last comment before the hunter leaned his head back on the headrest and enjoyed the blowjob offered… Shortly after the guy swallowed and wiped his mouth, Zero started his car and drove out of the parking.

The companion was mesmerized with the flushed look of the hunter and his lust filled piercing eyes “I did not expect in my wildest dream I would get this lucky tonight”

 “Hmm….?” Zero hummed, still focused on the road

 “I mean I have been cruising you for some time now and started to think it is hopeless and I might not be your type after all, guess I was wrong!” the stranger chirped happily 

 “No you’re not!” Zero deadpanned without looking to his side

 “What?” his companion asked, still smiling

 “You’re absolutely not my type at all” Zero clarified in a clear intonation for the human to hear him properly, making the smile to falter from his face.

 “Wha… then? “Said human stuttered only for his protest to be cut off by Zero’s next statement

 “Why did I take you with me? You can say that you popped at a bad time where I do not care who it is, your dick happen to do the trick. I guess beggars can’t be chooser at times.”

The guy’s mouth gaped few times in shock and He tried to retaliate but failed again as his head smacked against the front glass when Zero suddenly stopped the car on the side of the road. The hunter turned to face his passenger with a smile that did not reach his eyes, “and if you’re going to preach about me hurting your feeling and being a bitch. Then, you can get off now, so that I can head to the next bar and get a mute good fuck who might be my type, what do you say?”

The addressed person sank into his seat trying to get over the insult and not being able to retort when faced with the dominant attitude of the popular silverette he pursued for so long.   _Fuck it! Whatever, I get to fuck the silver butterfly… something to brag about later, they do not need to know this detail anyways. I win the bet, the guy smirked internally._   

Taking the silence as an agreement to his terms, Zero drove off again towards his condo. The truth is that the hunter had no plan to look anymore for he was starting to feel sick of it and he was about to go home for an ice cold shower instead to appease his heated body.  

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx In front of Zero’s apartment xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

“Make yourself comfortable while I take a shower. I need to get the stinky scent of that bastard off me,” Stated the hunter as he flung his door open for his guest of the night to go in.

 “It does not bother me if that is what you are worried about” reassured the man, thinking that his date was finally being considerate only to be shot down once again.

 “It bothers me!” said zero with finality giving him the look of ‘who gives a shit about what bothers you’

Upon entering, the hunter froze when he saw Kaname siting on his couch. “Quite the urgent work you have here Zero. So important it made you bail on your friends” the pureblood talked in a sarcastic tone. Zero snapped and his eyes darkened in anger “You’re acting like a creepy stalker Kuran”

 “I heard nothing about you having a man already!” protested the stranger

Zero looked at him in disbelief then pressed his lips together, took a deep intake of breath through his nose in an effort not to snap the guy’s neck

“Does it look like he is welcome here?... No…No… don’t answer that!... Just do me a favor and shut the fuck up until I tell you otherwise” the chilling tone and deadly glare successfully clamed up the chatterbox of a guest.

Kaname eyed the exchange with amusement before voicing his suggestion “If you are that displeased with him, why not send him away! I am sure I would do a better job than him in ‘assisting’ you.”

 “Excuse me!” the man yelled in a threatening tone and started to walk toward Kaname but Zero stretched an arm to block his way before talking in a clearly irritated tone.

 “Both of you stop it! Now! Kuran you are to get out of my place; and you, whatever your name is, you had better not pick a fight with him if you want to live and see another peaceful day… With that said, I will now go take a shower and I better find only one man waiting for me and who is not you, Kuran! Did I make myself clear?” Zero snarled pointing and glaring into the brown-haired pureblood’s eyes.

The silverette made his way to his bedroom, dropping few articles of clothing along the way before jumping into the shower and hissed as soon as the ice-cold water hit his heated skin. He felt disgusted with himself every time this happened to him. It was as if his body had a mind of its own at times. Even though he intended to have a good time with his brother and co. This shitty horniness had to kick in. Zero whimpered softly as his erection refused to subside and only got worse, he started pumping and fisting himself seeking release… _fuck! Why does it always happen when you least expect it!..._

His self-proclaimed physician and pseudo-therapist, namely Hanabusa Aido, tried to interpret what he called the sudden bout of heightened sexual desire and lust that washes over the hunter at some rare occasion by the fluctuating hormones at a faster rate than normal due to specific external stimuli. The detailed scientific explanation gave the hunter a major headache, which made him remember only the most important parts; it started when he tried to abstain for too long, leading to his body becoming uncontrollably horny to the point of pain. Then, it became like a cycle where he occasionally would have the urge to fuck everything that moves. Luckily, he managed to keep it under control lately thanks to his ‘active’ lifestyle. However, He knew that the cause of his current predicament is none others that the smoking hot man sitting in his living room. Zero pants got harder as he remembered how sexy Kaname looked in his dark red formal shirt contrasting with his crisp black pants. The silverette gasped as he neared his release, _Fuck! Come on already! Don’t use that shithead as your jerk off material Stupid! The fucked up stimuli was the wet dreams that he starred in in the first place! He better be out by the time I am done here!..._ “Ah..haah!” Zero moaned as softly as possible while cumming all over the glass wall of his shower stall. He stood there for a moment until he cooled down, finished showering properly and prepping himself. He felt confident that he would not end up finishing faster that the guy he left at the club at least, that would be plain embarrassing.

Meanwhile in the living room, the pureblood was sitting comfortably on the one seater while the other guest stood by the dining table, arms crossed and checking out his so-called rival. The human was losing his confidence as the seconds ticked by. The room was dimly lit when they first entered the apartment so he did not have clear view. However, now that Zero switched the strong neon lights across the house on, the man was greatly intimidated by Kaname’s looks, charm and attitude. The only thing that still kept him around is the fact that Zero kicked the brunet out not him, to which the pureblood did not comply yet.

“I thought to he told you to be out by the time he finishes his shower?” Kaname cringed at the nasal voice of the other person in the room but ignored him.

“Look! I know the rumors about him not minding threesomes and his entire mind blowing antics, but I am not interested in partaking in any of it… If you insist on having a go with him, you can do so after I am done with him.” The guy explained while he came closer and leaned on the back of the couch facing Kaname’s seat. The pureblood did not utter a word and contented himself with a sideway smirk, apparently amused by what the guy said. A reaction that puzzled the stranger to no end.

Barely a minute later, had a naked silverette with only a towel across his hips emerged into the living room with a scowl that lost its edge because of his flushed cheeks and dripping wet hair. “What is the meaning of this?”

Both men took a while to speak as they were willing their throbbing manhood to calm down at the sexy sight. The skinny guy was the first to speak “Your friend here seems adamant to leave”

 “That is not a friend of mine!” Zero explained calmly. Trying not to scream bloody murder.

 “You hurt me!” Kaname spoke in a childish tone “Well… I was just waiting for you to come out because I forgot to tell you something.”

 “What might that be?” asked Zero, resting both hands on his hips

 “That since I went against my words and came here, troubling you. I decided to make up for it by never going near you ever again and forgetting whatever happened between us, if that is what you want. Although I am certain that I can satisfy you, more than any other man could… ever… It is your loss to pass up on this chance” Kaname shrugged with a teasing smile on his face as he stood and headed for the door.

Zero snorted and shook his head when faced with the pureblood back, _what a prick,_ only to straighten up and put back his trademark deadly glare when Kaname paused and turned to face him again with a finger gesture that said ‘there is one more thing I have to say’. The vampire got closer to the human present in the room and tapped his shoulder looking at Zero “Make sure to take care of this generous man here. Unlike you, he actually took pity on me and said that I could wait for him to finish, then I can have my turn with you. He would have gone with a threesome if he were not such a prude… Oh! That was something new I learned from this person; about you not minding multiple partners at once”

Kaname gave a light squeeze to the flustered human’s shoulder and plastered a victorious smirk because the deadly glare of a certain hunter shifted towards to poor excuse of a man.

Zero hugged his naked torso and narrowed his eyes “Care to explain?”

 “No…its… its not like that” stuttered the skinny man, feeling himself shrink under the pressure of the amethyst gaze “It is the rumors, rumors from previous partners… you know bar talk”

 “That I am a fucking courtesan with a waiting room for guys to wait for their turn to screw me?” deadpanned the hunter before rolling his eyes in annoyance and stride toward who should have been his partner for the night. He grabbed his arm, pulled him and kicked him out of the apartment, “At your age, you should be aware not to spout rubbish around, even if it was true. That applies to the lie you will make up just to win that stupid bet you made with your pals. You really should know your limits and not target those out of your league buddy! And maybe hit the gym once in a while!” He slammed the door right in the nose of the dumbstruck man, who stood there wandering how the ex-human managed to hear him talking about the bet while he remembers correctly that Zero left the club at that time and the music was really loud when he quickly challenged his gang just before running after the silverette.

Back in the apartment, Zero rested his forehead on the door, peeved. He hated it when others make decisions for him based on the assumptions originating from baseless rumors, or maybe not so baseless, but rumors nonetheless. The hunter startled when caught off guard by a pair of hands that caressed his sides and hugged his torso, followed by soft lips placing butterfly kisses on the junction of his neck. He felt his body instantly reacting when he unwillingly inhaled the unique scent of the man he forgot was still in his apartment,

 “You made the right choice for once, Zero”. The husky aroused rich voice sent shivers so strong, the hunter had to muffle a whimper as he trembled in the warm embrace. _Not good!_

The moment he pulled on the arms wrapping him, Zero gasped when the hand he tried to wrench slid dangerously close to his hardening manhood. “Kuran! Stop it!” Zero whispered

 “Why? Did you not make him leave because you wanted me to do this?” the pureblood purred as he nipped the silver earing.

 “Why are you so persistent?”

 “hmm?…”

 “What should I do or say to make you understand that I want you out of my life, bastard” Zero snapped trying to wiggle his way out of the deadlock Kaname got him caged in.

 “I wonder about that? Seems impossible to me!” Kaname teased

 “Aren’t you-“Zero started

 “This is going to be you last question,” the older vampire pointed as he discarded the towel and grinded against the hunter’s bareback, successfully earning a sweet whimper from the man. Kaname paused his movement at the next question, which he did not expect in this situation.

 “Aren’t you sleeping with Yuki already?” Zero asked, mortified that he is reacting more and more and actually starting to want Kaname to take him right this instant. _Damn this pureblood’s pheromones._

Kaname slackened his grip and straightened up, nuzzling the silver soft hair while answering “No… No I am not currently doing that… As a matter of fact, I did not sleep with her once since I awakened again.”

 “heeh? So like you to take care not to burden your precious girl.” Zero mocked him with obvious sarcasm, hinting to Yuki’s pregnant state. Before he could add anything more, Kaname turned him around to face him and place a finger on his lips shushing him, “I said that was the last question you were allowed, didn’t I?” He said that while leaning in to capture the hunter’s lips, only to be greeted by his cheek because Zero looked away. Kaname started kissing his jaw trailing toward the place he craved, but he got brushed off again when he reached the corner as Zero pushed his chin away enough to look the other way before Kaname manage to grasp the hand blocking his way.

The pureblood did not give up on his assault as he cupped the hidden side of Zero’s face and pulled gently to get the silverette to face him to no avail. Zero was resisting with all his might even though he was obviously aroused and rearing to go.

Kaname retracted his hand from Zero’s face but rested both him palms on the doorframe to prevent any attempt to escape, “What is it?”

 “No need for foreplay… get done with your shit and leave… that is how you want it right…” Zero screwed his eyes shut, a frown visible and fists clenched on his sides.

Kaname let out a loud exasperated breath, _I overdone it seems! Self-reprimanded the pureblood internally_

He decide to take a different approach as he shifted to hug Zero tightly. He started kissing his temples, closed eyes, Nose Bridge before sucking on tightly shut lips. He close in to a pierced ear while massaging the silver scalp.

 “I… I am sorry Zero… I apologize for hurting you and acting like a jerk before” He spoke softly and soothingly contradicting his arrogant attitude from a while ago

 “Just that? You treated me like a fucking slut Kuran!” Zero hissed, still not bothering to look at the brown-haired man, disgust apparent in his posture and expression.

Kaname immediately interjected before Zero blasted on him “No… I… maybe I did out of spite… but you have to know one thing…. I did not mean it, I swear... “

 “…” _,_ zero remained silent with eyes screwed shut and gritting his teeth. _As if, your word means anything to me!_

 “Zero… Look at me!” Kaname pleaded softly

 “…” ignored!

 “Zero! I refuse to have it this way…” He resorted to a softly commanding voice this time, which finally earned him a reaction from the irked hunter. 

 “Then leave and never come back …” Sarcasm and irritation obvious in Zero’s tone.

 “I can’t do that either” Kaname deadpanned

 “FUCKING MAKE UP YOUR MIND ALREADY BASTARD!!” Zero screamed as his eyes shot open to glare at Kaname only for him to be taken aback when facing an expression filled with regret.

 “Listen…” Kaname finally let go of the narrow waist and cupped the silverette’s face “Believe it or not, I was thinking of not pursuing you it you rejected me when you came back after that first time…. However, when I came and saw you flustered, avoiding my gaze… I was tempted to tease you a bit before leaving you alone, but…” Kaname let out a soft breath that made some silver strands sway.  “As soon as I tasted your lips again…” he placed feather touches on Zero’s lips with his fingertip and swallowed, “it all came back to me… Zero, I did not touch anyone since Yuki, I even started to think I had no desire anymore… but meeting you again… the incident… and then that night…. How do I explain it? You awakened something in me that I kept buried for so long… and I loved it…. No not just that… I drowned in it… in your alluring beauty…. In your seductive body and I could not let go no matter how many time I took you that night…” his hand trembled as he caressed a soft cheek and looked from confused violet orb to slightly parted pink lips “I have to tell you that I held back big time there “ chuckled dryly .

He pressed his finger on Zero’s lips again and rested their forehead together “What I am saying is that you got me hooked, Zero… That one amazing night left me starving for you… I have been starving this whole time… I know I said that I would wait for you to come seek me…hahaha” he licked lips, “that was my arrogant ego talking I guess? Can you forgive me? All the hurtful words I said that day in the office were fruit of irritation… I was on the edge from your constantly pushing me away… I thought I was going mad… and I lost it the moment you said you hated me… I… I… just snapped… I am not telling you to love me… No, do not worry! it is okay to hate me,  you have every right to do so…. However, I would like to ask you for a favor that is to keep that hatred  toward the me outside these walls, the one you know as the arrogant pureblood king I am posing as…. I am ready to beg so that you do not refuse the person in front of you now… please… Right now I am just a man who have fallen under the spell of the uninhibited zero… a man who wants you with every fiber of his being… let me embrace you… let me inside you… and let me give you what you want… I will not be selfish like last time… going at it like a bull…” Kaname chuckled and inhaled before going on, with a speechless hunter looking at him quizzically “though I can’t guarantee the aftermath would be any different… but I promise… I promise you Zero… it will be all about you… you decide what we do and I do it… I do not want to hurt you anymore… I want us to enjoy it together from now on….” The tall brunet pulled away, releasing the hunter completely and stood few inches away from him, indicating that he was done with his talk. Leaving a naked Zero staring at him with a confused frown on his face.

Zero tries to talk but find no words. He cast his eyes down, lost… Kaname noticed that, so he moved closer again reaching a hand to the face looking down. He caressed Zero’s cheek and slid the same hand along his arm until he reached a tightly clenched fist, which he held with both hand. The pureblood gently unclenched it, internally cringed as he felt the bumps of nails rigged skin, brought it up to his face and kissed the palm tenderly “Here is what we will do… I will hold this hand and guide you to the bedroom… until we reach the bed, if you do not want any of this, you just let go of my hand. I will then disappear instantly, and I will never come near you again… come on” Kaname tugged on the dumbstruck hunter, dragging him gently along the corridor toward the bedroom…

Zero was faltering behind… staring at the hand holding his and at the back of the man guiding him… he is dangerous… Kuran Kaname is a dangerous man… Zero knows it the most… he is dangerous outside and even more dangerous in bed…. He knows… the euphoria of his embrace is pure poison… no it is a drug… a potent addictive drug… Kuran Kaname is a drug one needs to be careful not to overfeed on… Zero knows it… but every cell of his body screamed for him… he wanted Kaname as much as Kaname wanted him… So…

Who is he to refuse the man currently gently pushing him to lay on the bed?…

Who is he to refuse the charming devil with an angel’s smile hovering over him? Bringing his face closer…

See? He is even asking for permission to kiss…

Zero finally brings his hands to hold the sculpted porcelain cheeks and raise his head enough for his lips to brush against Kaname’s… he gave his consent… willingly or under influence does not matter anymore… he needs to have him now…

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
>  
> 
> comments please!


	18. Chapter18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention few details that seemed to get few readers confused.  
> In this story, similar to the original, there are human laws and vampire laws  
> The hunter society abides by the human laws whereas the vampire society is slightly different.  
> Vampires do not really care about gender when it comes to partners, sibling marriage is allowed.  
> Vampire males can get females of any species pregnant, vampire, human or hunter, but only purebloods can impregnate males of different species.  
> Hunters rarely impregnate female Vampires because of the incompatibility of their blood.  
> Humans are less likely to impregnate vampires.  
> To put it bluntly, A male vampire can get pregnant only by an upper level vampire (inspired by the A/B/O dynamic). Except for Zero who is a special case of course (anybody can knock him up if he is not careful *snicker*)  
> Enjoy  
> Love you all  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

 

In the quiet dimly lit bedroom, Zero was sleeping comfortably under the warm covers of his bed. Long eyelashes fluttered slightly indicating that he was starting to wake up. A pale arm stretched to the side of the bed unconsciously searching for something, someone’s warmth. Silver eyebrows knitted then relaxed. A soft sigh escaped kiss-swollen lips as amethyst eyes opened lazily. Zero have not felt so comfortable and serene in such a long time. _I finally managed to get some decent sleep, no dreams! No nightmares!_

The hunter rolled to lay on his back, glanced at the empty side of the bed, and then concentrated his senses to scan his surroundings for any presence in his dwelling. Nothing! No one was there except for himself.

He looked around the room, not missing the fact that the bedsheets were replaced, his body wiped and that there was no littering anywhere, as if the happenings of last night were an illusion. Zero did not bother to get up from bed because he knew he would not be able to anytime soon. _Lesson learned the hard way! The hunter smirked to himself_

When his gaze landed on the water bottle, empty glass and container of blood pills conveniently placed on the nightstand, He slowly propped himself into a sitting position, leaning on the headboard.

Zero grabbed the plastic bottle, opening it slowly, and then grabbed few pills that he popped into his mouth and chugged the water down his throat to get rid of the nasty taste he expected, out of habit. However, the bitterness never came; nothing came to upset his taste buds at all. The surprised hunter grabbed the container to check if he actually took the wrong pills, and was relieved to know it was really blood pills. Seeing the package, Zero remembered what Aido said at the bar about the newly developed blood pills they are testing at Cross Academy. Kaname must have left his own stash because he could not find Zero’s, which is understandable because the hunter kept his at the office area along with his hunting gear where no one could enter without his permission. Zero made a note to give a positive feedback to Hanabusa about the new product before his thoughts drifted back to the brown-haired man. Zero pulled his legs to his chest and rested his chin on folded knees while absentmindedly playing with the pills container in between his fingers, musing about last night’s events.

 

Zero was used to being used. It comes with picking up random guys to sleep with. Most partners for a one-night stand would be looking for their own sexual gratification. Sure enough, there is foreplay, flirting and all that stuff, but at the end of the day, his partner is there to fuck, climax and leave, and Zero would make sure of that. Most of them don’t care too much about the other’s pleasure… In fact, Zero never bothered to please his partner more than necessary and did not expect them to do otherwise. He would not say no if they offered though. There were occurrence of jackass who let him do all the preps by himself or did not even let him get in the mood before shoving in….

However, Kaname was different, he knew there was nothing more than lust and desire between them, a chemistry so good it brought him to the highest peak, but that is not all. Kaname did not look for his own gratification alone. He shared the pleasure and the passion… Heck, he gave more than he took… He melted Zero with gentle touch, with needy kisses. He made a mess out of him without being brutal or rough… He took him slowly, leaving him sobbing from the intense sensation of having every nerve of his body on edge and not being able to do anything but cry out for more, begging for more… Sure enough, Zero never had anyone like Kaname… He never knew of such pleasure…

However, he also did not know if Kaname slept with him again because he truly desired him or for another reason. For all he knows, this could be a devious scheme of the pureblood to have him under his spell as a pawn again, or it could be his way of taking revenge for all the shit Zero had made him go through the week after their first time…

The truths and lies in his words could be the exact opposite of what he said. Kaname might actually be seeing Zero as nothing more than a cheap slut, a puppet of lust whom he can easily get into their pants whenever he could not do anything with Yuki.

 _Yuki! Yeah, he said that he did not sleep with her at all since his awakening, is that even possible, for a horny man like that to abstain_ … That is certainly the most obvious lie. Maybe lately, he could not sleep with her seeing, as she is getting heavier and more prone to exhaustion, which could be the reason he gave in to the temptation of Zero’s invitation…

Nonetheless, even after convincing himself with all these arguments, Zero simply did not care… he still slept with him again. The murky swamp he tried to stir away from, Zero ended up diving right in…

In the back of his mind, the hunter might have thought that it will help him get over the infatuation he had with the man and stop those wet dreams from occurring, but now, he knew he made a very wrong choice. Instead of being satisfied, Zero was feeling more ravenous… he wanted more of the man… he is addicted.

Coming to his conclusion, the ex-human dropped the pill’s container and hugged his body tightly while inhaling a shaky breathe. _“Sorry Yuki, just a little, let me borrow him just for little while; I promise I won’t take him away from you or Ai. I will just borrow him for a little longer…”_

\-----------------------------------     **SUNDAY MORNING AT CROSS ACADEMY  -----------------------------------**

 

Zero went back to Cross’s place as soon as he was able to move, which did not take too long this time. He made a sumptuous dinner and spent the night with Ichiru and co. as an apology for his abrupt take off from the bar. The next day, Zero decided to take his late morning coffee outside in the porch. Kaien always kept the built outdoor lounging area tidy and clean to enjoy it anytime the weather looks nice, like today. Even if the breeze was a bit chilly, the thin blanket Zero threw on his shoulder was enough to keep the cold at bay. He placed a sitting cushion on one of the seats and placed his breakfast on the marble tabletop along with his laptop. The hunter realized that this was the first time he was enjoying a peaceful lazy morning in this house ever since he took on the substitute headmaster duty. _Either I would be back at my place or here battling with work and chores! I cannot wait for this ‘house arrest’ to end. I might ask Ichijou to spar with me later today if he has time, I cannot afford to go rusty and individual workout will not cut it._

When he remembered the reason for taking the task, a memory of his recent visit to his mentor popped in his mind. Zero suddenly felt on edge thinking about the news of Yagari’s hospital transfer being almost done, which means that anytime in the near future, he would be receiving the details of his departure. Knowing that gave Zero a mix of emotion. The hunter hated the fact that he could never keep his composure whenever his family was concerned, and by family, he meant primarily his twin, mentor, adoptive father, and childhood friend. They are his pillar of support as well as his greatest weakness. The thought of losing anyone of them would be devastating and unbearable.

His phone rang at the right time to prevent him from diving further into his dark thoughts. Zero was grateful for that, and even more when he found that Kaito was the one calling.

“Good morning! Master Kaito” Zero greeted with an amused sarcastic tone

“Morning my ass! It is already 11 a.m. Are you trying to piss me off by saying that you just woke up?” huffed the older hunter over the phone

“Aren’t you too grumpy?” Zero asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“I would like to see how you would be if you had to wake up at 5 am on a freaking Sunday to train a bunch of losers.” Kaito bit back with a sour tone

“That sucks! Which means you have no time for fun. I would say that I am in a much better situation than you are. Although I do miss the action,” the silver hunter answered with sincere empathy.

“It is not like there is anything to look forward to out here in the boonies. Well… Unless you are a pedophile, there is no cuties out there to have good time. Only gruff, old wrinkled hunters around me and practically no women.”

“Is it really okay for you to say that?” Zero talked with a warning hint in his voice

 “Come on! I am a hot-blooded male in the prime of his youth. Do you expect me to become a monk for two freaking months?” Kaito whined

“So you did fool around after all. You never learn, do you?” deadpanned Zero

“Did not.” Kaito mumbled hoping that his friend did not catch it after it slipped out of his mouth

Zero’s eyes widened in surprise and a grin showed on his face because he recognized that way of speaking, when Kaito’s ego is too big to admit anything. “ Oh boy!”

“Do not say a word Zero!”

“It is not that you are out there in the boonies…. It is not like…”

“Zero! I swear I will make you regret it!”

“It is not that there are no cuties to your taste around… All those excuses are bullshit! You just could not do it, did you?”

“You little shit!”

“Sorry, I made it sound like you were impotent. Let me rephrase! You did not have it in you to look for someone else even if it means dying of frustration because you do not want to hurt or lose your sweetheart. Ugh! I feel nauseous just saying that sappy line!” Zero drawled, having the fun of his life teasing his bully of a childhood friend. “You finally lost in your own game.”

“You ass! So what?” Kaito spat over the phone

“Now… Now… I am not saying it is a bad thing… Even if I do not understand this, need of commitment and stuff… In fact, I admire your loyalty and self-control knowing how much of a player you were in the past… it is too bad that I officially lost my one and only partner in celibacy… I will give you my blessing for a happy long married life… pfff”  Zero started off with a serious tone but could not keep himself from laughing by the end which ticked Kaito even more as he could never have predicted that he would fall so hard either.

“Anyways, I just called to check on you as usual and to tell you that my stay here will probably be cut short.” Kaito grinned when he heard the other hunter gasp and curse over the phone.

On his side, Zero perked and straightened in his seat “Fuck you! Why did not tell me such a good news sooner! Wait… Does this mean you will bring the brat with you as well? I forgot to ask about him.” The ex-human paused waiting for Kaito to finish chuckling and answer his questions.

“Well… The hunter in charge will come in about ten days, so my stay will be cut short of two weeks. As of Sachi, he is being a stubborn little one.”

“What? You still did not manage to put him in his right place. Cross was right. You really do not qualify as a guardian.” Zero spoke with a bored voice

“Shut up already! I would like to see you in the same situation.”

“As much as I hate it, kids tend to like me, a lot! So I probably would not have too much trouble taming a troublesome one.”

“That is the issue, Zero. All those reports are exaggerated. The kid is not that much of a troublemaker. We were more mischievous than he is when we were his age. If I have to describe him briefly, I would say that he is too mature for his age with a good head over his shoulders. In fact, he did not show much resistance after he lost thirty seconds in the fight against me. He accepted the fact that I am to become his mentor and guardian and welcomed the idea of enrolling in Cross Academy.”

“Where is the problem then?”

Kaito sighed and cleared his throat “Well, he was dead set against transferring in the middle of school term at first. When I allowed him to finish his fourth grade here and transfer for his fifth, he came up with the request of finishing his elementary education then come the Cross Academy. How the fuck am I supposed to train him and be his guardian during the two years left until he becomes a junior high student.”

“hahahahah!... Maybe you should transfer there permanently”

“Over my dead body!”

“Well, he is just a kid. It might be hard for him to separate from his hometown and such, but once he does, he will quickly get used to it. You might have to force him at first, but he will be grateful few years down the lane,” Zero explained, hinting to the fact that he was talking from experience.

Kaito nodded even if he knows no one was looking “That is what I am planning to do. I will let him finish this term here though. Even if he is shunned and bullied by his fellow hunters, I noticed that the kid has few friends at school, from the same orphanage. He probably does not want to separate with them so soon.”

Zero felt bad for the kid and his friend as well but did not want to discuss parenting any further “Well I am sure you will make the right decisions for him until he is old enough to make his own. Now, I need your advice on something.”

That successfully got the attention of the older hunter “What is it?”

“I slept with this guy and…” Zero pondered for a moment on how to discuss the matter without giving away identities. _He would have a heart attack if he knew! Maybe kill me even!_

Kaito huffed and urged him to speak “Nothing new about you sleeping with a guy, and?”

“That is not the issue here”

“Then what is it?”

“I liked it…”

“The guy or the sex?”

“Not the guy”

“So! You want to brag about an awesome one-night stand you had” Kaito snickered. It was rare but not unusual for the two to share some of their torrid adventures.

“It was not just a one-night stand…” Zero murmured and winced, expecting an outburst at his insinuation

“…”

“Kaito?”

“Did I hear you correctly just now?”

“Do you need me to repeat?”

“Did you sleep with the same guy more than once? You?” asked Kaito, disbelief apparent in his voice

“Yes! That is the problem…”

“Huh?”

“Fuck you, Kaito! Do you have turn into an airhead when I don’t feel like explaining too much?” Zero screamed in frustration

“Dude! How do you expect me to not get surprised when I know it is your golden moto not to bed the same guy twice?”

“Well! There you have it! I slept with him twice and it is not nearly enough… What do I do now?”

 “What?... Wait… Wait… calm down and explain from the start, I still don’t see where is the problem. So you slept with a guy who rocked your world once and then you did it with him again. Let me guess! You slept with him again because you could not forget about him and wanted to get over the infatuation. However, it only made you crave him more. So what? It just means you found a partner with awesome compatibility in bed. Why not go ahead and date him if he is that good? Maybe it will finally put a stop to your promiscuous lifestyle.”

“Sorry to disappoint you but I have no intention of changing my ‘promiscuous lifestyle’ anytime soon. Sheesh Kaito, just because you hit your head and got in a relationship does not mean I should follow suit. Anyways… the issue here is that apart from our compatibility in bed, there is nothing else and I do not want to meet him again, but I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“I will pretend I did not hear that sarcastic remark about me… What do you mean by nothing else…”

“Our personalities are not compatible. He is an arrogant prick” Zero mumbled, starting to regret having this conversation because he could not get to the point he wanted Kaito’s advice on.

“Well that would make him very similar to you”

“Fuck you!”

“Seriously Zero… get to the point already. Do you know this guy from before to judge him like that?”

“Well… to put it bluntly, yes!.... He is an arrogant manipulative piece of shit that irritates me just by being around… I also know that he is committed to someone already, not that I care much about that person. The first time was an accident but consensual…. The second time… was not an accident…. Anyways, my question here, How is it possible to crave a man so badly when you would normally loath his very presence.”

Kaito paused for a moment before speaking “Zero, you are not fucking a vampire are you?”

Zero jolted in his seat but relaxed when Kaito continued speaking without waiting for his reply.

“As if that was possible with all the hate you harbor towards them. Nonetheless, I hope you are aware that you are playing a risky game. Affairs can turn out ugly if exposed”

“I know that.”

“Okay then, answer these few questions first!”

“What?” Zero asked, puzzled as to where this conversation is going

“Is he hot?”

Zero rolled his eyes and decided to go along with his friend: “He is …Um… good-looking, yeah.” _Try drop dead gorgeous!_

“From what you said, he is good at fucking. Does he turn clingy afterwards? I know you hate that.”

“No, he does not.”

“Well… if you want me to speak from past experience, I don’t see any problem meeting up with him again. I had a few instance of partners that are good as long as they keep their mouth shut… Although, the fact that he is committed pushes the righteous me to tell you to drop it and not associate with him again because I, personally, would not appreciate the thought of my own partner cheating on me…  ”

“You’re not being helpful here, Kaito…” Zero sighed in exasperation

“Fine! I am saying that it is perfectly normal to want to sleep with this guy again seeing that you had quite a good chemistry with him… My advice for you, if you are planning to see him more often… You better be the one in control and set some rules to protect yourself in case he turns clingy and too bothersome in the future. That is if you are not planning to snatch him away from his partner and make him yours… Are you?”

“No way in hell!”

“Thought so! Just make sure you don’t fall for him and get left behind”

“You know I don’t believe in love and all that crap”

“So you say.”

“Do you think this obsession would fade away?”

“Not sure, but look at it from the bright side. You get to have great sex with no string attached. If you play it right, he can be on your disposal anytime you want. Plus, with both of you being guys, there is no chance of pregnancy that would make the situation risky and sticky.” Kaito explained with amused tone, not knowing the fact that Zero can actually get pregnant.

Before Zero could speak again, a tap on his shoulder startled him. He craned his head to find Gin hovering over him with a wide toothed smile.

“Um… Okay, thanks for the advice buddy; I will keep it in mind. I have to go now! Have fun with your kids”

“They are not my kids, asshole! Say hello to whoever came to interrupt our deep and meaningful conversation” Kaito teased before bidding his friend goodbye and hanging up without giving Zero a chance to retort.

“Good morning, I hope I am not interrupting anything?” Gin asked hesitantly.

“Mornin’… No don’t worry, that was just Kaito being a smartass… he sent his regards by the way” Zero answered, reciprocating the smile while following Gin as he turned around the face him. “So, what have you been up to? I figured you would spend the day with a bad case of hangover seeing how much you drank with Ichiru.”

The dark blue haired man smirked, as he answered, “Just because I am not a vampire does not mean I cannot have high alcohol tolerance. That amount of booze would not give me a migraine let alone a hangover”

“Lucky you! Want some coffee” Zero started to get up to go serve the coffee, but Gin pushed on his shoulder to force him back on his seat.

“I will get it myself.”

“You know you should stop spoiling me so much, Gin!” Zero whined

“Why is that?” Gin asked softly

“Because…  I feel weird about it”

“Weird?”

“I feel bad! As if I am taking advantage of your kindness and I hate it,” Zero declared shooting Gin a determined look that had the opposite effect on the tall man.

“You don’t have to feel bad. I am just being nice, and enjoying it. This is not even close to me spoiling you.” Gin stated smoothly as he leaned his face closer to Zero’s who snorted, not bothered by the proximity.

“I shudder just thinking of your way of spoiling others, but since you put it that way, I will take advantage of you being ‘nice’ and ask you for a refill”  he handed Gin his empty coffee mug.

“Do you want to try me?” this time Gin whispered into Zero’s ear in a low rich voice that made the hunter a bit uncomfortable to the point of stuttering while pulling his face away and covering his ear.

“eh…uhm… no thanks” he hesitantly answered

“Too bad” Gin leaned back up while taking the mug from Zero’s extended hand. He made his way inside the house leaving Zero dumbstruck with his hands still in the same position holding an imaginary mug. _What the heck was that about?_ Zero wondered for a moment before dismissing it as Gin’s way of teasing or joking around. He shook his head in exasperation as he flipped open his laptop to start checking his mails. _I had better stop being self-conscious or I might turn into a narcissist._

In the kitchen, Gin was refilling Zero’s mug after getting one for himself. Unlike the cheerful façade he showed the silver hunter, Gin’s face looked grim and his facial muscles tight. He let out a long sigh and relaxed his tense shoulders. He could not help the irritation he felt when he unintentionally eavesdropped on Zero’s conversation. Even if he caught snippets of it, he could make out the topic and was greatly displeased to know that Zero was interested in another man. Gin sighed again, pinched his nose and tried to calm himself. _I can’t believe that I got that jealous. It should not come as a surprise that he would be sleeping with another man. I already know what kind of life he is leading outside the academy and work. There is no point in being worked up and screw things over when I am trying to win him over. Damnit!_

When he regained his composure, Gin picked the coffee mugs and went back outside. He placed Zero’s mug next to him, earning a murmured thanks while the hunter concentrated on typing. He sat opposite to Zero, with the screen separating them, and picked the papers he brought with him. Gin was initially taking a stroll outside looking for a good spot to grade the papers because he was bored and did not want to spend his time cooped inside when the weather was so nice outside. He swung by the chairman’s house hoping for a sign that Zero would be awake for a chance to spend some time with him.  His wish came true at the cost of his previously good mood.

“So how is Takamiya doing?” Gin spoke while scribbling and grading.

“Same old… Oh! Apart from the fact that he will be back in the next couple of week. His mission will finish sooner than expected.” Zero talked absentmindedly while scanning the content of his mail.

“Oh!” Gin let out a surprised sound that caught Zero’s attention. The hunter quickly lowered the laptop screen to look at Gin who was still facing down grading.

“Shit! Doesn’t that mean that your job here will be over! Sorry man!” Zero sounded sincerely apologetic, but Gin surprised him with a tight smile as he looked up.

“No worries Zero, I actually signed a year-long contract last week. The headmaster Cross asked me to do a trial run as a substitute and then decide if I am to get employed here for longer term. It seems the first week was a hit and the feedback from faculty and students was pretty good to make him send me the contract so soon.” Gin grinned proudly by the end when he saw relief washing over Zero’s face. _At least now, I know that my stunt earlier did not make things awkward between us. Thank god! Gin_ sighed in relief inwardly

“That is great! I am glad you will still be able to stay here and see your sister and niece.” Zero spoke cheerfully as he flipped the screen back up to resume his work, missing the blank expression on Gin’s face. _What? That was what he was worried about?_

“Eh? AAh yeah! Of course, lucky for me!” Gin stuttered and resumed working, cursing inwardly at his overly optimistic personality.

They resumed their work in a more comfortable silence until a sleep deprived Ichiru joined them later for lunch.

 

\-----------------------------------   **Monday at the headmaster office of the main building** \-----------------------------------

 

Zero did not want to act conceited, but he did expect Kaname to at least contact him or visit him for the last couple of days after he finally gave in to his advances. However, the pureblood was no show; he did not bother contacting Zero even over the phone. The possibility of Kaname sleeping with him again out of revenge for rejecting him started to climb to the top of Zero’s suspicions. A thought that irritated the hunter to no end. He decided to turn all his irritation into energy to finish his work as early as possible because he promised Gin that he would accompany him to a sushi bar downtown the day before.

Once done with the last paper, Zero looked at the time, _half an hour to go before the meeting with Ichijou,_ he nodded to himself as he took a few strides to a far corner in the office area where the utensils and ingredients for refreshment were stored. He proceeded to make some rose jam flavored tea that the noble vampire liked. Zero might be rude with a blunt personality, but he valued good manners, especially on professional level. Besides, he could not help but think that Takuma was too unlike his kin, which might be why Zero felt more comfortable around him.   

Zero took two cups out of the cupboard and started pouring the fragrant liquid. He paused for a second and put down the kettle to take out a third cup when he sensed another vampire coming with Ichijou, it was no one other than Kaname. Zero called for them to come in as soon as they knocked. He placed the teacups on the tray along with some cookies (after verifying that they were store bought, not handmade by Kaien) and placed them in front of his guests as the three of them sat on the opposite sofas around the low table to discuss the topic of their meeting.

Takuma was the first to talk while Kaname was lazily sipping on his drink.

“I hope you had an enjoyable weekend, Kiryuu-kun!” chirped the blond vampire

“Yes! Thank you for asking. I hope the same happened with you as well” Zero replied nonchalantly, letting a small smile slip from his lips

“The usual, I just made sure the kids in the moon dorms behaved before retiring to my comic’s heaven.” Takuma was famous since high school for his passion towards manga, a passion that did not subside even after joining the adult world and despite being swamped with a big load of work that Zero cannot begin to imagine. He felt more respect for the man who would find time to enjoy his hobby against all odds. 

“That’s great! Now, let us get started with our meeting because I have an appointment with some delicious sushi that I would hate to miss.” Zero announce in a half-joking manner, occasionally glancing at the indifferent pureblood sitting in front of him besides Takuma. Kaname did not talk much or looked at Zero for that matter since he came into the office and greeted him as usual. The hunter was puzzled by the fact that he bothered to come in the first place. Most of his meeting are with Takuma as his representative, who would then relay the conclusion to Kaname for him to put the final seal on it. The only occasions where Kaname is present are those when Takuma could not make it to the meeting. Zero started to hope that the pureblood had ulterior motive for his visit but slapped himself internally when he realized the weird turn his thoughts were taking.

Takuma cleared his throat, “Lucky for you! Anyways, as I informed you earlier today, we came here to discuss the restocking of blood pills for the next trimester. Here are the papers containing the numerical details”

Zero took the papers extended to him and picked the ones he prepared beforehand to compare the numbers. A frown adorned his eyebrows, as he looked up to the noble “I see that there is a request to increase the usual quantity thrice?”

 “Yes” Takuma confirmed

“May I know the reason? I mean… It will take a while to read through the report…So I would appreciate if you could brief me about this sudden increase.” Zero inquired as he placed the papers on the table. He laced his fingers while leaning back on the couch to give his full attention to the green-eyed vampire, not missing the fact that Kaname was observing every gesture.

“Well! You are aware that the vampires residing on campus are a valuable study group to the improvement of the quality of the blood tablets that will be marketed to the public later. As you know, our research lab, supervised by Aido-kun, developed a new improved version of blood pills that was distributed on campus for the past month.” Takuma explained and paused waiting for Zero to react.

“I am well aware of that.”

“Good! Now the reason for the increase in quantity is that, the new formula of this pill requires the consumer to take three times the dose to have the desired effect compared to the old prototype.“

Zero quirked an eyebrow “Doesn’t that mean that it is a failure? Sorry if it sounds too rude, I mean no offense to your research team.”

Takuma smiled, as he answered, “No don’t worry about it! Yeah, we first thought it was a failed attempt as well. Including Aido-kun. However, the blood tests as well as the surveys result of the last month proved us wrong. The new product is definitely a hit and we need to carry on our observation to confirm the initial outcome before marketing it to the general public.”

“Can you elaborate on the results?” Zero asked

“First, there is the problem of the previously awful taste resolved and-“Takuma was about to finish but Zero interrupted suddenly with an upbeat tone

“Oh yeah! I was surprised by that myself. I forgot to thank Aido for getting rid of that upsetting aftertaste.” The interruption earned Zero a quizzical look from Takuma and a flinch from Kaname who was ready to jump the gun as soon as Takuma started speaking while fishing something from his pocket.

“That is weird! I visited Aido in the lab before coming here to ask if he wanted to join the meeting. That is when he gave me this packet of the new pills saying that he forgot to give you one to try them. It is unusual for him to forget about giving anything away, especially valuable samples”

“Oh! That’s because…” Zero stuttered when he realized his blunder… _baka! Baka! Baka! How can you forget that Aido never gave you a sample when he talked about them… how am I going to explain that Kaname gave them to me without rising any suspicion! Damn it! I should have kept my mouth shut!_

“That is because I was the one who gave him some of mine to try when I visited during the last meeting. You had to go for an errand at the association that day, remember. Ichijou?” Kaname’s silky voice added to the relief of the hunter when he saw that Ichijou related to Kaname’s explanation and believed what he said. _Safe!_ He shot Kaname a grateful look before focusing on what Ichijou was saying.

“Oh right! That is true. Nevertheless, taste is not the only benefit, Kiryuu-kun. It seems that ex-humans that are still in the danger of falling do not have a problem consuming them.”

The statement caught Zero’s attention “Do you mean that they do not show any sigh of rejecting them?”

“Exactly!” Takuma beamed when he saw the hopeful look of Zero. He was glad to get such a response because, more than himself, Zero can relate to the suffering of the level D because he went through the rejection of pills at some point. The only difference is that Zero managed to get over it without falling into madness thanks to his twin, which is impossible for other ex-humans.

On the other side of the table, Zero mind was picturing the positive outcome of such a discovery. Not only will the ex-humans be able to have a longer lifespan before falling into level E, this will reduce the crimes entailed by vampires going on rampage as well.  In addition to that, it will allow them to save even more lives once the cure to vampirism is found, but that is a dream still far from coming true. Zero nodded to Takuma to continue. Kaname could not help but smile when he noticed that Zero was having hard time keeping a poker face. _He looks like a child hiding his excitement and giddiness!_

Once the conversation finished, Zero scheduled another meeting with Takuma so that they can put together a proposal to acquire more funds that will allow them to increase the stock without putting a dent in the school budget. 

Zero could not help the twinge of disappointment when Kaname followed Takuma out of the door only to be surprised when the pureblood popped his head inside for a moment and mouthed ‘you’re welcome’ to Zero before leaving. Zero could not help but shake his head at the unexpected childish action of the pureblood. His lips curled up in a smile as he picked the empty cups. _I guess it is not over yet._

 

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

That night, Zero enjoyed Gin’s treat to high-grade sushi meal. The restaurant was actually in a hotel that made Zero wonder about how they managed to keep their business running. The hotel was in a secluded area away from the bustling city and the location was downright shitty. The only redeeming attribute would be the food and probably the costs of the stay. An idea suddenly sparked in his mind. He excused himself saying that he needs to use the restroom while he actually headed to the reception desk.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is Zero planning to do? I am sure you can guess what is going to happen in the next chapter *wink*


	19. chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Super fast update at last :D
> 
> I noticed that I forgot to shout a loud thank you for your wonderful comments, kudos and bookmarks. THANK YOU *BIG TIGHT HUG*
> 
> Mature content ahead! it applies to several upcoming chapters
> 
> You have been warned
> 
> Enjoy
> 
> Love you all
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

 

 

“Uhnn… Ah!... Ahn” Moans spilled continuously as he dug his fingers into the broad shoulders of the man pinning him to the mattress with his own body.

The soft grunt and whispers close to his ears made his sensitive body twitch uncontrollably

“Ugh! Zero… If you dig any stronger, my shoulders are going to start bleeding… “The soft chuckle followed by a hot tongue licking his earlobe left the hunter sobbing from the pleasure of the pureblood touching him everywhere.

“Kaname! I can’t… so clooose… uhn…fuu” Zero tightened his legs around Kaname’s sides and dug his nails more forcefully when he attempted to pull the man down closer. He hid his face in the crook of his neck in order to muffle the obscene sounds escaping him.

“You feeling that good?” Kaname was just as breathless and close to his release. He was struggling enough holding himself back to allow Zero to finish before he does. He shifted his weight sideway and sneaked a hand to stroke the hot hardness trapped between their stomachs while both of them rocked in harmony back and forth. Zero’s back arched up, welcoming the action as his hand reflexively dropped to Kaname’s arm, urging it to touch him more there. Violet orbs widened, but not as much as the mouth that opened in a silent scream when Zero felt his hips tremble and buck up into Kaname’s hand as his release soaked it along with their stomachs. The hunter let out a final gasp and soft moans when Kaname snapped his hips for one last hard deep thrust followed by the sensation of the pureblood’s hot shaft pulsating deep inside him indicating his release.

His orgasm left him boneless, making the older man drop his body weight on the silverette beneath him.

“omph! Kaname, you are heavy” Zero grumbled as he tapped on Kaname’s shoulder.

“Just a moment! Sorry…” Kaname muffled an apology and placed a lazy kiss on Zero’s shoulder while he laced his finger into silver strands, stroking the hunter’s head.

Zero sighed in defeat and slowly opened his eyes. Their reflection greeted him through the mirror conveniently placed in the ceiling of the hotel room. A fiery blush crept to his face when he saw the lewd expression he had and the way his legs were spread wide with the pureblood lying between them. He forgot his embarrassment when his gaze began tracing the profile to the brunet’s back. His hands unconsciously started to trace and caress the lines of the small of his back up to his shoulders; a small smile adorned his lips when he caught sight of the red marks from his clawing that were starting to fade. Once the marks were gone, Zero started tracing the rose tattoo etched on the pureblood’s left shoulder blade. His curiosity was quickly satisfied in favor of his discomfort, he inhaled the unique scent of the brown hair tickling his nose and nudged Kaname’s cheek with it “Come on Kaname! You are crushing me!” his whining paid off when the pureblood pushed against the mattress, carefully pulled his limp member out of Zero and threw his weight to the side so that he lay on the bed beside the silverette.

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx    **earlier that day** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

After coming back from his dinner with Gin, Zero immersed himself in working until late, leaving little to nothing to do for tomorrow. The next day, he whizzed through his work in a quick but efficient way. He tidied the desk and put everything in place, satisfied that he finished earlier than expected. He locked the office and flipped a sign indicating that he was away for the rest of the day, leaving his contact.

Zero practically jumped down the stairs in a hurry to leave the building and get into his car. He drove in direction of the town, to the hotel he had dinner at with Gin. The receptionist handed him an access card as soon as she verified his details with a welcoming smile. Once inside, Zero checked his phone and hit the shower without bothering to check out the room.

Ten minutes later, the hunter came out refreshed, wearing the fluffy white bathrobe and drying his hair. He caught sight of the small fridge from the corner of his eye and went towards it. He smiled when he found his favorite brand of sparkling water chilled inside. He opened the small bottle and took a few gulps before putting it on the table nearby to go open the door when a soft knock reached his ears.

“I rushed here directly after a meeting because of this message you sent! I hope you have a good reason for summoning me here” Kaname was talking in a stern voice as he fumbled with his phone. That is before he looked up and startled when he took in the appearance of Zero and his fresh scent out of the shower.

Zero, on the other hand, was leaning on the doorframe with his arm crossed over his chest, a victorious smirk apparent on his face. He enjoyed the small victory he achieved when he managed to make the pureblood rush to meet him on such a short notice. He eyed the dark grey tie neatly sliding against the crisp white shirt the pureblood was wearing under his immaculate suit before amethyst eyes locked with wine orbs.

Zero untangled his arms and took a step forward. Without breaking eye contact, he parted his lips and let his hand slide over the tie before he started to talk, a soft whisper he was sure that the pureblood could hear “If you are talking about the message about meeting me here at 5 p.m sharp, with the extra note stating that it was important. I will leave it up to you to decide whether the reason is good or bad” Zero finished the last part with a seductive tone. He did not wait for an answer. Instead, he pulled the still stupefied Kaname from his tie inside the room, closed the door and slammed him back against it surprising him more when he locked their lips in an aggressive kiss. 

Kaname’s hand rose up instinctively when he felt his back slam against the door with brutal force, dropping his phone in the process, his eyes widened more when soft lips crashed against his and cold palms cupped his face to keep him still. It took him a while to process what was going on. As soon as he caught on, his hands roved everywhere over the hunter’s body to end up mirroring the action of cupping the silverette face, trying to win the battle of dominance that unleashed between their tongues. Kaname lost the battle the moment Zero let go of his face and, in a swift movement, unbuckled his belt, slid down his fly and kneaded his semi erect shaft. The hunter smirked into the kiss when Kaname gasped in surprise at the unexpectedly bold gesture. The reaction urged him to get even bolder as he dipped his hands inside the last layer of clothes and freed the hot twitching member of its confines, never stopping the obscene movement of his hand that earned him a low growl from the pureblood.

Kaname banged his head against the door, his mouth ajar and panting as he felt himself grow harder with Zero’s ministration. He took a shaky breath as he grabbed the back of Zero’s neck. In a blurry movement, Kaname managed to reverse their position by rotating them and pining Zero to the nearby wall, still holding the nape of his neck, he pulled him up into a needy kiss.

As if Zero predicted the action, he quickly resumed fisting Kaname at a faster pace, making the wet sounds grow louder. He smirked into the kiss when he felt the pureblood trembling as he placed both hands against the wall on either side of the silver head. Kaname rested his forehead on Zero’s shoulder, panting hard while thrusting his hips to increase the friction against the wicked hands and thumb that wreaked havoc in his aroused brain. “What are you doing to me, Zero!” he grunted from his position.

Zero gulped in an attempt to even his voice for he was just as aroused as Kaname and is having harder time keeping himself in check, in control. “What does it look like?” he whispered huskily in the pureblood ear “getting you ready to fuck me, of course” He finished his sentence as he fished a foil pack from the pocket of the bathrobe.

Kaname swallowed a whimper that almost escaped his mouth when Zero’s hand let go of him and the hunter pushed him away and strolled to the bed. His dilated eyes, filled with lust followed the actions of the hunter.

Zero walked slowly while untying the knot keeping the robe in place. As soon as it came loose, he let it slide down at the edge of the bed, giving Kaname a tempting view of his back and rear as he climbed the bed crawling on all four then rolled over on his back to end up in a sitting position facing the still standing pureblood. Kaname felt his breath stop abruptly when he caught sight of Zero’s arousal rising to full glory. He let out a feral growl when the hunter parted his knees further apart and spread his legs as wide as he could.

Zero placed his hands on the mattress and leaned back giving his sexiest inviting smile. He sucked his lower lip and felt his toes curl in anticipation when Kaname started walking in his direction and climbing on the bed to join him with a predatory glint in his eyes.

Kaname gave a crooked smile when he caught sight of the blush on the face of the previously daring silverette. He positioned himself in between parted pale thighs while he tore the foil packet that he hunter conveniently placed on the mattress in front of him. Zero leaned back on his elbows while he watched Kaname putting the condom on, unaware of the slight rocking of his own hips that the pureblood did not miss. Once ready, Kaname grabbed and pulled the pair of pale thighs earning a surprised gasp from the silverette. He secured them on top of his own and lined the tip of his shaft with the erotically glistening aperture that is Zero’s twitching entrance. He quickly looked at his face waiting for the go-ahead signal that came just as quickly. He started pushing slowly while observing Zero’s facial expression for any sign of discomfort. Kaname realized that he loved the way Zero looked as he slid inside him, along with the cute sounds that slipped past the lascivious parted lips of his. He paused once the head was inside so that he could place both hand on the mattress and lean down to capture the tempting lips in a passionate kiss. Zero hooked one arm around the other’s neck while his other arm supported him in his upright position. However, he almost lost balance as soon as he felt Kaname slide deeper inside, he gasped and pulled away from the breathtaking kiss but still kept his face close to the pureblood. Kaname arched his back as he delved deeper, feeling more aroused when Zero’s expression changed from that of discomfort to that of pleasure.

“Uhn! God! You stretch me to the limit every single time,” Zero grunted before craning his neck to give Kaname more access when he started assaulting his throat in a pleasurable way.

 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx    **back to the current moment** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Kaname blinked a few times trying to get his blank mind to process what exactly happened in the last hour since he received the text from Zero. The ancient vampire went through an exhausting weekend starting from the business trip, his visit to Ichiru’s bar, his unexpected enjoyable but strenuous encounter with Zero the same night that led to a sleepless day of work followed by a couple of other days with minimal amount of rest that were concluded by today’s meeting. Kaname was grateful that the series of annual meetings of the Kuran financial group were finished and was about to head back to his quarter to enjoy a much needed sleep.

However, his plans were thwarted by the ambiguous message he found as soon as he switched his phone on after the meeting. For once, Kaname did not reprimand himself for giving in to his curious nature that dictated him to come to the appointed place because he was very tempted to ignore the hunter’s request and go rest thinking that Zero would be giving him a lesson on moral and how wrong it was to do what they did the other day. The actions of the hunter were much unexpected but extremely pleasant.

Kaname could still feel his heart thumping in his ears, a little disappointed that he did not have enough control over his exhausted body to make it last longer than half an hour judging from the time on the wall clock facing him.

A soft groan snapped him out of his musing and he glanced at the hunter sprawled besides him. He caught a glimpse of Zero reaching a hand to his inner thigh and rub what seemed like soothing circles… Kaname moved fast, too fast to the point of jolting the hunter in surprise. “What the heck! You scared the shit out of me”

Kaname ignored the protest as he pulled the hand away and placed his own examining the hunter “Did I hurt you anywhere? Are you in pain?” Kaname asked in a soft apologetic tone that successfully calmed any anger the hunter started to feel when the pureblood ignored him.

Zero looked away from the worried gaze of the brunet and mumbled “No! I am fine, just felt weird when I tried to move”.

“Weird?” Kaname said in a confuse tone.

A blush crept over Zero’s face knowing he will not get away from the stubborn vampire without an explanation, “Weird as in… Uhm… I felt as if you were still inside me”

Kaname’s mouth took an “oh” shape when he understood before it stretched into a mischievous grin that looked nothing far from suspicious in Zero’s eyes. _Fuck! I am screwed!_

“That was what this is all about? You got me worried there for a second Zero” Kaname talked in a teasing tone while he rubbed and kneaded Zero’s inner thigh.

“Now that you know, you can take your hand away from there so that I can get to the reason for calling you here ACK!!” Zero yelped when Kaname’s fingers found their way inside him and squirmed against his inner walls.

“Ngh! Kaname, I am serious. Take them out”

“Hmm! I am serious as well, isn’t this what you called me here for?” Kaname emphasized his words with a rubbing motion against Zero’s prostate.

“Fuck! Ahnn! You bastard! If you want it there to be a next time and more, you better take your fingers out of me and listen carefully to what I have to say right this instant. Ungh” Kaname pulled his fingers away from the hunter, and straightened immediately.

Zero could not help but chuckle at the sudden obedience that Kaname displayed as soon as he dangled the carrot that is a promise of a next time. _This could be fun!_

Seeing Zero shift around and shiver, Kaname realized that the room was a bit cold and assumed that the hunter was feeling it too. Therefore, he acted on the first thought of collecting the hunter in his arms and tucking him to his side in attempt to warm him up. Zero jumped out of his skin again at the sudden pull and awkward maneuver, but he did not bother resisting as he welcomed the warmth of Kaname’s body better than the covers he was trying to cover himself with. He used the strong arm as a pillow and glanced upward to look into the expectant eyes of the pureblood.

“Well! I called you here to strike a deal” Zero deadpanned

Kaname frowned for a second; confusion was an apparent reaction to the hunter’s word “what do you mean by a deal?”

“An agreement of some sort”

“Oh! Right.” Kaname nodded for Zero to elaborate

“If you want to continue this thing between us, you will have to abide by certain conditions.” Zero started explaining while tracing the lines of Kaname’s collarbone and torso in a lazy motion.

“By this thing between us, you mean?” Kaname inquired, speaking softly on top of Zero’s head.

“I meant the fucking” Zero deadpanned, making Kaname flinch at his choice of words.

“Sheesh Zero! You could not find any better word, like sleeping together or physical interaction or…”

“Kaname! Are you seriously planning on giving me a lecture about bad language while we are lying here stark naked and tangled into each other after what we just did?” Zero asked in disbelief

Kaname paused for a second before sighing in defeat “Alright! Go on”

“What I am saying is that if you are planning on having more of these encounters, you will have to abide by my rules. Also, never and I say never for one second will you entertain the idea of me becoming some sort of mistress for you to keep.” Zero warned. Taking the silence of the pureblood as a sign that he got his full attention

“We will be having a purely physical relationship with no string attached. We will have to be sneaky about it for obvious reasons that need no explaining. Therefore, you are not allowed to approach me on campus or anywhere that might lead us to be caught by our circle of friends or family. The moment I suspect that there is a third party aware of what is going on between us, consider the deal off. I will be the one to decide whether we meet or not and you have no right to force me into it, that will cancel the deal as well. You are free to ask anytime, but the final decision will depend on me.” Zero paused and shifted to face Kaname properly and wait for any kind of objection.

“Fair enough! I am –“Kaname started but was interrupted by Zero’s finger on his lips shushing him.

“I am still not done yet” Zero explained softly

“ then by all means continue” Kaname urged him, hiding his excitement at the willingness of the hunter to continue what they started without having to go through roundabout ways to get to him.

“Since you are always surrounded by vampires you have to make sure that my scent never lingers on you. I am sure you can think of a couple of tricks to make that happen” Kaname nodded in response “I am quite open minded when it comes to trying various things in bed. However, the one thing I will never do is fellatio. The moment you ask me to blow you will be the moment I call the deal off” Zero did not miss the disappointment that flashed through Kaname’s face but gave him time to ponder about it.

“You are setting an awful lot of conditions that would lead to dropping the agreement”

“and you either agree to all of them or back off right this moment”

Kaname let out a loud exhale “All right! So, we are to maintain the usual façade in public and avoid doing it in places where people we know might stumble upon us by accident, namely the campus. We are to be careful not to let anyone discover what is going on between us. And you are the one who calls the shots about whether we meet or not. Finally, the no fellatio rule. Anything else?” Kaname reiterated and finally asked, not hiding the disapproving tone

“There is one last but important point,” Zero whispered

“This arrangement will last until Yuki gives birth. Once Ai is born, we go our separate way and resume our previous standings without a fuss.”

Zero felt Kaname stiffen at this clause and waited for the answer that never came. The hunter assumed that the brunet would not agree to the last condition, so he detangled himself and got up from the bed with the intention of taking a shower and leave everything behind him.

His footsteps halted when Kaname spoke in a low confused tone: “Why the deadline?”

“Because I am not planning on keeping this up for too long.”

“What if she give birth tomorrow for example”

“In that case, this will be the last time we sleep together,” Zero stated in an as a matter of fact way.

 “Really? That simple?”

“Yes”

“Why?”

“As I told you-“

“Why do you not want this to last while it is good, why the restriction Zero. The real reason” Kaname’s voice was getting aggravated by the second as he watched the back of the hunter tense up.

Zero sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, still keeping his back facing Kaname. “As I said, I am not planning on becoming your exclusive paramour or anything even close. I am setting this arrangement because I like the chemistry between us, and the way our bodies are compatible in bed. However, I have no plan of causing grief or mess up a happy family because of my insatiable desire… To put it bluntly, I am planning to sleep with you until I get bored and move on, which probably will not take long… Also, once your kid is born, you will want to spend every spare moment with her instead of coming to meet me, and why would you even need to meet up with me by then. Your wife would be able to satisfy you plenty by then. Do you understand, Kaname?”

“All I am hearing are poor excuses. You are just trying to protect yourself so stop portraying as the selfless bonafide” Kaname bit back, covering his face with his forearm.  

“Well, it is up to you to interpret it the way you want. Those are my conditions; give me your decision now. Do you accept or decline.” Zero retorted with a dry voice as he turned to face Kaname.

“Just one last thing before I decide”

“What is it?”

“I understand that you are still tied down by human morals and laws even though you are a full-fledged stable vampire. Therefore, you probably did not bother to learn more about our society.”

“What are you trying to get at?”

“Acting all sneaky and cautious is because you believe that I would be branded as a cheating husband if this ‘affair’ is ever exposed. However, it does not work quite that way with purebloods. It might be the case for lower classes though.”

“Huh?”

“Seeing the small number of purebloods existing, we are allowed to have mistresses in addition to our mate in order to continue siring strong offspring to ensure the stability of the vampire society.”

Zero’s eyebrows shot upward in surprise before morphing into a scowl. “So you are saying that you take on other partner as concubines?”

“Something like that”

“What does that have to do with me? It is not as if I am planning to carry a child of yours. No way in hell!”

“I am not saying that Zero! I am saying that your excuse of destroying my family or taking away my time with them is void.”

“Does Yuki know about this stupid liberty you have”

“I assume that Aido would not miss mentioning it when he taught her the ropes of our society”

“Knowing that Yuki grew up as a human, do you really think she would accept the thought of you being with another that easily, let alone with me? Think about it?”

“That is none of your concern Zero. I can deal with Yuki without hurting her feeling if the issue ever arises. So would you stop making excuses and not set a deadline for this arrangement?” Kaname complained, getting impatient.

“I will not take back any of the conditions I listed, including the deadline. Either you take it or leave it” Zero deadpanned. _This is not going to work out in the end!_

Zero’s shoulder sagged in defeat, annoyed at the stubborn strike of the pureblood. Few moments later, He flinched when Kaname shuffled behind him and scooted closer to the edge of the bed. He hugged the silver haired man from behind placing a soft kiss on the nape of his neck before gently turning his head so that they face each other. Kaname whispered softly against Zero’s lips “All right! You got yourself a deal. Shall we seal it with a kiss?” His voice took on an amused tone as he noticed the sparkle in amethyst eyes. Zero did not lose time and locked his lips with Kaname’s while climbing on his lap and pushing him back on the mattress.  

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to answer few questions that I have been asked repeatedly about this story: (don’t worry, I did not put any spoiler)
> 
> Q : Are Kaname and Yuki married in this AU?
> 
> A : In the vampire society, Yuki and Kaname are mated but not yet married as they still have to exchange their vows. In the human society, they are unrelated because Yuki kept her name as Yuki Cross so that they would not have a problem being registered as a married couple by the human law later on after Ai’s birth.
> 
> Q: How will Kaname manage between his feelings for Zero and his marriage with Yuki?
> 
> A : Well… the standard answer to this question is that he will eventually have to choose between the two of them. How? When? Why? I am sure you would rather discover it by reading than me spoiling the fun for you here
> 
> Q : will zero be the side chick? (I think it meant if he was going to become a mistress)
> 
> A : I am sure the chapter you just read answered that question, our hunter will not relinquish control and settle as an obedient paramour that easily *Cheshire smile* He is an uke and damn cute one, but his ego and arrogance can rival that of Kaname at times.
> 
> Q : How will Yuki react to discovering the affair?
> 
> A : Well… that is something you do not have to worry about for at least 4 to 5 more chapters. Until then, you will have to enjoy some lemony goodness (hopefully) as our two favorite hotties consume their desire for each other. *wink* 
> 
> Q : what will happen if zero pregnant? 
> 
> A : All hell will break loose, and some twisted drama will unfold. Sensitive souls will need a pack of tissue nearby probably because it might turn sappy depending on my mood when I write that part. :D


	20. chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! I missed you a lot and I have to tell you that reviews are officially my drug. I was devastated by the crash of my computer and I lost the plot I worked so hard to put together for this story.
> 
> I was having second thoughts about drafting it again from the old notebook of scribbles that inspired me, but seeing the awesome reviews the last couple of chapters got made me go over the ideas again and put up the plot again.
> 
> It took me two freaking days but was worth it. (I am usually a whimsical person that do not like to do the same work twice by the way).
> 
> BUCKETS OF LOVE TO THE AWSOME PEOPLE WHO ARE REVIEWING, DROPPING KUDOS AND FOLLOWING THIS STORY:
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy!!
> 
> Chapter20

 

 

 

 

 

“You know, being caring and considerate, going at my pace is… enjoyable, However” Zero dragged the last word and sucked in his lower lip seductively before going on “I somehow cannot get the intensity of that first time out of my mind” he bent down to fetch the bathrobe and picked another condom for the pocket.

“Really?!” Kaname asked with an amused inquiring tone, he relaxed on his back, propping himself on the bunch of pillows at the headboard and rested the back his head on his forearm, watching the silverette coming to his side of the bed. “The honest truth!” whispered Zero in Kaname’s ear as he nipped at it. The mattress sank as the hunter got on the bed and cradled the pureblood’s midsection, taking a few moments of silence to enjoy the view of the perfect body underneath him. Zero started tracing a finger over Kaname’s jugular. He leaned to give him a peck on the lips as he lightly squeezed his neck in a jokingly strangling fashion which made Kaname smirk into the kiss “So you can drop the good man act and let loose because I want you to fuck me senseless!”

The hunter talked with a commanding voice that unexpectedly aroused the pureblood instead of offending him,

“Hmmm?... What should I do? I wonder!” Kaname talked rhetorically as he watched Zero lean back again, relishing in the touch of the hunter’s hand going from his neck to tracing his collarbone, then his pectoral where the silverette leaned once more to suck and tease his nipples making his breath hitch. “It is troublesome if you complain about it later like before, or ugh!... worse, call the deal off!” Kaname grunted as he followed the wicked ministration of a certain silver haired man with his red-brown hooded eyes, caressing the smooth pale thighs shifting on his sides.

While he assaulted the hardening nubs, Zero lifted his own rear so that he positioned himself lower on Kaname’s thighs this time. The hot mouth traveled from a nipple to a navel leaving a trail of kisses and nibbles on its wake, when it slowly started to travel lower, Kaname’s lust filled eyes widened and he felt himself harden even more in anticipation at the thought of Zero actually breaking one of his rules so soon. Little did he expect the jolt of pleasure Zero bestowed on him by nibbling and sucking on the thin skin of the pelvic bone then rise again in a sitting position with a victorious smirk on his face. He grabbed the condom and teased Kaname’s skin with the sharp side of the wrapping making the pureblood grunt and gasp.

“I won’t ever relinquish or break any of the rules I set up, might work around them if I find it convenient for me, which probably won’t happen, but the no blowjob rule is absolute, you better not push it unless you want to the deal to be over, got it? … Also, to answer your question, no! I won’t be a sissy and complain when I am the one who asked for it” he grinned before tearing the foil wrap of condom, enjoying the disappointed look on Kaname’s face. Zero thought that the sulking pureblood looked cute for a second before shaking the idea out of his mind as he stroked the engorged length then put the condom on it. Zero yelped in surprise when Kaname pulled him against his chest just when the Zero was positioning himself to ride him. Kaname stretched a hand and grabbed the lube conveniently placed on the nightstand and poured generous amount in his hand. Zero tried to wiggle out of the arm firmly pressing him against Kaname, only to end up giving in and relaxed his body against the other’s, he rested his chin on Kaname’s chest and looked at him quizzically “what is that for!” Kaname looked at him with an evil grin that sent shivers down his spine “That my dear is to make sure the harsh punishment to come does not leave any lasting injuries. Did you think that stunt would be forgiven?” Kaname spoke with a dark menacing voice as he lubricated his hardness and spread Zero’s ass to position himself and thrust up hard without warning.

Zero’s whole body jerked forward from the shock as he choked on whatever he was about to say. Once he made sure he is as deep as he can get inside the hunter, Kaname wrapped his arms around Zero upper body and held him tightly so that their bodies were glued together. Afterward, he pulled his knees up and dug his heels into the mattress with one last warning. “Better remember to breath”

“Aah..AAH..fuu..AWHHH”

All of these actions happened so fast, Zero had no time to process their new position. All he can think about, or more precisely all he can feel, is Kaname pushing in and pulling out of him with piston like speed that made him see stars.

Unable to escape from the burning of the relentless fucking, the hunter found himself keening and screaming loudly at first before ending up gasping for air with each hard thrust before whimpering and moaning when a harder one follows shortly after. His erection being squeezed and rubbing in-between their bellies served to make him go weaker and more delirious from the assault and sensations at the inhuman speed of their mating. “Oh! Mmph… Ka..AAAhhnnn..Kana…please…”

“Please what Zero”

“Ngh! Slower aAAAHHH please …ugh…..Ooh… so deep..God!”

“Nope”

Zero’s eyes widened and he tried to look up into wine orbs only to shut them again as Kaname picked up the pace for a few more thrusts. Zero rested his forehead on firm chest gasping for the air he did not find, his face was turning redder as he tried so hard to cope with the sensation. Sure, there was a bit of pain, but it was forgotten in the back of his head due to the overwhelming pleasure of Kaname hitting him right where he wanted at a maddening pace.

The sheer pleasure brought him to tears, he could not control his body anymore, Zero was panting, gasping and sobbing from pleasure to a level that scared him, “haah, oohnn~ Shit!...Ah! feels… so… fuck… ing… good… AAAH!” Just when the heat and pressure coiling in his body threatened to erupt, Zero felt his world going still for a moment when Kaname accidentally pulled out completely. That is when he managed to gulp for air to appease his burning lungs, not finding the energy to even move his head, his abused body already gone limp on top of the pureblood apart from his hard cock caged and weeping between their stomach. Kaname did not waste time to slide a hand over Zero’s sweaty back towards his own shaft that he directed back into the blissful heat again, enjoying the small whimper, he earned from the overwhelmed hunter. He let go of his grip over Zero’s body leaving him to rock back and forth softly with his movement.

Kaname ruffled the silver hair of the gasping and sobbing silverette whose face was buried in his chest. He lifted his chin up to look into his eyes, smirking when he saw pain and pleasure mixed in the sexy expression of the hunter, hovering over the edge of the precipice called climax. Zero’s face was flushed red, lips parted allowing gasps and pants to flow, his eyes were watery with streaks of tears down his cheeks. Kaname rubbed a soft cheek with his thumb as he helped the hunter shift a little upward so that their faces meet, continuously thrusting inside him, albeit slowly. Zero automatically placed his shaky hands on Kaname’s shoulders in attempt to anchor himself. “Lesson number one, whenever you tease me, I will make sure to return the favor tenfold. Be sure to remember that, Zero!” he whispered against parted lips before pulling him down for a searing kiss. 

 

 

 

 

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Few hours later at cross academy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 

 

After taking a relaxing warm bath, Zero sat on the comfortable couch, snuggled under a warm quilt with his laptop on his lap. The music filling the room did not hinder his ears from hearing the soft knock and the door clicking open after he called whoever came in. Moments later, Aido showed up cradling a sleepy Keiichi in his arms.

“Good evening, Mr. Fugitive!” the blond vampire greeted in a sulking tone

“Good evening to you, Mr. Detective!” Zero replied with a crooked eyebrow, wondering about the accusation while setting his laptop on the coffee table. Kei’s head perked as soon as he heard his voice and struggled for Aido to let him down. The drowsy kid climbed the couch, got under the cover and immediately snuggled up to Zero after giving him a kiss on the cheek that the hunter reciprocated unconsciously. Electric blue eyes widened in surprise at the unexpectedly spontaneous display of affection that he did not expect to witness from the grumpy hunter, especially not towards Rido’s child.    

“I have been looking for you all day. Rima and Senri had to leave Kei-chan in Yuki-sama’s care, but she was too tired and had to sleep. The kid started throwing tantrums and gave everyone a hard time about wanting to see you; they finally brought him to me at the lab...” Hanabusa paused for a moment as he made himself comfortable on the one seater besides the couch. He could not help but smile at the way Kei-chan managed to trap Zero’s hand and latch onto his thumb. It was a symbolic action; the act of sucking on the skin to absorb energy is usually exclusive to the parents. However, in the case of Keiichi, he took on the habit of absorbing the energy of certain individuals to compensate for not having his parents.

“You better not let Rima see him doing that anytime soon if you do not want to get electrocuted” Aido resume his talking, snapping Zero’s attention back to him.

“What do you mean?” He asked

“Kei-chan seems to be very picky about whom he would like to absorb from. So far, he mainly takes from the Kuran, Especially Kaname-sama and Senri. He never took from Rima as much as she wanted him to” Aido grinned at the scowl that showed on Zero’s face “You don’t have to look so suspicious, Kaname-sama is a kind person, it is not alien for him to help a child in need. You just don’t want to see it, Zero!”

“I don’t want to!” the hunter grumbled as he adjusted the sleeping child in his arms and made sure to cover his shoulders and keep him warm.

“Since when did you become so cozy with him anyways? It looks like this is not the first time you are handling him.” Zero flinched at the comment but composed himself soon enough when he figured that the blond vampire was talking about the kid in his arms not the pureblood in which arms he was lying a couple of hours ago.

“There was this one time. Due to my bad luck, I had to witness an argument between Rima and her mother in law at the main gate. It seemed that Senri’s mother brought the child because she had a gathering to attend while Rima was counting on her to take care of him while she went to a photoshoot. Long story short, Keiichi slipped from the quarrelling women and came to greet me, then decided that he wants to stay with me. I could not refuse after seeing the desperation in his mom’s expression. Since then, he would make sure that someone drops him by my office whenever he does not find anyone to play with. It never bothered me because I just had to leave him on the carpet with his games and drawings; he is definitely less of a handful than Allen’s daughter is. Although his habit of absorbing energy can get exhausting at times.”

 

“That explains a lot!” Aido chirped, but continued in a hushed voice when the child stirred “By the way, I hope you are not still upset about hiding the truth of his lineage from you.”

Electric blue eyes met calm amethyst orbs for a moment before Zero shook his head “I won’t bother remaining upset every single time I discover that I was the only one not knowing about something. Although I was wondering if you could answer few question I had in mind.”

Zero could see the blond vampire tensing from the corner of his eyes but did not bother to face him as he caressed the chubby cheek of the sleeping child in his arms. “Go ahead!” Hanabusa spoke softly after letting out a long sigh.

“How old is he, really?” the first question caught the vampire by surprise. Aido knew very well that Zero is one of the sharpest tools in the shed, so he was worried about his reaction if he were to disclose this specific piece of information because he knew that the hunter would immediately connect the dots. Furthermore, he was never comfortable discussing issues of kids and pregnancy with Zero, because he knew how badly it used to affect him after his bad experience with the last abortion. _I wish Ichiru were here to answer; this is going to be freaking awkward. Damn my big mouth!_

The vampire decided to disclose everything he had about the child to get over the stressful situation that he put himself into, “If you are wondering if the age on his profile as a modeling child, it is obviously wrong for reasons you can guess. He will soon turn eight years old, not four”

The caressing hand stilled for a moment, then resumed its action. “I see…” was the only words escaping the hunter’s lips.

“He has a small built and very slow growth because of being born prematurely and away from his biological parents. He spent quite some time under the intensive care at the hospital. Once discharged, Ichiru was dead set against leaving him at an orphanage, and you know the rest of the story.”

Before Zero could speak, they sensed a third vampire approaching the house. Aido was more than happy to jump and open the door if it meant an escape from the interrogation. The silver haired hunter sighed again as he carefully pulled his thumb from the parted lips of the child and brushed a curled bang from his forehead.

Moments later, the resounding sound of the high heels drew closer and Rima showed up in the living room with an exhausted smile on her face. She took a seat next to Zero on the couch and waited for him as he carefully placed her child in her arm. “I am sorry that he is bothering you so frequently lately, Kiryuu-kun! He grew attached to you surprisingly fast. Either you are too good with children or it might be because you are Ichiru-kun’s twin. He loves your brother so much it makes me jealous at times… Thank you!” The orange haired woman gave a small smile as Zero brushed off her apology and quickly brought a smaller quilt for her to wrap Keiichi with before taking him outside.

“I am not particularly fond of kids, but they tend to get attached to me for some reason.  Taking care of your son for few hours is nothing compared to handling the daughter of my business partner back in US. She was practically raised in the company because her mother was always in and out of the hospital and her father did not like leaving her with babysitters. Trust me, compared to Keiichi, that girl is a devil spawn.” Violet eyes twinkled when he remembered how helpless Allen was in handling his own child, which is the reason why Zero took pity on the baby and took care of her instead. He went as far as putting on a baby sash and run around the company and meetings with the child sleeping against his chest. However, he would die before revealing such an embarrassing fact to the people here at the academy. He literally threatened Allen about telling Ichiru and confiscated all pictures showing such evidence. He has a weakness against the doe eyes of that girl but he will not let it affect his image and ego as the ruthless hunter he is known to be in this country.

“Why don’t you have one of your own then? It would definitely change your perspective.” Rima’s word snapped him out of his reminiscing.

“Huh?” both males present exclaimed.

The orange haired lady let out a soft chuckle “I said that you should think of having a child of your own, Kiryuu-kun! Find a partner, start a family…”

“That is not possible for me.” Zero deadpanned and proceeded to clear out the table in attempt to escape the touchy subject of his sexual preference. Not many people knew that he was gay and he always found it awkward to come out. The fact that he cared so openly for Yuki before only added to the confusion.

“Oh! If you are talking about the fact that you only go for men, I am well aware of that…” Rima surprised him again with an equally deadpan tone that made him freeze.

“Oh my! Sorry, I did not think it was a secret. Yuki-chan told me about it when she was complaining about you being a lone wolf and wanting you to have someone by your side…” Rima talked faster than usual, showing the flustered state of mind as she worried that her words might have rubbed the hunter the wrong way.

 _That blabbermouth Yuki!_ Zero took a deep breath “Don’t worry about it! It is not much of a secret anyways. As for your inquiry, I am not interested in having a family, much less having a vampire as a life partner, no offense intended.”

Luckily, Hanabusa intervened with a couple of stupid jokes to dispel the tension rising in the room. He knew that Zero never took it well when others tried to poke their noses into his private life to tell him what he should do with it, not even his own brother and that this situation could turn messy if Rima did not let go of the issue anytime soon. He felt grateful when Yuki called him looking for Keiichi, which prompted Rima to excuse herself to join her pureblood friend.

The blond haired vampire looked back at his brother in law who resumed his first position on the couch and let out a long sigh, “You know that she was talking out of concern only right?”

“I know, but I wish they keep their concern to themselves.” Zero hissed between gritted teeth.

“I will make sure to explain it to her, soon”

“Thanks!” the hunter relaxed.

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Zero jumped at the sudden rise in Aido’s voice and looked up in his direction as the vampire was about to leave “I will need you to come by the lab in a couple of days. Your results came back and there is some changes compared to the usual. I need to run more tests to verify if it is a temporary thing, or…”

Violet eyes widened “Don’t tell me…!!”

Aido grinned at the paling face of the hunter “Relax~! You did not get knocked up. You do not have to worry about that as long as you play safe as instructed. What I am talking about are changes in the hormone balance and some that are physical which might require me to change the formula of your usual medications. That is only if these changes are still persistent… So, is the day after tomorrow at sunset good enough?”

Zero relaxed in his seat after the slight panic attack subsided and nodded to his guest who left shortly after. _Fuck! That scared the shit out of me!_

Once alone, He resumed his work only to be interrupted by a text message that made him recall the pleasant events of the late evening. His lips curled up.

: : Is your body alright? Kaname

: : You should have an idea after you had your way with it.

: : May I remind you that you gave me the permission to do so.

Zero clucked his tongue imagining the smug look on the pureblood face as he typed the last text. _Damn that arrogant prick!_

His body was fine after taking few tablets and a relaxing bath. He would dig a hole and crawl inside before admitting that he would not have minded for them to do more when Kaname decided to go back earlier. He would hate to say it, but the hunter did not mind being a helpless mess of pleasure in the arms of the pureblood as the brunet alternated between taking him slowly and handling him in a rough almost savage way right after.  

His musing was interrupted by another message pinging,

: : Did you think about my request?

: : You’re an impatient one, you know that?

: : I would have been more patient if you did not set an unreasonable deadline.

: : That will be the last time I hear you complaining about it, and yes I thought about that demand of yours. I am free tomorrow, but I have plans the day after.

: : Great! Is it not possible to reschedule whatever you have planned the day after tomorrow?

Zero shook his head chuckling at the pouting emoticon the pureblood sent and typed his reply

: : I seem to have forgotten to mention that I do not appreciate clingy partners, keep that in mind! As for my appointment, if I were to cancel it, I would have a pissed off Aido Hanabusa chasing me around.

Kaname frowned at the mention of the blond vampire as well as the part about him being clingy.

: : What does Aido have to do with it?

: : He is my self-proclaimed physician, and he insisted on having me undergoing a checkup soon.

: : Is something wrong?

: : No~ just something about changing my treatment and other stuff I don’t really understand. What I am certain of is that your mad-scientist of a subordinate enjoys studying the changes in my body and takes fun in making new concoction to test on me.

: : Isn’t that similar to treating you as a guinea pig ?

: : I would not see it that way. He is after all cutting out on his precious time to study my fluctuating state and look for solutions to help me cope with my unique condition and I am grateful for that. If the price for it is to be poked by few needles and undergo more tests than a normal person would to satisfy his curiosity, I am fine with it.

Kaname nodded to no one as he brushed the idea of lecturing Aido about abusing the hunter’s trust. He smiled as he read the message that followed.

: : See you tomorrow at the same time and same place then. Good night!

: : Good night!

 

Zero locked his phone as his skin tingled in anticipation.

Kaname ended up booking the hotel room until the end of the week. The two met up every chance they got and indulged in countless encounters of intense pleasure that was more than any law could allow. Meanwhile, Kaname was taking every chance he got to make the hunter relax more in his presence and take away the guilt Zero seems to get riddled with every time they had to leave. He also made sure to make him anticipate more as not to have him get bored and call the deal off. The result of his hard work showed sooner than he expected, that is until the news of Yagari’s departure were announced that very same weekend. The phone call interrupted them just as things started to heat up in the bedroom of Zero’s apartment, they had no choice but to call it off so that the hunter would get ready and go back to cross’s house where his mentor would depart from in direction of the airport.   

Kaname was of course aware of the details pertaining to the old hunter’s departure because his own secretary and personal bodyguard were put in charge of settling everything for A to Z. However, he did not divulge any of this for he was helping the hunter anonymously and was certain that the last thing Toga Yagari would like is for everyone to know that a pureblood saved him from an impending death, if he survives that is!

Nonetheless, the pureblood could not deny that he insisted on meeting Zero shortly after the hunter reached his place because he wanted to be by his side when Zero would receive the news. He even worked extra hard to clear his weekend completely and made up the excuse of wanting to spend some time alone awayto rest.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews please!!!
> 
> Sorry if the quality of writing dropped in this chapter, I wrote it right after my final and got a bit lazy about rereading and fixing it. I might do it later and I will make sure to inform you about it :D
> 
> Also, can anybody tell me why the muse decide to pop the awesome ideas and scenes while I drive or in the shower, where there is no computer to type the damn words, and when I try to remember later, it does not look as awesome as the first time *grumpy face*


	21. CHAPTER 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention in the last chapter that I am updating this story on fanfiction and AO3 at the same time, with the same title and same author name XD
> 
> Thank you very much for your wonderful and extremely encouraging reviews. As for how many chapters this story has left. I would say that I have an approximation of 8-10 chapters to call this one complete. Never in my wildest dream have I deemed myself able to actually my own fanfiction story. I guess now that I started, I have hard time stopping *blush*
> 
> Most of you already know that I enjoy replying to practically every review through PM, so I would like to tell those who have their PM option disable that I did try reaching out to them but couldn’t and that I love reading their reviews nonetheless.
> 
> Enjoy the longest chapter I have ever wrote XD

 

Zero sat on his bed, leg crisscrossed and hugging a pillow to his chest. His face sporting a scowl and fidgeting as he followed the pureblood with his eyes. Kaname was pacing the room slowly, not caring about the fact that he was down to his boxers, talking on the phone. He was more listening than talking, giving signs of approval every now and then. When he finally hung up, the hunter groaned and threw the pillow to his face, that Kaname caught with ease, “did you really have to pick up on that damn call, I remember you said that you were on a two days rest” Zero spat in annoyance at being left high and dry.

Kaname did not utter a word, already getting used to the silverette’s capricious antics. Instead, he fetched Zero’s phone and handed it over to him, earning a quizzical look from the other, “I think you need to switch on your phone and check for any recent message.” Kaname talked in a serious tone that confused Zero even more.

“What do you mean?”

“Just switch it on for now, it is nothing alarming. Don’t worry!” Kaname assured as he sat beside Zero on the bed. Wine orbs observed as the hunter startled at the pinging of the messages as soon as he switched to device on. Once he heard the content, violet eyes widened and nimble fingers quickly typed a number to call, instantly forgetting about their companion. Zero turned to lay on his stomach and propped himself on his elbows; one hand holding the phone to his ear and the other in his mouth as he was chewing on his thumbnail.

“Zero, where the heck have you been?” Ichiru literally growled over the phone

“Sorry Ich! I got a little tied up with some stuff.”

“You mean you got tied up to your own bed… Anyways, get your ass here as soon as you can. Sensei was discharged last night and is in Cross’s house. He will be leaving tomorrow first thing in the morning.”

“Why were we not informed sooner? Damnit, I would have stayed there instead of coming back to my place!”

“Beats me! Cross said something about the traveling arrangement getting settled as soon as discharge was confirmed. It seems that they were monitoring his condition so that he travels in the best state possible or something.” Ichiru explained, exasperated at the rush of events as much as his brother did.

“Alright! Alright! Just give me the time to freshen up and I will come pick you up as soon as I can, later!” Zero hung up on the grumbling twin who was asking him to wait until he makes sure someone will take care of the Bar for it was supposed to be Ryou’s day off.

 

After throwing the phone away, Zero stayed in the same position wiping his face and letting out a loud long sigh before staying still for an awfully long moment. His tense shoulders relaxed when he felt a soft hand pressing and moving along his naked back in soothing motion before going up to his nape, massaging it tenderly.

“Are you okay?” The rich voice resonating in the quiet room added to his comfort. Zero flopped down on the bed and leaned on his side so that he was facing Kaname who was sitting on the edge.

“Yeah, I am fine I guess. You probably already know, but I have to get back to see Sensei off.”

“I know, I was informed just now.” Kaname confirmed. When he saw no sign of the hunter moving out of the bed and his face taking that solemn expression he found himself hating to see, the pureblood figured that Zero still needed a little push. In a swift movement, he jumped on the bed and covered Zero’s body with his own, startling the hunter in the process.

“What the hell! Kana-“

“Since you do not seem in a hurry, I was thinking of resuming where we left off” the brunet whispered in pierced ear.

“Like hell we would! I hate to break it to you, but the fun is over, I have to get ready to leave and so do you …,” Zero grunted as he grabbed a fistful of brown hair and yanked the smirking pureblood’s head away from his sensitive ear.

“Oh right! You have to go see your Sensei…” Kaname started speaking in a pensive way, narrowing his eyes as if recollecting an important memory before he trailed his word slowly “your mentor... the man you respect the most… the person you owe your life to… What else did you say he was?” He grinned flashing his pearly white teeth at the way Zero’s expression when from a frown, to surprise and then turning scarlet of embarrassment when it clicked in his head at to what the pureblood was referring.

Zero quickly hid his face when he felt his blood rush upward “Shit! You heard that?”

“How could I not? You were not exactly trying to keep your voice down.” Kaname reminded him teasingly

“Why did you have to remind me?” Zero whined

“Maybe seeing so weak and helpless reminded me of that night?” the pureblood talked while removing the hands covering the unexpectedly shy hunter, earning a trademark scowl at the action.

“I am not weak!” Zero spat

“Okay then, vulnerable?” the pureblood was pushing his buttons further

“I am not”

“Coward.”

“Fuck you Kaname!” this time Zero snarled punching the shoulder above him and tried to shrug the weight of the man off him.

“That is what I was planning to do to you.” Kaname kept still and unmoving while talking in a way he knew would get under the hunter’s skin.

“JUST… uff… get off already! I hate to break it to you AGAIN! But I have to get ready and leave ASAP!” Zero’s irritation showed clearly, as he shoved Kaname harder and letting out puffs of breath.

“Alright! I figured you were planning on never going for a second there.” The pureblood deadpanned as he dropped to the side next to Zero.

The latter was confused for a second “huh?”

“Well, if you were really eager to go, you would have jumped from the bed as soon as you finished that phone call and gotten ready, not sit and brood over useless things”

“I was not brooding and I was not thinking of useless things”

“Then what are you doing still lying on the bed”

“God! You are so irritating,” Zero drawled as he scooted over the edge of the bed and put on his discarded underwear before going to rummage his closet for something to wear.

Kaname lied comfortably on his side, with his head cradled on the palm of his hand that supported him by the elbow. He remembered what Yuki told him over the phone about the gathering of hunters and a few pro-coexistence vampires that appreciated the effort of the sick hunter and wanted to bid him farewell. The ancient vampire took pride in this small victory. Even if the true coexistence was far from accomplished, seeing the snobbish vampires who usually bear their fangs at the mere sight of hunters actually visiting their sick president and wishing him well was one-step towards the ultimate goal. He discarded further thoughts in favor of observing the hunter in front him who was engrossed picking clothes and throwing them on the armchair nearby.

“Zero…”

“What?” Zero answered absentmindedly

“You should take a shower before leaving in case you forgot”

“Hmm…”

“Zero!” this time, Kaname raised the whisper to get the silverette’s attention and succeeded.

“What is it, Kaname! Can’t you see I am busy, I can’t believe that I moved practically all my casual clothes to Cross’s house. There is no way in hell I am going formal either… Damn…”

“Well… In any case, you might opt out of those ripped faded jeans over there…” Kaname was smiling at the dilemma of the other and his remark totally rubbed Zero the wrong way.

“They happen to be my favorite, you prim and proper gentleman! So don’t talk about them as if they are as good as garbage… What were you saying earlier?” Zero decided to change the subject, he is not ready to take Kaname’s advice on what to wear or he might end up with a silk formal shirt, suit pants if not a whole suit and a pair of polished click-clacking shoes. The hunter shuddered at the look he would get from his fellow hunters if he showed up dressed like that.

“I was saying that even if we did not get down and dirty (fucked all the way), you still have my scent all over you. Therefore, you need to take a shower to get rid of it. From that phone call earlier, I assume that there is plenty of hunters visiting Yagari-san, but there is also a bunch of vampires there as well, and high ranking ones. You would not want them to smell me on you now would you?”

Zero’s eyes widened in realization “Oh shit! I completely forgot about that.” _You stupid idiot Kiryuu Zero! The hunters might not be able to smell the scent of a pureblood on you and even if they did detect something, they would just think it is your vampire smell. However, the nobles are a different story, especially Kaname’s inner circle who will sure as hell be there._

He quickly picked two towels and rushed to the adjoined bathroom. After he finished, he came out of the steamy cubicle into his bedroom and started to put on his clothes. He glanced toward the bed to find that Kaname took the liberty of going under the covers and hugged a pillow, getting ready to snooze.

“Are you not planning on getting ready to leave?” Zero inquired in a confused tone. _What is he doing getting comfortable there!_

Kaname yawned lazily “Well… I supposedly took two days off to ‘fuck your brains out’ like you suggested, but now you are leaving and it would be quite awkward for me to go back barely one day after announcing the need to rest and have some time alone.”

“I know! But wasn’t whoever called asking for you to go and see Sensei off as well?”

“No~ they were just keeping me updated on what is happening in my absence.” The truth was that Yuki did ask if it was possible to cut his journey short and come over, but Kaname had other plans that neither Yuki nor Zero knows about.

“So you are not going.”

Kaname popped one lazy eye open to make sure that the hunter was just confused not angry. He was relieved to see curiosity in amethyst eyes.

“My presence might turn the atmosphere a bit uncomfortable for many guests, so I will make sure to visit him at the last minute when only the close ones are present… For now, I will borrow your place to actually rest. You know… have some quality time to myself and, who knows, you might decide to come back here and resume where we left off.” Kaname brushed Zero’s suspicions smoothly in a playful way that made the hunter roll his eyes.

“Suit yourself, then! But I will probably not be back at all. The door has an auto lock, so you just need to close and leave whenever you want. I am going now”

“Take care”

Kaname did not miss the awkward halt in Zero’s movement and the surprised look at his answer. He smiled when the hunter shook his head as if to chase away the confusion and left.

As soon as he heard the door click, Kaname picked his phone and called Yuki.

“Hello, Onii sama? I am sorry if I called at a bad time earlier, are you free to talk now?” Yuki figured that her brother had company judging from the curt answers he was giving her when she explained the situation earlier.

“Yes, Yuki. Sorry for cutting the conversation short earlier.”

“It’s okay! Although I would have liked for you to have a proper rest when you took off, not go about business venture like you usually do.” Kaname could imagine Yuki’s puffed cheek over the phone right that moment from the tone of her voice.

“I swear to you that it was not a business transaction, I was conversing with an acquaintance of mine and you know it is rude to leave your guest alone for a phone call no matter how important it is.” _Especially a certain grumpy ever scowling and highly aroused silver hunter._

“Fine! So~ do you think you will manage to come see Yagari-san before he leaves?”

“I will see him but not at the Academy.”

“Why?”

“After I am done here, he would be long gone by the time I reach there, so I figured that I will meet him at the airport and have Ichijou drive me back.”

“Oh! That’s a good plan…. Also… Uhm…” Yuki stuttered.

“What is it Yuki?” Kaname knew his sister was about to drop an unreasonable request.

“I was wondering if it was okay to stay at father’s place until Yagari-san leaves”

“…”

“I promise I won’t cause any trouble… I will behave…”

“I know you will behave, but it is the hunters around you that I am worried about”

“I won’t let them get under my skin”

“Yuki… You know perfectly well how little control you have over your power lately… I can’t risk you getting provoked by something as little as the killing intent of a hunter who probably would not act on it, but you would react in the blink of an eye.”

“Mou… Nii-sama… Why are you being so paranoid, everyone will be there, why should I be the only one hiding in a corner when I should be the first to stay by their side.”

“Yuki… You can go after the hunters leave and stay as much as you want.”

“…”

“Yuki? You answer?” Kaname heard the fumbling of the phone as if it was passed to somebody else

“Kuran-sama? Isaya Shouto here.” The soft voice of the pureblood caught Kaname by surprise.

“Hello Shouto-san”

“Hello! I apologize for cutting your conversation so rudely but I figured that it would be better if I gave you an idea about the happenings. You see… Yuki-sama has been in a very bad mood for the past hour because we did not allow her to leave the premises of the Moon Dorm to go to Cross’s dwelling without your permission. However, now that you denied her that, she threw the phone and locked herself in her room. Therefore, I would like to know if you could allow me to take her and keep an eye on her there. As you might suspect, despite her pregnancy, she can easily sneak out behind our back and go by herself, which might turn disastrous. I give you my word to keep my guard up and repress any hazardous onslaught of her aura with mine.” Isaya explained with a pleading tone.

 

Kaname pondered for a moment, _That Yuki! She sure is surrounding herself with powerful allies. I could not be any happier if it was in different circumstance._

“Are the Kiryuu brothers there?” Kaname asked although he knew they have not left their town yet.

“No! Ichiru-kun called and informed us that they are on their way barely a minute ago.”

“Then you will have to wait for them and accompany them inside.” Kaname issued the order with finality leaving no more room for debate.

“Understood!” Isaya confirmed reluctantly, but he could not deny how right the decision was.

Once the first call ended, Kaname proceeded to the second and more important one.

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

The black Jeep pulled in the driveway of the house after passing a myriad of other cars parked outside the campus. Ichiru hang up on the phone after informing Hanabusa that they reached and then joined his brother who already got off the vehicle and walking in direction of the house. The twin’s walk slowed down when they noticed the small crowd of people coming in and out of the building. Ichiru let out a groan at the sight of the hunters; he did not care to hide his displeasure upon seeing the people who shunned him from their society ages ago. It is certainly ironic for him to say that he feels much safer around vampires than around them.

Zero noticed the faltering footsteps of his twin and slowed his own to match his pace without saying a word. The hunter could not help the pang of guilt knowing that he was the one who deprived his twin of the last vestige of hunters power he had, making him unfit to fight. However, Ichiru’s collaboration is something he was proud of and wished that Ichiru himself took pride in playing such an important role in the intelligence department of the association. Zero’s self loathe was interrupted by a croaky voice he recognized quiet well.

“Well! Well! Well! If it is not the failures of the Kiryuu clan here.” Jinmu talked in a sardonic tone with an expression filled with disgust

“Good evening! Jinmu-san” Zero replied politely while Ichiru glared daggers at the hateful man. _God I could never stand this fella_

“Your ungratefulness knows no limit, does it? Going as far as coming fashionably late to see your master instead of being by his side kissing his feet for keeping an abomination like you alive. Then again, that is what he get for protecting a bloodsucker and a vampire boy toy.” Jinmu snapped, glancing at Ichiru to get his point across.

“YOU!-“ Ichiru growled menacingly as he stomped in direction of the old hunter to give him a piece of his mind only to have Zero’s arm block his way.

“We came as soon as we heard the news. We took this long because of how far away we live, and that is a detail that Yagari-sensei as well as Cross are well aware of.” Zero spoke in a monotone voice as not to give the hunter any advantage to rile him up or his brother for that matter. _I seriously could never stand this fella ugh!_

As the twin were about to take the three stairs leading to the threshold of the house, the old hunter moved in their way, preventing their entrance while adjusting the strap of his gun in attempt to threaten the twin in vain.

“I have an idea where you live, and I must say that you are well off living the fancy life in that posh area with this expensive car and those apparently high end clothes. Well! I expect no less from a vampire, you lot just love to show off your power through money and blood. Nothing but vain creature.” The old hunter finished his talk with a spit aimed at Zero’s shoes that he darted swiftly without showing any sign of surprise, keeping his bored poker face on.

However, this action caused the last string of self-control within Ichiru to snap. “You fucker, how dare you spout rubbish like that just because Nii-san is more successful than a loser old coot like you. Get out of our way before I-“

“Ichiru, that’s enough!” Zero cut his brother off when he started making a scene and other curious visitors gathered around them.

“Before you what? Oh what a scary look you have! You are going to tattle to your vampire hubby and have him come after me, you weak little shit. What can you do apart from hiding behind those monsters with your tail between your legs… Oh! My mistake, it should be his tail between your legs.”

Ichiru was livid at this point until a slightly cold hand rested on his shoulder and squeezed, followed by a voice he would never get enough of hearing.

“Maybe having his hubby come after you is not such a bad idea. However, I am sure that he likes to settle his score without anyone’s help and he is very capable of doing so…” the old hunter was taken aback by the sudden apparition of the blond vampire beside Ichiru who did not bother to hide his displeasure at the insult thrown towards his loved one. Aido’s eyes were crimson red and glaring at the old hunter who felt a chill run down his spine as the temperature around him dropped slightly.

“Aido! That is enough.” Zero’s stern order made the noble retract his aura that was making everyone around them restless “We are not here to cause trouble. Let’s get inside”

 “He is right! Aido sempai… We are here to visit Yagari-san” Yuki spoke as she took a couple of steps and hooked a hand around Zero’s arm, startling him for a second before looking at him with a smile that did not hide her excitement. _Oh yeah! Yuki must not have seen sensei in months because she is not allowed to go into crowded areas due to her pregnancy and lack of control._ Zero pondered internally as he understood the reason why the vampires were waiting for them to arrive.

Just after the war ended, Yuki was representing the vampire society and working with the hunters to bring back a semblance of order and peace after chaos. However, the pureblood would never go into the association or any meeting filled with hunters without the company of Zero or Isaya Shouto. She was always uncomfortable and scared of the hostility directed at her, especially since she was not confident in her fighting skills yet and worried about the child growing inside her. At that time, Zero was always besides her, he had no qualm thwarting anyone who dared to try to harm her, hunter or vampire. Thus, it is widely known that anyone would think twice before trying a stunt with the future queen when her overprotective brother is at her side.  _Oh! Well! As long as it keeps everyone calm and well behaved, I do not mind playing the bad guy._

Zero had about enough of the childish bickering and took the first stair toward the old hunter, hoping for him to take the hint and get out of the way so that he can finally get inside. Sadly, Jinmu did not learn his lesson.

“What a disgusting sight! I feel ashamed having that loser as a president. He should be stripped of his title as a hunter for so many reason. Not only is he a faggot banging a faulty abomination (Cross Kaien), but he is also mingling with the very creatures he is supposed to hunt, going as far as taking some of them under his wing and sucking up to others. Disgusting! UGHHH”

The old hunter felt the air whoosh out of his lungs as his back was slammed against a wall and debris fell from the impact. He started shaking like a leaf when he belatedly realized his position. His gun was thrown miles away from his reach, his feet were dangling in the air as he held on the wrist of the clawed hand that was strangling him while keeping him up. He swallowed a whimper of fear when he glanced down to meet blood red eyes and aroused fangs of a snarling vampire, none other than a pissed off Kiryuu Zero.

“I tolerated the shit you threw at me, held myself in check when you riled my brother up with your bullshit, but I will never forgive anyone insulting Yagari-sensei, Never!” Zero tightened his grip on the muscled neck, his claws slicing through the skin. A lame squeak came out of the breathless hunter while Zero brought his face closer. “As for Cross, I am the only one who can badmouth him and get away with it…” the hunter concluded his talk with more pressure on the neck and a look that clearly translated into _‘I have no problem snapping your neck any time I want_ ’.

Everything happened in a blur, one second Yuki had her armed hooked around Zero’s, the next that arm was hooked around air and Isaya Shouto was gripping her shoulder suppressing the surge of aura that she accidently let seep out when she heard the crash of the old hunter and his groan.

At the same time, few hunters acted on instinct and drew their weapons in Zero’s direction ready to shoot. However, they found themselves surrounded by vampires with glowing red eyes and other fellow hunters pointing the tip of their swords toward their necks and other having their barrels stuck to their temples, ready to dispose of whoever threaten the ex-human’s life. The high tension and the fact that nobody was backing off showed clearly how much power Zero held, even after retiring from the temporary position of association president. The fact that all vampires and majority of hunters present were forming a barrier to prevent something as thin as a needle from reaching him showed clearly were their allegiance resides. The hunters that thought of taking the opportunity and dispose of him swallowed their pride and dropped down their weapons in defeat.

“Enough kid! I think he got it. We would not want him to piss his pants now, do we?” The booming voice of the female that came out of the house quieted all the commotion. “The kids are getting jittery because of the blood; though I bet it is stinky as hell”

Zero smirked when he recognized the third party and threw the hunter down at her feet “You are right, Yagari-san! It stinks worse than rotting fish.”

The woman was grinning as she tied her long dark hair in a ponytail and lifted her stunning blue eyes to look at him “I see you are looking cute as ever”

Zero failed to hide the blush at the unexpected remark that earned him some snickers and teasing from his friends.

After dispelling the tension, the tall woman slammed her boot-clad feet on the chest of the groaning man who was trying to get up “As for you, shithead! I will have you know that despite my little brother being a softie with a hobby of taking care of wayward and strays, he is still one of the top hunters and among the most respected men in both society, a status trash like yourself would never dream of achieving with that rotten mentality of yours. Therefore, such a man does not need to suck up to anyone, unlike you who is here to suck up to him and be on his good side although you think nothing of him. Who is sucking up to who in the end, loser! Now leave before I personally manhandle you, and you know that is not going to be good.” The old man scurried away spouting nonsense about making them pay and whatnot.

The dark haired woman let out a long sigh and made a sign with her head for everyone to go inside with a welcome smile as she picked her bag,

“Glad to see you again Yagari-san!” Zero spoke first as he let the woman ruffle his hair. Since he was a child, on the rare occasion that he visited her with his mentor, she always made sure to spoil him rotten with food and shower him with motherly affection every chance she gets, making her own children jealous.

“Don’t let that dampen your mood, he is waiting for you and you won’t be helpful if you have a sour look on your face, SMILE!” She complained while pinching his cheek and stretching his mouth into a smile before pushing him inside, “I have to go feed a bunch of hungry kids at home. I leave him in your care.”

Zero nodded with a tight smile as he went inside followed by Ichiru who received the same treatment from the woman with the addition of a comforting hug.

The last one to follow the group inside was Yuki who stood by the sick hunter’s sister with a shy smile. Blue eyes size her up before giving her a full teethed grin “Oh dear! You pipsqueak became a perfect balloon ready to pop”

The pureblood puffed her cheek, faking annoyance at the sarcastic tone of the woman. “I am not that round!” she whined

“Oh! Yes you are! Veryyy round” the taller insisted with a tongue out.

“I am not”

“You should have learned from experience that you would never win in this persistence game against me. Now to the juicy part. Which is it? That stubborn brother refuse to tell me because he wanted me to come and ask you myself. Sorry that it had to be now, but I have been very busy” her voice took on a friendly tender tone as she leaned to rub the pregnant belly.

“You don’t have to worry. Taking care of seven children is a feat not many can accomplish as well as you do, and it require all of your time and energy. I am grateful enough that you helped me through the beginning of my pregnancy, and sorry for burdening you with that. As for the news, it is a baby girl, Ai-chan. Zero is actually the one who chose the name.” Yuki chirped happily, her face glowing.

Blue eyes softened more as a gentle smile stretched the wrinkles at the edge of the mouth “That is wonderful! I bet she will be as lovely as her mom. She will be proud to have such wonderful parents. I just shudder thinking of what will happen to anyone courting her… You know with a powerful doting father and sure as hell overprotective uncle, the guy will have to climb a fortress before getting the permission to just take her on a date.”

Yuki giggled at that “Tell me about it! They are already fussing about her wellbeing while she is still inside. Especially Zero, he would not have a fulfilled week if he does not scold me about not getting enough sleep, eating something I should not have, or doing an activity that would put a strain on Ai’s comfort. Geez, he is more of a nagging grand mom than an uncle if you ask me.”

The older woman had a nostalgic look as she softly spoke while looking at the direction in which the hunter disappeared “As much as I pity you, I am glad that he is still as caring as he was before… you know… his life changed. I just wish he would smile more like he used to.”

Yuki picked on the sad tone “I wish I had known him then too. Ichiru always speak about how bright, cheerful and social Zero was before he was turned.”

“Yup! He was a child that every mother would dream to have, extremely polite, dazzlingly handsome, cheerful and caring. No wonder his mother was quiet overprotective of both of them.”

“She was?”

“Oh yeah! Sakura was already a powerful and strong-headed woman. Despite the elders being skeptical about her being able to carry the twins to term and trying to make her lose them by dirty tricks, Sakura took off with her husband away from the hunter society and gave birth to them despite all odds. When they came back, everyone gawked at the angelic beauty of the toddlers and nobody could hate them, even if they carried the hunters curse with them. Nonetheless, she would never allow anyone to feed them, give them a bath or change their clothes. The only one allowed to do so was my brother because Zero was extremely attached to him. I take the opportunity to spoil them when Toga bring them over for a visit while their parents are away.”

“Oh! That is why he turns docile and relaxed whenever he is around you and Yagari-san.” Yuki slammed a fisted hand into her palm in realization. It always bothered her why he was so mellow with the dark haired hunter and not the same with his adoptive father.

The woman grinned “Yep! And we are quite proud of that.”

“Now what kind of fun did I miss!” the gruff voice coming from behind startled both women as they failed to sense the approaching hunter, Kaito Takamiya.

Yuki’s face broke into a smile at seeing her friend back “Nothing much! Just Zero getting in one of his mood.”

Kaito quirked an eyebrow “Let me guess! One of those idiots tried to piss him off and it worked.” He contemplated looking at the cracked part of the wall.

“Bingo”

“It is good to see you alive, ungrateful brat. You can travel to the end of the world for your stupid mission but you cannot drop by to visit your mom?” Yagari’s sister grumbled as Kaito took the stairs to join them at the porch.

“First of all, I don’t remember having two mothers. Secondly, I just had a very, very, very long train trip and the last thing I need is your preaching, old hag! And it is good to see you alive too, albeit with more wrinkle than last time.” Kaito grumbled back and turned to ask Yuki about the others only to get backhanded with one strong hand.

“While your mother, whom I consider a friend, was in and out of rehab, I was the one who washed your dirty laundry down to your underwear. I also made sure you had a good warm meal when coming back from your training, and took care of your sick ass whenever my stupid brother comes freaking out about you having the slightest fever. That gives me the right to call myself your mother and don’t you dare deny that again… Now, why the hell are traveling by train when you could have taken a plane and arrived hours ago?”

Kaito rolled his eyes and let out a long sigh knowing he won’t be freed anytime soon, “Well! In case you did not live in a cave, you should know the difference between the cost of a train ticket and an air ticket.”

“I do have an idea and I know it is nothing you cannot afford.”

“That would be true before your brother and his conspirator throw a kid under my care. Got it?”

“Nope!”

“Come on, are you that stupid! You, who have seven monkeys at home, should know that raising kids is quite expensive and I have to take care of that starting from now.”

“My kids are not monkeys”

“Yeah! You can say that when they do not climb me like a tree as soon as I enter your house.”

“Forget it, back to the guardian issue. I know about the kid you are taking in, and I know for sure that he has prior financial support because his father was a war victim, so you should not have money issue with him. I hope you know that they will still send you the money for his financial support like all the other kids like him.”

Kaito’s nostril flared as he took a sharp breath and looked away from the woman as he mumbled. “That money will be saved for later.”

Blue eyes widened for a second and a small smile of recognition adorned the face of the huntress. _So my little bro did raise a good kid, I see! But I am not done with him yet._

“Oh well! Since you care that much about the well being of the child, why don’t you think of a woman that can help you raise and support him. You are not getting any younger, you know that?”

“Says the one who was calling me a brat a second ago. Mind your own business.”

“You are a brat to me and you will always be. I know that you do not come over anymore because of the piling omiai pictures gathering on my desk. It really bothers me to see all those good girls almost groveling to have the chance of becoming your wife while you go and fool around with a bunch of sluts. Won’t you settle down already and have your own family. I am sure Sachi would be happier if he had younger siblings and you know that.”

“She is right, Kaito. It bugged me as to why you nor Zero decided to marry seeing that hunters tend to commit at a young age.” Yuki interjected. Curious but also enjoying the dilemma showing on the hunter known to be a vicious bully.

“First of all, do not use the well being of Sachi as a bait to trap me in that kind of comedy. Besides, I have no intention of marrying nor am I a father material. Taking care of this kid alone will be a huge hassle, I do not need a nagging wife and a bunch of kids giving migraine either.”

“Says the one who would call at least two times a week asking about Ai-chan.” Yuki teased

“Oh my! She will have three guards making her life a living hell.” The older women exclaimed dramatically.

“Fuck! Spare me the chicks’ drama please! I am going in, I have better things to do…” Kaito announced as he was about to turn around and go see his guardian.

“What do I do about your marriage proposals? They would need an answer soon.”

“You can refuse any omiai from now on, I have no plans to marry… What?” the finality in the hunter’s tone picked the interest of the older woman, so she quickly grabbed his arm to prevent his escape.

“Now, now… Since when?”

“huh?”

“Since when are you going steady with this person?”

“What?” It was Yuki’s turn to get surprised at the implication.

“Well, this kid always loved to keep those women pending with the hope that he would look their way one day that is the kind of playboy he is. To think that he is suddenly disregarding any perspective of marriage and sparing those girls the heartache of waiting for a dream that will never come true, can only mean one thing. You have a special person already, and from that smirk on your face, you are already in a relationship.”

“Kaito-san?”

“Well… she has always been good at reading through me…”Kaito addressed Yuki this time

“You bet I am! Now the reason why you are not marrying this person because this person is a he, not a she. Gay marriage may be approved in human society, but hunters are quite homophobic seeing that they care about procreating and siring powerful hunters all the time. Is that why you did not bother to tell even me.”

“Kind of…” Kaito trailed

“Well! Tough luck, you are bringing him to dinner the first weekend you are back from your mission, and I won’t take no for an answer. I have to be introduced to my son-in-law ASAP” the huntress chirped in excitement

“What? No! that is not happening…No! I am done talking here… See ya in hell” Kaito barked as he bolted out and went inside the house to escape anymore-mental torture. _I just realized recently that I was serious about him. Now you want me to have him meet the family? You are fucking kidding me!_

The women bid each other farewell when a call informed that a cab is here to drive the older one home and Ichiru was calling Yuki to come in already.

 

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Zero was surprised but happy to see that the house was quiet empty inside, with only few guests ready to leave. _It is getting rather dark outside!_

He took the flight of stairs two at a time, leaving Ichiru and the vampires behind him. Once he was in front of Cross’s bedroom, he knocked twice and let himself in after hearing his adoptive father calling.

Contrarily to what he expected to see, which is a bunch of tubes and life support system hooked to his master’s body. Yagari was sitting on the bed, looking refreshed with some color in his previously ashen pale skin. He was wearing warm casual clothes instead of a hospital gown with his eyepatch in place. His hair was messy, but in the good way that Zero was used to.

“Yo kid! What was that fuss outside just now” the rich voice of his mentor snapped Zero of his reverie, he found himself smiling like a child as he walked to sit beside Toga.

“Nothing to worry about! Just the usual bickering between hunters and vampires. Tessa-san dealt with it quietly. Yuki and co. are here to see you by the way.”

“Oh! That is wonderful!” Cross chirped from the corner of the room where he was folding and arranging clothes in a suitcase.

“Good! About time they came to pick up those kids as well. They got tired of folding cranes and fell asleep on top of them. Nee-san was crackling her knuckle ready to kick some ass when she felt the threatening auras lashing around, lucky there was no bloodshed, probably because of you.” Toga grunted pointing in the direction that Zero followed with his gaze. The ex-human realized that he was too distracted by his mentor’s improved health that he did not notice the mountain of cranes lying on the carpet nor the two small figure snoozing under the covers on the other side of his master. Keiichi and Hina-chan were apparently with him the whole time. Yagari explained that he was the one who asked Cross to bring them over. _This explains more why Jinmu-san had them in a knot!_

“I have not come across Gin coming here, is he the one supposed to pick Hina-chan?” Zero asked

“Gin?” Yagari inquired looking in direction of Cross

“He is talking about Moriya-sensei. Remember, the substitute that Yuki-chan and Kaito-kun recommended. He is quite an outstanding young man. He is out of town, Zero.” Cross explained

“Wait! You mean he is the man who graduated from the same university as Kaito? And his full name is Moriya Gin. By any chance, does he have kind of blond hair and honey colored eyes, tall and more on the skinny side, always wearing glasses.” Yagari talked fast, confusing both men. Zero was the one to answer him.

“Well for starter, he has dark blue hair, grey eyes that do not seem like contact lenses to me, he is indeed tall but more on the bulky bodybuilder side,  and I never saw him wearing glasses even on the rare occasion when he is working or grading papers.”

Yagari frowned before relaxing his serious face “Must have confused the names then.”

“And who is this other Moriya that got your feathers ruffled?” Toga smirked at the jealous undertone of his lover’s question.

“He was an instructor at that university in my student days, and he mysteriously disappeared. Rumors were flying about him taking a trip around the world, other saying he committed suicide and other crazy assumptions. I tried contacting him several times over the years but failed each time. He was a good teacher and a friend of mine. That is all.” Yagari would cut his tongue off before revealing that he dated the guy for a short time because he reminded him of his first love, but Zero might have picked up on it judging by the way he was trying not to laugh and expose him.

 The awkward moment dissipated when the vampires and Ichiru joined them followed by a haggard looking Kaito. The group enjoyed some animated conversation with the old hunters in a cozy familial atmosphere now that all other strangers left. After a while, Cross offered to guide them to the living room for some refreshment, implicitly giving some private space for his lover and his disciples. Yuki of course did not linger long before joining them again, claiming that she is a disciple as well since Yagari did teach her some self-defense techniques at some point.

A couple of hours later, Takuma announced that the driver will reach in twenty minutes, urging Cross to get Yagari and himself ready to say goodbye and leave. The ex-hunter took slow steps that were as heavy as his heart toward the bedroom to help his lover down and drive him to the airport. However, the sight that greeted him successfully lifted his mood.

Amused blue eyes looked into surprised hazel ones “Someone should teach them not to use a sick man as a pillow, don’t you think?”

Cross chuckled and nodded at the sight of a snoozing Kaito resting his head on Yagari’s chest, Zero hogging his arm while Ichiru barely kept himself in balance by hugging Zero’s back. Kaito was the first to stir awake as he felt the rumble in his guardian’s chest when he talked. He bolted and woke the two others up when Kaien explained that they needed to leave.

Even after they bid their goodbyes and Yagari’s wheelchair was pushed towards the car, Zero and Kaito were complaining about not being allowed to accompany him to the airport. “Stop acting spoiled! I already told you that no one other than Kaien will be coming with me, Ichijou-kun is going because this limousine is his courtesy and that is final. Stop nagging and go get a life already.” That successfully silenced any protest as the two men stood watching the car disappear from their sight before turning around and join the sniffling Yuki and Ichiru inside.

 

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Thirty minutes later, Zero felt suffocated because of the gloomy atmosphere lingering in the room and decided to find comfort somewhere else. Just as he was about to open the door to Cross’s bedroom, something he would usually never do in his absence, his phone vibrated.

“Hello…”

“Are you free to speak?” Kaname’s voice resonated across the line

“Yeah…” Zero answered softly as he pushed the door open and went to sit on the bed where Yagari was not long ago.

“I just wanted to check on you…”

“I am fine. Sensei is already on his way to the airport… You missed the chance to see him off if you ever wanted to…”

“Too bad…” Kaname chuckled as he imagined a pout that Zero would never have.

“Regret is painfully obvious in your voice, jerk!” Zero grumbled, knowing how childish he is being for taking his anguish on Kaname. “It sounds like you are in a crowded area judging from the noise, I hope you did not make a mess at my place before leaving.”

“I remember being the one to clean the mess usually… Right?” Kaname smirked at the implication of his own talk

Zero blushed knowing what he meant but snapped when he caught sight of a familiar pouch on the nightstand. _Isn’t that the pouch where sensei keeps his clean eyepatches?_

_“_ Kaname… I have to go… talk to you later!” He hang up before waiting for the pureblood to react, grabbed the pouch and run through the corridor, skipped down the stairs and bolted out of the house. He felt like he bumped into someone but gave it no thoughts as he jumped into his car and drove away.

“Hello everyone! I was tackled by Zero just now as he was running for his life. I tried calling out for him but he was deaf to the world. Do you think we should go after him?” A perplexed Gin stepped into the living room announcing the stealthy sneak of the hunter. Ichiru rolled his eyes from his position in Aido’s lap “leave him be! He probably needs to get some fresh air, alone so that he does not take out his frustration on us.” Gin shrugged and joined the group who filled him in on what happened in his absence.

 

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Zero took a deep breath when he found himself inside the airport departure lobby. He scanned the information board and frowned when he found no flights to Germany that were leaving anytime soon. He fished his phone and dialed Cross’s number. _It had better not be another sick drama plot they are pulling on us._

The phone rang several time before the annoying voicemail came in. Zero almost broke the phone as he was pushing on the screen until he found Takuma’s number and called. Thankfully, the noble vampire answered on the second ring.

“Yes, Kiryuu-kun?”

“Ichijou… Sorry, I kind of need you help to guide me…”

“Guide you where?” Takuma’s eyebrow shot up as he looked at his pureblood friend who was standing nearby.

“Actually, I kind of found my way to the airport but I don’t know the flight information and I kind of need to hand something important to sensei before he gets on the plane.” Zero explained hoping to get a positive and non-elusive answer.

“Wait! You are at the airport, right NOW?” Takuma yelled unconsciously before whispering the second time “You know very well that Yagari-san did not want anyone following him. You are putting me in a bind here, Kiryuu-kun”

“I know, I am sorry but I need to hand this over to him, he will thank me for it instead of scolding us. Trust me”

Kaname noticed the blond vampire’s distress and decided to take matters in hand, as he snatched the phone from Takuma’s ear.

“Where are you now, Kiryuu-kun?” Kaname spoke with a flat tone, not letting any emotion seep.

“Kaname? What-“ Zero’s eyes bulged out when he heard the last person he expected to be present.

“Could you specify your location so that Ichijou can come and guide you to where Yagari-san is? You would not be able to access this area by yourself.”

“I… Umm…” he looked around and answered, still confused “I am standing in front of check in counter number 18”

“Good, Ichijou will be there shortly, do not move.” Kaname hanged up the phone and handed it to a panicked Takuma.

“Kaname what are you doing?”

“He is here and most probably alone, we cannot possibly send him away. Besides, he must have figured that there is no regular flight anytime soon and that will make him suspect that all this might be a big farce. It would be better if he sees everything with his own eyes. I will deal with anything else later; we do not have any more time to waste.” Takuma nodded and walked his way to fetch Zero. Meanwhile, Kaname went to explain the situation to Yagari and Cross.

 

 

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Takuma saw Zero’s shoulder visibly relaxed when he spotted him. The blond vampire flashed him with his dazzling smile as he beckoned him to follow.

“Where are we going? Ichijou-kun?”

“Yagari-san is not taking a regular flight to go to Germany, you will understand in a minute” the noble explained as he took out a golden card from his breast pocket and showed it to the receptionist at the entrance of the VIP lounge of the airport. Zero was lost at this point, following the slightly shorter noble through the carpeted corridors, passing by a fancy looking lounge then taking a flight of marble stairs to end up in front of another fancy expensive looking door that lead to a private departure gate. He had to blink twice to believe that he was seeing the name Kuran engraved on the golden plate placed on the red covered table next to the door. “What is the meaning of this?”

Takuma took in the direction where the hunter was looking and answered, “Yagari-san will be using one of the Kuran’s private jet to travel comfortably to his destination”

Before Zero could find his next question, they were walking through a tunnel that was rumbling from the proximity of the airplane’s roaring engine. Kaname was standing at the entrance of the plane waiting for them. As soon as they came close, he moved his head in a gesture to follow him inside. Zero scowled in his direction but followed without a word.

Inside the high tech contraption, Zero found his mentor lying comfortably in a big bed with a couple of seatbelt holding his midsection. There was some familiar medical machinery besides him that a man who looked like a doctor was setting up and hooking them to his arm and finger. On the other side, Zero saw Seiren with two other women that Zero recognized one of them being the assigned nurse back at the hospital.

Yagari and Cross noticed the confusion of the hunter and called out to him “So what is this important thing that made disregard my warning and follow me here?” the gruff voice showed obvious displeasure at being seen in such state but he could not help the amusement of having Zero dumbstruck. Zero lifted up the pouch to show it as he stood closer to the bed. “Oh my! I actually forgot such an important item! Thank you so much for bringing it Zero.” Cross exclaimed and blamed his carelessness when packing the luggage.

“Sorry for entering your room without permission, I was looking for something when I stumbled upon it.” Zero’s explanation earned him an approving nod from Yagari who gratefully held onto the pouch. In the middle of his conversation, Zero could not help but discreetly glance toward Kaname who was talking with the pilot and Seiren at this point.

After all the preparation were done, everyone got off the plane except for Seiren and the doctor who were travelling with Yagari. Cross informed Takuma that he will be going back with Zero as his adoptive son seemed to have too many questions in his eyes that are better answered in absolute privacy. Kaname nodded in approval and beckoned his friend. Once they reached Zero’s car, Cross grabbed his arm and held his hand waiting for Zero to give him something.

The hunter quirked an eyebrow “What?”

“You know what? Pass me the keys, I will drive.” Cross spoke sternly

“It is my car, why should I let you drive, old man?”

“Because I want to reach home in one piece.” Cross stated

Zero rolled his eyes at the implication “Come on! Just because I don’t drive at a snail speed like you does not mean I do not drive safely.”

“Either you hand over the key or I will not answer any question. It is better for me to catch on some sleep anyways.”

Having no more room for debate, Zero glared at him as he handed the switch over, earning a beaming smile of the once again goofy ex-hunter.

“Now let’s have some father-son bonding time, shall we?” Cross chirped as he climbed into the driver seat.

“Ugh! Spare me!” Zero groaned as he put his feet up on the board, earning a scolding remark from the other “Again! It is my car; I can sit however the fuck I want.”

“That crass way of talking is exactly like his.” This time, the remark was soft with a lingering nostalgia that was apparent in the ex-hunter expression. That is when Zero decided to stop being a jerk and properly listen to what the older man has to say.

“You are probably wondering about all that you witnessed there right?”

“Duh! I don’t exactly remember my mentor to be some sort of royalty that can afford the luxury of traveling in a private jet, let alone have their own medical team etc… and I am sure as hell the association does not have enough extra budget to cover such expense, neither do you. Now, why in the world would you get Kuran to provide his services, which leave you in his debt? Your opinion aside, that is something sensei would usually never resort to.” Zero finally poured all the confusion that was twirling around his head from the moment he passed through the VIP gate.

“You have it all backward Zero, we did not seek Kaname-kun’s services, he offered to help, anonymously.” The hazel-eyed man deadpanned as he focused on the road ahead of him.

“What?” Zero looked at him quizzically.

“Long story short, Kaname-kun is the one who found this doctor in the first place, and for your information, this doctor is extremely stubborn and eccentric to the point that he handpick his patient and well known for not accepting just any case. Kaname-kun not only convinced him to take Toga-chan in his facility but he will be the one overseeing his treatment, in person. After getting the agreement and report, Kaname-kun presented the option to Toga and left him with the final decision of taking the treatment or not. Once your mentor agreed, Kaname-kun got them to send a medical team from Germany to get him ready to travel without risk. Meanwhile, he remodeled that jet plane into a medical one. Once the preparation were done, he left Seiren in charge of guarding Toga and catering to his need for the whole period of his stay over there. He did all this and asked for his collaboration to stay anonymous. The only ones who knew about this are Takuma-kun, Seiren, myself and now you.” Zero was successfully dumbstruck once again, he pondered for a second before voicing his opinion.

“It is too good to be just a good deed. There must be something behind it. Or he might want something in return, how can you trust him so blindly.” The hunter protested as he straightened up in his seat and scrutinized his father’s face “What did he demand for this.”

“Nothing” Kaien replied with a happy smile as he glanced at his scowling passenger

 “Bullshit”

The harsh tone of Zero was reciprocated by Kaien dropping his goofy look and putting on an eerily serious expression along with an exasperated sigh “Zero! You need to understand that Kaname-kun is a different person now. I understand that you had your difference in the past, that you fell right at the center of his twisted plan, and that he hurt you more than anyone in this world did. However, you have to understand that he is not the same person anymore. He does not bother to scheme or plan anything because he is playing in a team now. He realized that it is a better option to work together toward our common goal instead of the one man show that led to so many casualties, and you made sure that he paid for his sin. Is taking away his freedom to act not enough for you to move on and see beyond his past actions?”

“He never did anything without a reason, a selfish reason! Why should I trust him?” Zero spat, irritation started to seep in his pores

“Well as a matter of fact, he has been doing a lot of selfless deeds since he awoke and realized how much of a mess his actions entailed. I cannot tell you the details, but trust me; no selfish man would do what he had done to help us all.”

Zero looked for any sign of deception that he learned to detect on Cross’s face, finding none, he relaxed in his seat “Fine! I will take your word on that until I am proven otherwise.”

Cross smiled in relief and gave one last comment before continuing the road in comfortable silence “Can you promise me that you would make the effort to get along with Kaname-kun from now on. I really wish that one day you can sit together as friends.”

Zero glanced sideway then gazed at the stretching road as he answered “Don’t get your hopes up, old man!... but… maybe… I will give it a try… someday… the getting along part… I mean” he trailed the last word in a stuttering mumbled that earned him a chuckle.

_Although we have been getting along just fine for a while, but that is on a different level that no one needs to know about. The hunter internally smirked, thinking of ways to torture the pureblood for hiding this from him and lie about other stuff._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEFORE YOU ASK! YAGARI/CROSS ARE NOT THE THIRD PAIRING, they are just mentioned but will not have too much screening as a couple.
> 
> I don’t know why but I enjoyed writing this chapter and I had to forcefully stop myself and update because it is still going on and on. The other part is still a bit short but it will probably not take me long to write more and update it during this week. But I will not do so unless I get some reviews *smirk* (just kidding)
> 
> REVIEWS PLEEEEEEEEEEEAAASE!


	22. chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally a very long chapter that I had to split in two parts in fear that it might get tiring to read, thus, the consecutive updates. YAAAY!
> 
> Sorry for making you wait Eiko-chan, I had hard time deciding how to split the parts XD
> 
> I apologize for any mistake, I do not have the energy to reread and edit. Love you all
> 
> Enjoy everyone!
> 
>  
> 
>  

 

 

It was already 10 a.m when Zero and Cross made it back, the hunter was cussing about the snail speed of his adoptive father and how they would have been late for work if it was not a Sunday. Cross just laughed it off, too amused by Zero’s cute reaction when he woke up and checked the time when they reached, and thinking for a second that it was a school day.

Cross had yet another pleasant surprise in store when he found that his house was not as empty as he expected to find it. In fact, most of his beloved ‘children’ were sprawled across the living room, they seemed to have fallen asleep waiting for him. He whispered to Zero so that he helps guiding them to the guest rooms for more comfortable sleep, especially the vampires who still have a long time before they need to wake up. Ichiru and Aido gave Kaien a bit of trouble but still wobbled their way and snuggled in a single bed.

Kaito had always been a light sleeper, so Zero just told him that he needed to sleep in a more comfortable place because he has to leave soon. The brown-haired hunter mumbled incoherent words that were later translated as “I am going back to my room in the faculty dorm, just wake me up when it is time”.

The most problematic one was Yuki with her huge pregnant belly. Zero and Cross looked at each other, defeated by the sight of the pureblood curled up in an awkward position on the one seater. Zero grumbled “Is that a way for a pregnant woman to sleep, she is crushing her child in there, stupid Yuki!” Cross chuckled softly and nodded “Can’t help it, it is a habit of hers to sleep there whenever she doze off watching a movie. I guess that has always been her favorite seat”.

Zero noticed the glee showing at Cross’s face seeing his beloved daughter at home, _it takes a stupid father to raise a stupid daughter,_ he shook his head in exasperation and snapped Cross into helping him move Yuki on a bigger couch. Once that is done, Cross brought two sets of futons and pillows saying that he wanted to sleep in the living room with Yuki so that she does not wake up alone, although Zero figured the reason the man is not sleeping in his own bedroom already.

On the campus ground, a drowsy Kaito was making his way to his room. He lifted his head and squinted at the harsh sunlight. The ends of his lips curled up when he noticed his window open. His footsteps got faster as he fished his keys before even reaching his door.

*Door open*

“You should have told me that you were here…” Kaito cringed at how bored he sounded; _bad habits die hard!_

“I did not want to interrupt your family time, now come, you need to rest.” The gentle voice was soothing to his aching head. He quickly got out of his stiff jeans and put on more comfortable clothes and slid into the bed, under the cover that were held up for him. He made his way to a taut stomach that became his favorite pillow recently, and let out a long sigh when thin fingers found their way into his hair and started lulling him to sleep again.

“It sucks that I am too tired to do anything when I have you here,” the hunter complained

“Stupid! Even if you had any energy, you need to save it for the long trip ahead. Now be good and sleep”

 The last thing Kaito remembers was the soft kiss on his temple and the rustle of paper as his companion carefully flipped the pages to read. A tinge of sadness found its way to the hunter’s heart knowing that he would wake up alone and will have to part, even if it is for few more days, without telling this person the important thing he wanted to, but time is what they have and he was glad that he will be back for good really soon.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Zero retired to his room, feeling overwhelmed with the recent events. He decided to sleep it off and deal with everything else later, but his mind had another agenda for him. No matter how much he tossed and turned in his bed, sleep never claimed him. The sunrays filtering through the light colored curtain did not help much. He huffed in annoyance and sat up straight on the bed, then got up and paced the room back and forth for a good minute before leaving it all together. He did not care about being barefoot in the cold weather. Clad in his woolen pajamas, he passed through the living room. His gaze settled on the two figures settled on the sofas, he lingered longer on Yuki’s face before he turned and headed towards the kitchen in hope that some warm milk would do the trick to spiraling brain. However, his walk halted at the doorframe as he looked at Yuki again, not actually seeing her but the one who looked extremely alike. Without wasting another second, his fingers moved on his phone faster than his brain could process.

: “Where are you?”

Sleepy red-brown eyes squinted at the glaring screen of the pinging phone.

: “In my chamber at the moon dorm, is something wrong?”

: “Plenty!”

Said eyes popped to full awareness as Kaname sat up on his bed, not bothering with the cold breeze that hit his naked torso. 

: “Where are you? I will come right away!” 

“In your bedroom” the pinging followed by the familiar voice startled the pureblood whose head snapped in direction of the window. _So that is where the breeze was coming from._

“You know that it is not wise to leave your window unlocked while sleeping” Zero spoke in a sarcastically scolding tone as he tugged his phone in his pocket, arching an eyebrow up to emphasize the idea.

“Not many have the guts to sneak up on a pureblood, and those who do are either overly confident or reckless… which sum up to the same thing actually” Kaname commented offhandedly as he rubbed his eyes. He let out a sigh of relief that the hunter was not in so much danger that he would actually call _him_ for help. _I guess my sleepy brain can cook up some wild fantasies, of Zero Kiryuu actually relying on me._

 “So… what are the plenty of wrongs that had you come into my bedroom, and in that appearance?” Kaname inquired as he took in the bit of mud that clung to Zero’s bare feet and the fact that he was in his pajamas.

“I could not sleep! I am tired, irritated and my eyes are burning which does not happen often for your information; but I cannot sleep” Zero mumbled as he crossed his arms across his chest.

Kaname’s brows shot up incredulously “So you decided to interrupt my sleep because of that?”

“I need to wash my feet and have a drink, any strong stuff around? No wine!” Zero ordered as he made his way to the bathroom.

Kaname’s gaze followed the hunter until he disappeared, with his brows still upward and mouth slightly ajar until he realized it. He quickly corrected his expression and whispered to nobody “by all means!”.   

The ancient vampire finally left the comfort of his bed and put on his dark silk pajamas shirt without bothering to button it. He made his way to the study room and opened a mini fridge from which he took some ice into the intriguingly carved glass cups. As soon as he heard that the water stopped flowing, he opened a top cupboard and took out an equally carved glass bottle containing a well-aged amber liquid.

Zero walked into the study, and his eyes immediately fell on the way Kaname was carefully pouring the drinks as well as his parted shirt that allowed a teasing view of his pectorals and firm abs. Zero shook his head from the trance he was getting himself into and approached the pureblood who extended a drink in his direction. He took the glass and sipped after showing his appreciation for it. Kaname walked around him and went near his desk, leaning his weight on the hand he placed on the cool wooden surface. “You washed your feet… though I am quite curious about the reason they are bare, and now you have your drink which I hope suited your taste… Now, would you be kind to explain this impromptu visit?” the brown haired man spoke in cadence as he twirled the amber liquid around, enjoying the sound of the clinking ice before taking another sip and rise his eyes to observe the hunter.

“I can’t seem to wrap my head around it…” Zero whispered, to engrossed with his drink to notice the frown on Kaname’s face

“Around what?”

“I tried to analyses it objectively, without prejudice… like the way a third party would do… it just does not add up…” Zero mumbled, confusing Kaname even more when he looked at him with a steady determined gaze.

“I can’t seem to follow…” Kaname answered as carefully as he can. he suspected that Zero would come bursting on him for hiding the deal with Yagari and Kaname was planning on brushing it off playfully like he learned to do recently. A method that proved rather effective with the hunter. However, the flow of the conversation was not as he imagined; the calm and collected demeanor of the hunter that contradicted his appearance threw him in a loop.

 “Why did you go to such great length to help Yagari-sensei?” the question Kaname was waiting for finally came and the answer he had long prepared would follow

“Because it would be a shame to lose such a great man when there is a chance for him to survive, he has been a great help in keeping the collaboration between hunters and vampires stable.”

Zero scoffed at the answer he was expecting “Typical.”

“Pardon…”

“I said typical answer of someone with a hidden agenda like you…”

“Again… I don’t understand what you mean Zero…” Kaname was getting more and more confused by the tidbit that Zero was giving him. He felt uncomfortable at the way the hunter was interrogating him and he was not about to let this drag for long. “Why don’t you cut the round-about way of your investigation and get to the point?”

Zero took a deep breath “if you insist…” he chugged down the rest of his drink and winced as the strong taste assaulted his taste buds and the burning liquid slid down his throat. “What do you want from Sensei?” he asked, fixing Kaname with a steady gaze and arm crossed, standing his ground.

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit!”

“Why couldn’t I help without anything in return?” Kaname started turning the tables

“Because no matter how you try to cover it up, you are the man who induced the murder of a happy family just because you saw a pair of surviving hunter twins that fall right into your perfect plan for freedom. Because you are the man who pried on the weakness of a falling ex-human and made him into you pawn, a chess piece you moved at will to protect your loved one. You played him until you had no use for him and tossed him away for later use. Oh! Not to mention that the instant he drank from another pureblood and broke the master slave bond, you charged to kill him in cold blood. So now, tell me … why I should trust a vampire who would turn on his own kind and slaughter them in the blink of an eye with the life of my mentor.” Zero finished his speech without ever changing his stance or showing any emotion in his expression.

 

“So basically, you are just bitter about the past and can’t move on.” Kaname let out a long sigh, rubbing his temple. _This is going to be tricky_

“No… I have long moved on, but it still comes back to bite when a similar situation arises.” The hunter added, still keeping calm

“Good! Because I also moved on from that frenzied state that would bring more harm than good.” The pureblood stated as he sipped the last drop of his drink and went for a refill, suggesting the same for Zero who politely declined.

“What guarantee that? How can you prove that you are not a conniving scheming bastard who likes to do things his own way and will never hesitate to make use of anyone who fits into his plans?” Insecurity started to seep into Zero’s voice, he wanted to believe in Kaname, but their past was too horrible to overlook that easily.

Kaname let a small smile slip, _this might be a good chance to set everything in the clear between us and have a fresh start._ He placed his drink on the desk and leaned back on it, bracing both hands on the wooden edge. “Well! Zero Kiryuu, here is one way to look at it. Even if I had a plan in mind, wanted to use Yagari-san for whatever role I assigned him, and that I am doing so behind everyone’s back and such… would you not think that it would be the most stupid thing for me to do?”

“Elaborate…”

“As you said before, I generally prefer the one-man show over team work right?”

“Pretty much, yeah…”

“Which means that… if I am planning something, I would be moving into action eventually…”

“Cut the crap Kaname and get to the point…” Zero spat rolling his eyes at the way the pureblood was taking his time talking about triviality as if he was eluding the main point, which he wasn’t.

“So tell me how am I going to put my plan in motion without you or Cross or Yuki noticing anything?”

“What do you mean” Zero frowned at this

“You seem to have forgotten about what happened after I awakened so let me remind you. Although most vampires and hunters consider me a hero for throwing my own heart to provide leverage against the conspiring purebloods, that did not overshadow the fact that I was the trigger of that bloody war, and to keep up their integrity, punishment was in order. My punishment was the last judgmental action you took as the association president at that time it seems, for you disappeared right after.”

“Oh! You mean…”

“Yes… I meant the seal you put on me… the four pillars of that ancient spell performed are represented by the four insignias carved on our bodies… As long as they are not fading, the seal is on full force. Does it ring a bell?”

“Do not take me for an idiot, Kaname! That seal only helps in preventing you from going on a killing spree, turning humans or using excessive amount of power without permission… it does not prevent you from manipulating others to do your dirty work”

“Well, the only time I compelled another to do my dirty work was when I could not do it myself which is killing Rido.” Kaname explained, not missing the intensified glare of Zero at the memory.

Zero could not deny the truth of the statement, Kaname did all the killing and scheming by himself later, keeping Yuki safe and pushing away his inner circle so that they do not get caught up in the cross fire. He could not deny that. His thinking was interrupted by another sound argument.

“Besides, It would be foolish for me to act on my own now. Thanks to that spell, as you said, if I kill something as little as a bird, you would know. If I turn a human, the seal would retaliate, if I use too much power without granted permission from the other pillars, the thorns of the rose insignia on my back would clutch my heart and weaken me for you to kill me in a swift move. However, the most disadvantageous part of this punishment is that my powers can be greatly reduced in the events of me trying to take down one of the pillars. So no matter which way you look at it, I really don’t see how you could come to the conclusion that I might be concocting an evil plan with Yagari-san as one of my pawns by putting him in my debt.”

“So why are you helping him…” Zero talked louder in exasperation

“Because…” Kaname was at his ends wits from the mistrust of the hunter “At the time you were away, when Yuki decided to restart the night class because she was bored from staying at the mansion. She and Yagari-san grew quite close, so far as bonding like father and daughter, because when I was busy with my ‘evil’ plans, he took care of her and showed her how to defend herself, he also helped guiding the night class. He knows how to separate personal matters and not judge every vampire because of the action of one of them. Because, when the building of the association collapsed, he shielded Seiren even though she was the bodyguard of his enemy. Because he was the one who convinced you to agree to my awakening, because he deserves my respect and I am in his debt more that you can imagine. Because he is an important ally, I cannot afford to lose so soon. That is why I did my best to help him,” Kaname talked fast and with a determination foreign to Zero who just stood there, astonished “and if that is not enough… You can think of it as a way to get on your good side maybe…” the pureblood finished in a joking tone as he approached the hunter.

Zero swallowed audibly, hating the fact that he was losing his grounds when faced with the raw sincerity he perceived in Kaname’s words, action and expression. Instead of admitting defeat, he took the nearest escape route by snorting petulantly “As if you care about how I think about you…”

Kaname smiled as he stood inches away from the hunter, he let his fingers tentatively tangle into the silver strands behind pierced ear, a sensitive spot he discovered previously. “Oh yes! I do care…” He spoke softly, starling Zero by the sudden gentle tone, making him scowl. The pureblood blood chuckled and stole the hunter’s lips in a soft kiss, continuously rubbing the spot behind his ear. He let go when he finally felt the hunter relax and sigh into the kiss.

The pureblood turned around and resumed his position by his desk “Now that we are on the clear! Am I allowed to catch on some sleep, I had a pretty animated weekend.”

That successfully snapped Zero out of his daze and reminded him of yet another thing. The trademark glare made its appearance yet again as the hunter strode to the pureblood and poked his chest, “That’s right! You had an animated weekend trying to distract me by saying that you would spend those two days with me when you actually knew that we would be interrupted by sensei’s departure. Not only that, you pretended to be lazing around at my place when you probably took off as soon as I left to oversee the preparation of that fancy private jet of yours. Did you have that much fun playing making me think that you did not give a rat’s ass about sensei? How were you planning to get on my good side if you did not make the effort showing up as if you were going to see him off? That totally defeat the purpose, smarty pants!”

“Oops! That escaped me… Did I make you hate me more then?” Kaname faked a concerned expression, making Zero punch his shoulder.

“I would if I had not busted you at the airport!” Zero snapped at him with a tongue cluck.

“Then, the coincidence of Cross-san forgetting that pouch played in my favor?”  Kaname answered back with a victorious wink and a dazzling smile that Zero averted. Trying to keep his pissed off façade despite the previously bubbling anger he felt fading away.

“Why did you not tell me all about it? It is not like I would shout it from the rooftop that you are doing a good thing for once in your life.” Zero mumbled as he looked at Kaname with a look akin to pleading. 

Kaname chuckled at the cuteness of the action and relaxed more, “For the same reason you hate admitting that you care about others to their faces, probably” he answered while holding the offensive hand poking his ribs and pulled Zero to his chest, holding his waist loosely. The hunter did not show much resistance, as the relief made the exhaustion catch up. He inhaled the scent of the pureblood and nuzzled his neck as he wrapped his arms around it. Against his better judgement, Zero decided to believe Kaname and convince himself that the pureblood was becoming a better person. He internally cursed at the preach of Cross that probably influenced his decision.

 Kaname tightened his hold for a moment before letting go of the slender waist and tried to pry Zero’s arm open, frowning slightly when he met the unexpected resistance.

“Zero?” he whispered in the ear of the hunter who was leaning his entire weight in Kaname’s embrace.

“hmmm”

“I am sure you would rather go sleep in your own room than in a den full of vampires, right?” Kaname asked tentatively, not hating the clinginess of the hunter one bit.  

“Obviously!” the vibration of the muffled voice tickled the junction of the pureblood’s neck, making his breath hitch for a second

“Then why does it seem like you have no plan of letting go of my neck?” he resumed the initial position of his arms, this time rubbing the hunter’s back gently, not willing to miss the chance of cuddling the hunter for a bit longer.

“Maybe because I have no plans of sleeping anytime soon…” Zero finally looked up into surprised wine orb. Kaname was taken aback by the sudden raw desire that flamed in those amethyst eyes. He gulped and inhaled sharply to compose himself, although his rapidly beating heart was a dead giveaway.

The flustered vampire kept his voice even “What about the rule of not doing anything on campus?”

“You mean the one of you never approaching me where we are at risk of being seen.” Zero clarified with a tilted head, amused at the flustered reaction of the pureblood as he brought his body closer and rubbed against him like a kitten. “I am the rules, Kaname. I told you! I can bend them whenever it is convenient for me…” Zero emphasized his point by tiptoeing to kiss Kaname who reciprocated for a moment before pulling away, earning a pout from the hunter.

Kaname fixed him with a hard stare before letting go of him and gripping the edge of the desk instead of the tempting waist “No! I won’t play along this time. It is too risky Zero, and if someone walked in on us, you will call the deal off and make a mess out the whole being seen thing.” _Not to mention that you will pin it on me, since you can never admit that you are in the wrong._

“It is not like anybody can just walk in here unannounced right?” Zero insisted, riling Kaname more by unhooking his arms from around the neck and sliding warm hands up and down the toned naked torso under the unbuttoned shirt.

Kaname tried to concentrate on anything but the wicked ministrations of the hunter to talk him out of it “Not anybody, but they have sharp hearing, and you are not exactly quiet in bed…”

“Hmmm?... we just have to make sure I keep it as low as possible, unpleasant but manageable…” Zero countered with a nip at the base of Kaname’s throat that forced the pureblood to grip the silver hair and pull the mischievous mouth away, making Zero smirk at the action.

“Yuki has the bad habit of storming in…”

“She is snoring with Cross in his living room, pretty loudly I might add…” Zero scoffed, starting to get irritated at the evasive vampire “Look! It is the middle of the day, most of your bloodsuckers are asleep, your fucking quarter is in the most secluded area of the dorm, I am horny as hell and willing to do it right here right now… Now, Do you want to do it or not?”

Kaname stared at the scowling hunter for a moment. His eyes drifting from his fierce violet eyes to his parted lips, to his heaving chest down to the slight bulge in his pajamas. _He is certainly horny!_

The pureblood let go of the silver hair, and Zero resumed placing his hands of muscular shoulders and rubbing himself against the pureblood seductively while sliding the dark silk fabric off. Kaname, on the other hand, kept his hands to himself for he had one last question that will determine whether he would play along or not.

“What got you in the mood all of a sudden anyways?”

“let’s say ~” Zero trailed pensively “I see no better way to thank you…”

One perfectly sculpted brown eyebrow quirked up “Thank me?”

“uhuh… For helping sensei, I appreciate it… really!” Zero looked into confused wine orb. He startled when Kaname brushed the hands that were caressing his arms and pushed him back at arm length.

“You mean that you want to repay me or show gratitude by offering your body?” Kaname whispered between tightening lips

 “Kind of!”

_I knew I would regret asking that question!_

“I decline then…” the pureblood stated in flat tone, showing disinterest as he put his shirt back on and started to stir away from the silverette.

“What? Why?” it was now Zero’s turn to get confused because during the whole week of passion they had, Kaname would never refuse his advances if he was not the one pouncing him instead.  

“Because… As I said before, I do not expect anything in return for helping him… You see? This is the reason I did not tell you…”

“Oh! Excuse me for misunderstanding… Just a minute ago you were spouting nonsense about doing it to get on my good side… was that a joke?” Zero countered with a voice dripping with sarcasm that successfully ticked Kaname off.

“Well… you heard it right and I meant every word of it… However, it is your twisted way of interpreting that I have a problem with Zero. I said I wanted to get on your good side, which means I want us to get along better not for me to get into your pants as a way to repay the favor. I don’t remember being that low.”

Zero’s mouth hang open before he closed it and tightened his jaw while heading back to the bedroom, he turned to face the pureblood once again before leaving “You know what? Suit yourself, if you are that chicken to do it in fear someone walk in on us, you could have declined from the start instead of fishing for an excuse.”

Kaname was speechless for a second before throwing his hands upward in defeat “How in the world did it become about me now?”

“Never mind, I will just look for someone else to have some fun… have a good sleep” Zero snorted and turned to head in direction of the window which he never reached. Heck! he never made it inside the bedroom as Kaname grabbed and slammed him against the doorframe.

“Look for someone else?” Wine orbs darkened and Kaname’s expression went frigid as he held Zero’s wrist to the wall.

Unfazed, Zero met his eye dead on “What? Do you have a problem with that as well?”

“I don’t remember that being part of the deal. To go look for others in case I refuse your advance” Kaname talked in a low threatening voice as he trapped Zero with his body.

Despite the domineering attitude, Zero was too pissed off to even flinch. “I am not exclusively yours Kaname. That is the first clause I warned you about. **I am not you paramour.** I can see whomever I want, that is how the term ‘no string attached’ works. If you do not like it, you are free to back off, any time.”

“So basically, you just wanted to do it. It was not about thanking me since you are seeking another anyways.” Kaname grabbed Zero’s chin so that he does not avoid his scrutinizing gaze.

“You were looking for an excuse, I gave you one, but you didn’t like it.” Zero talked nonchalantly, irritating the pureblood even more.

Kaname laughed bitterly “It would have been easier if you just said that you just felt like doing it instead.”

Zero slapped the hand clenching his chin “It doesn’t matter anymore. I have no use of you if you cannot get it up anyways. I am leaving!” he wrenched his wrist and took a few steps

“You might need to revise your plans…” that is the last thing Zero heard before his neck was yanked and his lips were claimed in a rough savage kiss with Kaname’s tongue taking his breath away.

 For one second, Zero was topless and clutching Kaname’s shirt as his knees were giving away, the next one, he found himself bending over a cushioned chair, naked, with one knee pressing in the fabric and Kaname thrusting inside him, long and deep. Zero tried to increase the friction by swinging his hips back and forth, but Kaname stilled his movement with the strong grip on his hips. The whining and pleading of the hunter as he twisted and tugged at the pureblood shirt paid off when Kaname pulled out, cleared his desk in one swoop, got the hunter to sit on the wooden surface and resumed his thrusting, faster this time.

Zero hooked his arms around the pureblood’s neck as he swallowed his increasing moans by kissing him until they can take no more. As their release got closer, their movements got more frantic and it was harder for Kaname to keep Zero from moaning aloud. His lust-fogged brain dictated the only thing he found convenient. Without stopping his pounding, Kaname unhooked Zero’s arms and pushed him back against the desk, he quickly removed his shirt and guided it to the hunter’s panting mouth “bite on this, can’t have them hear you now!”.

Zero groaned as he snatched the shirt, glaring at Kaname “haa… nnn… don’t stop… soo good… so close… Ahmphhh… haa…. Harder…” the hunter clutched the shirt he was biting on as Kaname pounded him mercilessly. It did not take him long to release when Kaname started stroking his leaking member. “MMMPHH!” Zero almost passed out of lack of oxygen, because Kaname had to shove the shirt in his mouth knowing his habit of screaming when he cums, at the first round at least.     

After a few more thrusts, Kaname barely had the self-control to pull out and spurt his own release on Zero’s convulsing stomach to join the other’s. The pureblood groaned softly and took a few shallow breath to calm his racing heart. His blurred vision cleared as he took in the panting hunter and the discarded the fabric on his heaving chest before staring at the mix of their release on the pale skin of his stomach.

“That was… incredible.” Zero whispered. “Why all the drama if you wanted to do it as much as I did?” he continued as he propped on his elbow to try to sit properly on the desk “or is that some kind of foreplay you like?” he snickered despite the shortness of his breathing.

He could not see Kaname’s expression when he spoke because the pureblood was facing down, his hair forming a perfect dark curtain. Without a word, Kaname pulled up his own pants, snatched the shirt and wiped the substances off the hunter. Then, he threw the silk fabric into the fireplace across the room. He picked the scattered clothes of the hunter and threw them in his arms. “Get dressed and leave!” Kaname ordered with a voice devoid of emotions as he went back to stare at the fabric burning with empty eyes and hands tucked in his pockets.

Zero winced as he slid down from the desk and started putting on his garments, glaring at the brunet in the process. Once done, he started heading to his exit as he spoke “You don’t have to be so eager about chasing me out, it is not like I am planning on spending the night”

“And never call on me again!” the grave voice of the pureblood and his word halted the hunter and made him turn around.

“Excuse me?” Zero inquired, squinting his eyes at the profile of the pureblood who had his back facing him.

“As you heard, never call on me again as I will not seek you out either. This will be the last ‘tryst’ we have.”

Zero his stomach flip “Really? That was fast!”

The hunter could not bring himself to leave even though the pureblood was completely ignoring his presence, so he decided to speak his mind “Well, it was good while it lasted. However, I never would have guessed that you would be the first getting bored. Then again, it not new for you to throw away anyone you used until you got satisfied. Good luck with your next conquest! Oh! And don’t think of stalking me again if you found no one.” Once Zero finished his piece of mind, he waited for a response that never came as he scoffed and turned to leave.

“You can’t help but have the last word in everything, huh?”

Amethyst eyes glared at cold wine orb. Kaname finally turned to face Zero with a berating look that spoked lengths of his irritated temper.

“You need to have the last word, to be the one to call the shots; everything has to go your way… Since when did you become a control freak, I wonder?” Kaname’s voice was bored and flat as if he was just speaking his mind and not interested in answer.

Zero was about to ignore him and leave but was once again stopped by the next words.

“It is not that I got bored, I just had enough of your nonsense. That should soften the blow to your pride.” Kaname took on a sarcastic tone this time.

“Hah? What shit did you have to put up with to have enough of it. A stalker that made you see nightmares… fucking waves of guilt of not having control over you lust… or that you are fucking the very creature you loath the most… tell me?” Zero challenged, irritated by the empty degrading look Kaname was giving him. As if Zero seemed pitiful to him.

“I don’t have the energy for pointless arguments. I am politely asking you to leave so that I can clear away all traces of what happened here. The last thing I want is your smell clinging to my place.”

“Can you be any more of a dick?” Zero yelled in disbelief

“Keep it down…” Kaname whispered with a threatening voice

“No I won’t keep it down, and you better not think I am done with you yet” Zero started screaming louder,

“I SAID ‘KEEP IT DOWN’” the hunter felt all hair on his body stand up as the dark aura of the pureblood lashed out in the room, Zero gulped and backed two steps in effort to put a safe distance from the pureblood approaching him, with eyes blood red…

“if you don’t get it! I will explain to you, I have had enough of catering to your every demand… to go along with your whimsical behavior… I agreed to your terms even though I did not like most of them, I made the effort to make my presence as comforting as possible. What did I get in return, you treating me as some kind of servant that need to be on your beck and call, a compatible body that need to react on demand whenever _you_ feel like doing it… I tried to put up with it, I did, but I guess my tolerance could only last this long. If it is a dick you want, then go buy yourself a dildo… or like you said, go find another to have fun with because the fun with me is over, Zero. You did say that you had no shortage of men looking to get between your legs, so be it.”

Zero swallowed his next words when the aura turned darker, whipped against the wall and shattered the nearby glass. He cursed his vampire nature that led to his body freezing up and fear to crawl up inside.

The pressure lasted for a moment. The next one, Zero almost tumbled when Kaname retracted his aura all of a sudden. The brunet’s voice sounded colder than ever as he spoke “You better leave if you don’t want my attendants to come find you here with my smell all over you and the sex scent permeating the room. Contrarily to what you might think, I do not care one bit if anybody walked in on us or if anyone found out about the deal we had. I was cautious out of consideration for you, but now, I have no problem letting whomever coming to check on the reason I unleashed my aura discover what happened here.”

Zero’s eyes widened when his sharp hearing picked up on the approaching footsteps, he gritted his teeth and stormed out of the place in the blink of an eye, leaving Kaname standing in the middle of the room.

“Kaname-sama” a voice called from behind reinforced wooden doors.

“What is it?” Kaname called out, keeping a composed tone.

“Is something the matter? Do you need assistance?”

“No… Everything is fine, you may leave.”

“Understood” the footsteps of the attendant echoed away.

More glass shattered as the pureblood clenched his fists to his sides until his knuckles turned white. Kaname was disgusted with himself, he could not contain the self-loath he was feeling at the memory of what he had just done. He could not believe he was someone able to do such repulsive deed.

_How low can I be to actually get aroused when angry? How little control do I have over myself whenever Zero is concerned? I could have broken him if I snapped completely for a second back there. How could I allow myself to take him in such state? If he did as much as resist or back off in the last minute, I probably would have not stopped. I would not have been able to stop myself from taking him by force. If he wasn’t so eager and aroused… what happened could have turned even uglier… it could have turned into rape… I was about to rape him… and why? Because he implied that he would go for another man, because I was about to do anything to prevent him from seeking anybody even if it meant to break him? pfff… just how low can you stoop Kaname Kuran._

He ran his finger through his messy hair and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. _It is better this way; I cannot risk hurting him… I never wanted to hurt him anymore than I already have… We are obviously toxic to each other… if keeping distance would minimize the risk of hurting him physically or emotionally, so be it._ He started rearranging the room as he pondered and self-reprimanded. He worked too fast for the naked eyes to follow. Once he made sure all surfaces are clean and no traces of another person is present, he closed his eyes and concentrated to make the air shift around softly in direction of the still open window to take any foreign smell away. He sealed the deal by spraying some air freshener and headed to the bathroom to take a shower after discarding the rest of his clothes into the fireplace.

 

 

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Back at Cross’s house, Zero was in the shower scrubbing himself until his skin turned red. He was gritting his teeth and muttering curses non-stop. _How dare he? How dare he humiliate me that way? Had enough? Treated like a servant? He has a lot of guts talking as if I was taking advantage of him. He should be reminded that he was the reason we ended up in this kind of situation. As I thought, he is just a fucking manipulative arrogant prick._

He paused his movements for a second and rested his forehead on the cool tiles, letting the water slide over his body. _If nothing else, he got nothing but pleasure toying with my body however he wanted whenever I … Whenever I called…_ wet lips tightened as realization dawned on him,

_he enjoyed our encounters as much as I did and maybe more even… he never missed any chance I presented to meet… he never forced me into anything I disliked… he never refused any of my kinks at times… He basically never said no to me and compromised to my demands whereas I did refuse a few times when he asked to meet me and… FUCK! I am a control freak… SHIT!_

Zero banged his head twice before turning off the shower and getting out, fuming in rage at himself and at a certain brown haired vampire. _It doesn’t matter who’s wrong and who’s is right anyways, it is over._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> I absolutely don’t mind you dropping a review about every chapter :P
> 
> Reviews please XD
> 
> Next one will be up in a couple of minutes (slow upload)


	23. chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> continuation

 

He went back to his room and jumped under the covers, trying to catch some sleep in vain. Barely half an hour later, he heard a knock at his door and Cross’s voice calling out to him.

“Zero! Are you awake?”

“Yeah… Come in…” Zero had an urge to ignore him but found nothing better to do. He did not seem like he was going to sleep in his restless state anyways.

“Sorry… I just woke up and remembered something that I needed to discuss with you. I will be going back to the association headquarter later, so I was wondering if now is a good time to talk.”

The serious tone of the ex-hunter alarmed Zero who immediately scooted to sit at the edge of the bed, facing Kaien who took the liberty to use the desk chair.

“It is fine… What is the matter?” he asked worriedly

Cross gave him a faint smile “Oh! You don’t have to be so alarmed, Zerorin! You might take what I am about to say as good news, even if it is not the case for me.”

Silver thin brow twitched at the hateful way Cross called him but he did not comment on it. He nodded for his adoptive father to continue talking.

“Well… As you know, Takamiya-kun will be coming back next week after submitting the last report of his mission. There were some change of plans, and the kid he is in charge of will not come until next summer, but Takamiya-kun will resume his duty at Cross Academy nonetheless.”

Zero’s mouth formed an ‘oh’ shape. It was nothing new to him that Kaito was coming back, but then, it clicked.

 “Wait! Resume his duties? Not long ago, Gin told me you signed a permanent contract with him, which means that he took over Kaito’s teaching position. Aren’t going to get overstaffed in term of Ethic teachers?” Zero explained, frowning at the lack of managerial skill the old man was showing, then added “or is he going to take over Yuki’s shifts?”

“None of those…” Cross stated.

“What do you mean?”

“Takamiya-kun will be taking your position as the acting chairman. He already did it once before, so he is used to the mechanism.”

Zero perked at the news “Oh! That is awesome, I am finally going to be free of this house arrest and resume my life as it should be.”

Cross gave a sad pout “Could you please not sound so happy about leaving home?”

“Old man! I am happy to be rid of your outdated system of managing this school and the headache that comes with it. Not to mention the fact that I have not gone on hunting mission in over a month. I feel like I am starting to have withdrawal symptoms from not killing any bloodsuckers.” Zero explained, grinning as the excitement to get back in action started bubbling.

Cross smiled at that “Well! Glad to hear that. Don’t worry, you will sure get more action than just disposing of few level Es this time.”

“Does that mean you have lead on who is smuggling the pureblood laced pills?” Zero inquired

“Not yet! But we have more urgent matter that need investigation.”

“Like what?”

“Disappearance of sixteen hunters over the last couple of months.”

Zero’s eyes widened “sixteen?”

“Seven of whom worked in the headquarter, four were retired, and the rest from various branches across the country.”

“Wait! Why would retired hunters disappear?”

“We have no clue Zero! All we know is that these hunters never made it back from assigned missions and that the family of those retired hunters filed MIA. All of them disappeared without a trace of anything, it does not show that they were in a fight, their houses does not contain any evidence of break in or the possibility that they packed and left” Cross explained, exasperation evident in his voice.

“And how does that relate to me?”

“Well… At first, we suspected that they might have joined the rogue hunters faction. However, their record and history of personal testaments showed that they are individuals that are strongly approving of the coexistence and displayed great effort in helping achieve it. They are among the squads that captures the enlisted vampires alive in order to conduct experiments on instead of inflicting the capital punishment on the spot. As you know, those kind of mission are taken by volunteers and never forced on anyone because of the high risk. The hunters who mysteriously vanished have a heavy record of engaging in this kind of mission, which get us to conclude that they have not gone rogue… When the investigation reached a dead end and our intelligence department could not find any lead, we requested the assistance of an outstanding third party with the widest information network so far.” Cross paused to meet Zero’s eyes

“And?”

“Request denied…” he answered with a dejected tone.

“Who is this piece of work who would not lend a hand to save our colleagues?”

Cross hesitated before delivering in a hushed whisper “Ichiru-kun?”

“OH!” Zero locked his jaw and nodded slowly, understanding the situation.

“And that is where you come into the picture…”

“I think I am starting to see your dilemma… yes…” Zero pondered as he rubbed the back of his neck. _This is going to be a pain in the ass!_

“Please! Zero! Help us convince him. Ichiru is very whimsical and only takes on jobs he is interested in and he tends to turn cold hearted whenever the hunters are involved, which put me in a fix because none of the other informants seems to find a lead.”

Zero could not blame his brother for being cold toward them “Very well! I will see what I can do, but I can’t promise anything. Especially after that low stunt Jinmu-san pulled yesterday.”

“Tell me about it! That man seems to enjoy riling up unnecessary tension.”

Zero rolled his eyes, “Someone remind me why I actually kept him in association. I should have kicked his sorry ass a long time ago.”

“That would be because he delivers good result on the missions assigned to him and remained loyal despite his own personal prejudice.” Cross explained in a bored robotic tone “besides, we were short on staff and we could make use of every functioning hunter at that time.”

Zero nodded in approval.

The ringing phone of the Chairman interrupted their discussion. After talking and hanging up, he smiled brightly at his son “Toga-chan made it there safely and is on his way to the hospital.”

 

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 

Meanwhile, Kaname was going through some paperwork on his desk after his shower. The heavy door clicked open to reveal a drowsy Yuki wobbling her way inside the study until she reached her brother’s seat. Kaname reached out to the hand she extended and rubbed her cheek with the other.

“Is something wrong? Yuki?” he inquired. _What is with everyone coming in weird states today?_

 “mmm?... Nothing… Just Ai-chan being a pain” Yuki moaned in annoyance as she rubbed her stomach “I was having a good sleep and she decided to play gymnastic and kickboxing at the same time”

Kaname chuckled at the weird description but still pitied her as he could feel the strong kicks when he placed a palm on her pregnant belly.

“Stop laughing, Nii-san! It is not funny. I really want to sleep some more and you are the one with the magic touch, so can you do something about it?” Yuki pleaded with teary eyes.

“Alright! Make yourself comfortable I will come in a moment.” The brunet stood up from his seat after gathering the papers in a pile. Yuki scurried to the bedroom and slipped under the covers waiting for him.

It was not unusual for Yuki to get irritated because of lack of sleep and the energy seeping away from her due to the pregnancy. A remedy for that is a mix of herbs that her doctor prescribed, it generally helps calm the overactive baby so that she can get proper rest and replenish her energy for drinking blood only will not cut it.

Kaname waited for the hot water to come to a boiling point before proceeding to the preparation of the drink. Once done, he dropped few drops of his blood in the steamy mug and headed to the bedroom. Because of various criminal attempt on Yuki’s life and the baby’s at the time that Kaname was in the ice coffin, Zero took it upon himself to cook her meal and prepare her medicines and supplements. The role was later delegated to Kaname who is in charge of her medication and Gin’s sister who is in charge of her meals. The ex-human would go as far as taste anything that she did not personally prepare (Yuki’s cravings for junk food); to make sure it was not poisoned. Yuki never liked the fact that the woman was putting her life at risk but there was no one who could change her mind.   

Yuki gratefully accepted the drink and started sipping carefully as not to burn her tongue. The woman almost chocked when Kaname stripped his top garment.

“Mou… Onii-sama! You could at least give me heads up before stripping like that! Gosh!”

“Be grateful that I am not sleeping in the nude…” Kaname teased, making her face go redder than a tomato. He joined her in the bed, parted his legs and folded his knees up. On cue, Yuki scooted over and made herself comfortable in the makeshift seat her brother’s body made. Kaname placed his hands on her belly and started rubbing soothing circles while humming a lullaby. Both mother and baby relaxed at the rich smooth voice the reverberated close to them, it never failed to amaze Yuki how fast Ai tend to still her movement and seems to fall asleep a soon as she hears her father’s crooning. That was the magic touch that no one seemed able to pull other than Kaname, not even the medicine she was drinking (which takes a while to work).

Once her daughter calmed down, Yuki’s attention shifted to the dryness in the back of her throat, realizing belatedly that she neglected to drink the proper amount of blood with Kaname nowhere to remind her about it. Thus, she craned her head to give him a sheepish smile “I think I am kind of thirsty! I appreciate the blood you mixed in the drink, but…uhm…”

“You don’t have to be shy about saying that it was not enough, although that would mean that the blood bags I left you were meaningless” Kaname reprimanded jokingly.

Yuki blushed at being caught red-handed “Gomen… I tend to forget myself when I don’t feel thirsty”

“Yeah! But I do not need to remind you that it is not just you who needs it…”

“Hai… Hai… Understood! Can I?” She asked for permission while her hand clutched the thicker wrist laying on top of her stomach.

“Of course you can! Just be careful, you know the drill!”

“I know” She smiled and tipped her head back in his initial position. Her eyes morphed red and fang erected as Kaname brought his wrist closer to her parting lips, his other hand patting the little head in front of him to urge her. He pressed his lips together and his brows twitched when a pair of fangs embedded themselves in his bleeding wrist, then relaxed listening to Yuki taking continuous gulps while he caressed her head. _She must have been Really thirsty!_

His eyebrow quirked suddenly and his eyes flickered red for a second. That is when Yuki groaned and pulled her fangs out, pressing her fingers on her temples “OUCH! Nii-san! That was sooo mean!” teary sienna eyes looked back at wine orbs with a victimized look. Her head pounded from the Zapping sensation that rippled though it.

“You know you deserved that, little peeping tom!” Kaname warned.

Yuki puffed her cheek, looked away from him as she leaned her back on his chest, and crossed her arms around her own, sulking.

 “We already agreed on this Yuki and I taught you how to not peek into the other’s memory of thoughts when drinking from them.” Kaname lectured as he placed his chin on the tiny squared shoulder, tickling her by talking close to her ear.

“I know! Sorry… it is just that…” Yuki trailed…

“Just what?”

“Something felt different…”

“Hmm…”

“These past few weeks, onii-sama’s blood tasted different.” Yuki explained, not noticing the flinch of Kaname at her assumption

“How different?”

“Dunno! If I had to explain it, maybe the sensation I get from drinking it… It was something akin to having a good feeling, like you were in high spirits… You know the feeling you get when you are having a good time… That is the sensation I got, which was different from the usual loneliness that seeps in.” Yuki pondered, lacing her fingers together in observation.

“That is a very keen sense of taste you have there.” Kaname was astonished at how sharp her senses were, it is true that he was having a great time in his chase after Zero and then their encounter etc…

“But today, there is this weird bitterness… Did something bad happen?” Yuki craned her head back again to show him her eyes filled with concern.

Kaname smiled and ruffled her curls before reassuring her “None… don’t worry, that is probably because you came just when I was working on some irritating papers… I was glad for the excuse to take a break from them, but maybe the irritation persisted in my subconscious. Sorry for making you worry! However that is still not an excuse for you trying to peek into my thoughts.” He reprimanded again, earning a goofy look from his sister at being caught again, this time a teasing tongue out and giggle.

“So… Care to tell me what made you happier the last few days, not that I am complaining… I have one less person to worry about which is great.”

“Nothing in particular! Maybe, it is the thought that my baby girl will grace me with her presence soon…” Kaname swiftly dodged the interrogation.

“Well, don’t get your hopes up! I swear if by the next appointment, the doctor tells me that I am not ready to go into labor yet, I might send him into oblivion.” Yuki growled.

“Please don’t! that doctor has been taking care of our family since his great grandfather’s generation.”

“I know! I know! But, I did not sign up for more than five years of pregnancy when I discovered it, and I am quite close to the five years mark, like in a few days. Nonetheless, he had this smug look on his face when he told me that I still have a month to go, at least. Can you imagine? As if I do not have enough on my plate already. Even my daughter does not seem like she wants to pop out and give her mommy a break.”

Kaname could not help but laugh, even though he sympathized with her “Well, she feels to comfortable to leave, it seems… Speaking of full plates, shouldn’t we lighten it up by finally discussing that matter we have been pushing off for a while? You know the arrangement after Ai’s birth, about us.” Kaname talked tentatively, knowing that Yuki might not be in the mood for any deep discussion, and he was right for she immediately groaned.

“Sorry Onii-sama, but can we postpone the talk after Ai’s birth. I really am too overwhelmed to discuss anything that apparently seems to be far in the future than I already thoughts. Not to forget that my mood swings might lead to this conversation taking weird direction that I will come to regret later.” She pleaded and then sighed in relief when Kaname dropped the issue.

“Speaking of current issues, Ruka-chan made fun of me today about giving up the penthouse and taking the unit below. She can be mean sometime.”

“I actually agree with her.” Kaname defended the noble vampire’s idea “I told you it was unreasonable for me to take that huge space and for you to have an apartment half the size as our home. It would have been fine if I took the unit as my office space.”

“Well! I don’t think so! It is too fancy and big for me to live in. besides, it really lack the cozy, homey feel I am looking to build, so no thank you. I don’t want to live in such a huge space. Besides, it is not as if the other units are small. Heck! They are bigger than father’s house and can house a football team in one of them with ease. More importantly, the penthouse suits you the best, you can use it for work, for when you need your private space and you can even hold you meetings or work events there if you felt like it.”

Kaname laughed at how desperate Yuki was in trying to convince him that she did not want the luxury he was offering. “Alright! You win! I will gratefully be the owner of the penthouse. Happy!”

Yuki nodded furiously, relieved to have closed the debate.

“Although…” Kaname added “I am surprised that Cross-san actually bought the one right across the hall from yours. I don’t see the need for him to purchase one when his house is barely five minutes’ walk away from the condominium. Then again, if given the choice, he would be living with you under the same roof just to be close to his daughter and grand-daughter, which he didn’t out of respect for me.” Kaname teased, expecting a string of complains that never came. He peered on Yuki’s face to see a concerned expression.

“Yuki?”

“That unit might become the bane of my existence!” the doom in her voice spooked Kaname who laughed it off.

“You don’t have to be that dramatic; it is not bad to have him as a neighbor.”  

“The problem is that he is not going to live there.”

“…”

“That is the other issue bugging me and I don’t know how to deal with it.” Yuki sighed louder than usual

“Want to talk about it?”

“Actually… I had a small talk with father before he leaves for the association; Yagari-san was present as well… He kind of assigned me a domestic mission concerning that apartment” the seriousness of Yuki’s voice and the way she twisted to face Kaname completely got the male pureblood puzzled.

“The thing is, father wants me to convince Zero to live there, as in move there… as his permanent residence in cross academy. The deed is in his name.”

Red-brown eyes widened at the news “Oh!”

“Oh? That’s it… That is all you have to say… Kaname, this is the biggest crisis of my life… it scares me more that my fucking labor!” Yuki whined punching the mattress in frustration. 

“Language!”

“Whatever!”

“Why is it a dilemma? Do you not want Kiryuu-kun to live next door?” Kaname asked… _I thought they are on better term now?_

“NO! of course I want him to, it is my greatest wish to have him back, living close by where I can see him every day like we used to when we were kids. I want that! Badly!” the petite woman explained eagerly.

“So what is the problem?”

 “The problem is Zero himself. Can you imagine him living in a condominium filled with vampires? Can you imagine him sleeping peacefully with his hunter senses going haywire?”

“I see your point! It would be difficult for him to live with vampires seeing his temperament. However, you can win the argument by the fact that the building is not ordinary. You know how it is laced with hunter and vampire magic that will allow a high amount of privacy for each resident. That is the point of building it in the first place.” Kaname explained

“I know! Still, moving a mountain seems much easier to me than convincing Zero to move in here. He is the most stubborn being on earth, and he is getting worse as the years goes by.” Her tiny shoulder slumped in defeat

“I agree on that…” Kaname nodded in approval. Yuki looked at him, amused

“I am happy you are willing to listen to my rambling, onii-sama.”

“Why would I not”

“Nuhuh… It is just that we have been so busy, it has been a while since we sat and talked about our worries and such.”

“Now that you mention it! It has indeed been a while.”

“Alright! In case, I manage by some miracle to convince Zero to live in that condominium which would be the happiest day of my life after Ai’s birth. Can you promise me that you two would not blow up the building just by the coincidence of taking the same elevator? I know that Zero has temper issues but you have your fair share of provoking him as well.”

Kaname winced at the request; it was a promise difficult to make especially after the squabble he just had with the hunter. He tapped his long fingers on his knees before answering in defeat “I promise I will try my best!”

“Great! Now all that is left is to wait for Zero to feel better and discuss the matter with him.”

“What do you mean feel better?”

“You know, emotionally…”

“Is he upset about something?” The pureblood tried to gouge is the hunter was still irritated at the way they ended their conversation. However, a little part of him wished that he had the slightest bit of regret for riling him up.

“I dunno but he probably is. I mean… Zero always had this bad habit of bottling things inside and not showing his inner turmoil… So, even if he is sad or suffering, he is not the type to show it or say it. Instead, he tend to take out his frustration on the weirdest things. It is getting worse lately because he does not even confide in Ichiru anymore… I don’t know how he is dealing with the stressful situation of Yagari-san anymore nor do I know how I can help him through it. Yesterday for example, he was sitting with us like a status and then he went up to his room only to end up running out of the house to god knows where and he was not back by the time we fell asleep… Now he is cooped up in his room the whole day…”

Yuki’s rambling was abruptly stopped by Kaname uncharacteristically face palming himself.

“Onii-sama?” Yuki tilted her head in confusion…

“Sorry, never mind… I just realized something stupid…”

“What is it?” Yuki insisted

“That I am becoming an impulsive and immature person lately”

Yuki blinked few times before breaking in a fit of giggle “that is a good one, I would never peg you for an immature person but impulsiveness is certainly a fault you tend to have”

Kaname blocked out Yuki’s voice as he rewinded the happening of the day. He could not believe how inconsiderate he had been. Of course Zero would be unstable seeing that he had to see his mentor off. Of course he would be off the rail when he discovers that Kaname, whom he just started to trust, hiding fact from him that would make him more glad than angry. The image of how Zero showed up in his bedroom, feet covered in mud and lightly dressed in sleepwear struck him again. He finally understood the reason behind it. Zero was in some sort of trance, he was lost, lonely, sad and the hunter was extremely bad at channeling his emotions when overwhelmed. Now that he stopped to think about it, Kaname realized how similar the situation was to when Zero discovered Yagari’s condition. Like that time, the hunter sought him out, asked him to keep company which he would normally never do and by the end made a move on him in an effort to run away from the saddening reality. The situation was eerily similar and pattern was almost identical, save for the little hope that his mentor might survive. _How blind can your own pride make you, Kuran Kaname! In his own twisted way, Zero was asking for comfort, it was his own way to call for help. Damnit!_

His Inner thoughts were interrepted by Yuki’s tapping on his knees “Did you hear what I just said, onii-san” she asked excitedly.

“Sorry! I did not catch that”

“I made a new discovery today. Can you believe that Kaito had the nerves to hide that he is in a relationship for quite some time now. He did not say with who, but I will get him to fess up soon enough when he comes back. Okay then… Now that Ai is behaving I will be retiring to my room, I am sure you took enough break time from that irritating paperwork and you need to get back to it…” Yuki winked and left her pureblood brother on his own. She figured that he needed his privacy judging from the distant look and the restless aura that started to seep.

 

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 

Back at Cross’s house, Kaito and Zero were sitting at the kitchen table having a very late breakfast, they had a lot to catch up and a lot to plan, so the two usually non-talkative men were absolute chatterbox, as if trying to distract themselves from any awkward silence. After finishing the discussion about the missing hunters and Kaito agreeing to help convince Ichiru, the brown haired hunter latched on the next topic that was gnawing at him.

“So, tell me! How is it going with that well hung sex god you have been banging lately, got bored of him yet?” Kaito whispered his question out of caution that Cross would not be lurking around eavesdropping.

“Nah~ it seems that the opposite happened.” Zero answered flatly, hating the fact that Kaito chose to probe at a sore spot that is Kaname Kuran.

“What! You seriously fell for the guy?” the unexpected conclusion made Zero choke on his drink.

“The fuck! I said the opposite of what you said, I am not the one who got bored, and he did.” This revelation led the Kaito’s eyes bulging out.

“Wow! There is a someone out there who can actually resist your charm. That’s new”

 “Thank for not rubbing it.”

“Come on! It is good to have one or two rejection in your life, nobody is perfect.” Kaito tried comforting him with a tap on the shoulder. “You are better off without his shit anyways. Even if he has a boyfriend or a girlfriend, it is still a risky affair. Not as risky as a marital affair but still risky nonetheless.”

Zero stiffened for a moment and Kaito caught it. “Zero?”

The silver hunter sipped on his coffee, trying to ignore the suspicious gaze of his friend.

“No~” Kaito spoke in disbelief.

“What?” Zero asked innocently.

“You did not have an affair with a married man Zero, tell me you did not.” Kaito whispered in a biting tone with his facial muscle going stiff to keep himself from screaming.

“I did” Zero finally admitted, _although he is not married by law, but mated vampires are still considered married._

“Tell me he does not have children” Kaito inquired, trying to soften the blow on himself.

“He is expecting his firstborn soon” Zero deadpanned, rolling his eyes in annoyance “It does not matter now that it is over.”

“You bet your ass it is over” Kaito whispered angrily between gritted teeth as he pulled on Zero’s collar to pull him closer “What the fuck were you thinking you dumbass… fooling around with a father… Firstborn you say? Meaning that they are newlywed couple… that is even more sick… You listen to me and you listen to me carefully… even if he comes back to you, you are not to see him again… I don’t give a fuck if he was in a relationship that was not going well, but he is married, meaning he is committed to a future with that woman and there is the happiness of a child in the game. No matter how heartless I might be I will never accept you seeing this man if you want us to remain friends. As the one who was fucked up enough to suggest you see him again previously, I am telling you that if I suspect that you are still doing it, I will kick your ass to the dirt and you can kiss our friendship goodbye. Understood!” Kaito finally let go and pushed Zero back on his chair.

Zero let out breathy chuckle before gulping down the rest of his coffee, ”Well, buddy! What I do, who I fuck, what I choose is my decision to make. I decide if I want to have him back or not based on what I want. No one, and I say no one has the right to interfere with my life as I do not interfere with others. To put your mind at ease, seeking your advice is not what made me decide to see the person again. Even if you told me not to do it, I would have not went along because I made my decision, and I realized what _I_ want to do. So if you want to end our friendship because of your newly acquired set of monogamy principles, go ahead. I have nothing to lose, everything to win. Starting from on less nagging machine under my head.” He slammed his mug on the table and stood up to leave as Kaito was speaking.

“Does Ichiru know about this!”

“No!”

“How do you think he would react if he learns about it.”

“See if I care”

“How do you think Sensei would react if he learns of this foolish behavior of yours” Kaito screamed to make sure Zero heard him loud and clear. And he sure did. From the door, he turned with a deadly glare on his face and snarled at the sitting hunter. “That is a low blow, Kaito. Too low even for you, but then again, my answer is the same. See if I care!”  

 

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Zero did not know how he made it to his bedroom. He was clutching his tightening chest, trying to ease the burning as he was hyperventilating. He dropped to his knees at the edge of his bed, clutching the sheet as he opened his mouth in silent scream. His body tenser than ever, His eyes glistening with the tears that fell uncontrollably, not knowing if they fell due to lack of oxygen or from the anguish he was feeling. He could not wrap his mind around anything, all he could feel was intense rage, anguish, and anger about everything and anything. Today was just a shitty day for the silver hunter, he was feeling as if everything around him was falling apart, as if the very foundation of his sanity was shattering. It all started with the roller coaster of the rushed departure of his mentor that still did not feel real to him, then his fight with Kaname, and the cherry on top was the biting words coming from the last person he expected to hear them from, Kaito.

In a fit of anger, Zero yanked the covers and threw them away, then swooped everything that was on top of the cabinet, desk and nightstands to the floor in a frenzy before collapsing to the floor on his knees, his hands falling to his sides and eyes empty as they looked at the window, unblinking with tears falling continuously.

_Someone should just wipe me away from existence._

“I did not agree to embrace you for you to cry later, what is the use of bending my will then?” Zero startled at the unexpected voice coming from the dark corner of the room. He did not bother turning around as he recognized it quite well even if its owner camouflaged his presence very well.

“Was it entertaining to watch me break down, Kaname?” He whispered. His voice painfully scratchy

“Not in the least” Was the last thing the pureblood said before he approached Zero and squatted in front of him. Kaname felt a pang in his chest at the amount of hurt and agony reflected in the lonely violet eyes of the hunter that was still staring at the window, not seeing the man crouching in front of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued!
> 
> Reviews please!


	24. CHAPTER 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FIRST OF ALL, since I live in a great mix of cultures, I noticed several festivities going around these days, so I wish you all happy, healthy and prosperous celebrations and holidays with your families, friends and loved ones.
> 
> NOW, enjoy :D

 

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“Why must everyone order me around? Tell me what I should do and what I should not. I have enough already. Why should I live to anyone’s expectation?” Zero was mumbling to himself, oblivious to anything in the world.

“Zero…” Kaname whispered gently, trying to get his attention. When he remained still, eyes unfocused, the brunet tentatively extended a hand to hold the hunter’s dangling arm. Something akin to an electric shock run through Zero’s body when Kaname grabbed him.

“Zero! Look at me” He insisted, keeping his voice gentle. Unfortunately, his efforts backfired when Zero brushed his hand away and tried to put some distance between them. Kaname was about to move forward when Zero’s eyes focused on him “Don’t touch me! Don’t come near me!”.

Kaname stilled, surprised by the venom that dripped from the scratchy voice and the hate he saw in amethyst eyes. His brows knitted in a pained expression as he saw the hunter actually crawl on all four to the nearby desk and use it as a support of get up on his wobbly feet. Zero took few deep breaths and drank some water from the plastic bottle he picked from the floor.

“Feeling better?” Kaname was now standing close to the hunter without invading his comfort zone.

“Like you care about how I feel? Get out of here, your face is the last thing I want to see right now.” Zero talked without looking at Kaname, rubbing his dry throat as if it would restore his damaged vocal chords.

“I won’t leave you alone like this…” Kaname stated firmly

“I SAID! LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE! WHAT KIND OF STUPID SHIT ARE YOU NOT TO GET IT?” The hunter finally screamed his lungs out, wincing at his own voice but not failing to throw a deadly glare in the direction of the pureblood.

Just when Kaname was about to talk, a knock at the door interrupted them and the knob started to turn, alarming the ancient vampire.

“Zero? Are you alright? I heard you screaming” Gin’s voice preceded him as he spoke while opening the door.

“I am fine, don’t bother coming in, I want to be alone right now.” The hunter spoke fast to halt the steps of the blue haired human who was about to pass the doorframe into the room. He glanced at the pureblood who was conveniently hiding behind the opened door. _Seems like he has no plan of leaving! The hunter groaned inwardly._

“What in the world happened here” Gin’s alarmed voice snapped Zero back to his guest. He followed the gaze of the silver eyes, which roamed the room. “Looks as if storm passed by”.

“Nothing for you to worry about!” Zero deadpanned

“You are kidding right?” he answered as he extended a hand to turn on the lights, while respecting Zero’s wish that is not to enter the room. The evening sky dimmed the room for the human eyes. Gin’s eyes widened in shock as he took in Zero’s expression and the streak of obvious fresh tears.

“What do you want Gin?”

“I… I… was with Kaito downstairs… and he seemed in a bad mood…”

Zero was silent for a moment before letting out an incredulous laugh that bordered hysteria “So, he complained and you are here to give me another lecture?”

“No that is not- “

“Then WHAT? WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT GIN?” the last string of sanity finally snapped, “You found you dear friend upset and he told you I was the reason and you came to blame me for it. Nothing new, everyone seem to blame me for something these days. It seems like it is my fault that soo many bad stuff happens. FINE! GO AHEAD! BLAME ME! LECTURE ME! CURSE AT ME! I DON’T GIVE A SHIT ANYMORE! It is my fault that Kaito is upset, it is my fault that accidents happens, it is my fault that the earth is round, it is my fault that the fucking moon revolves around the earth and not the other way around, IT IS MY FUCKING FAULT THAT FIRE IS NOT COLD AND ICE IS NOT HOT! HAPPY NOW! I FINALLY LEARNED MY LESSON! EVERYONE SHOULD JUST FORGET ABOUT ME AND LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE. I AM SURE YOUR LIFES WOULD BE MUCH BETTER WITHOUT A PLAGUE LIKE ME AROUND! SO BE IT!” Zero stopped his pacing and faced Gin again, with a look daring him to speak his mind as if he already knew what the human was about to say, expecting him retort and fight back, which Gin never did.

The taller man was observing Zero’s movement, expression and unstable state. For once, Gin was grateful for being levelheaded and slow to react when provoked. He leaned back and checked his left and right side for anyone in the corridor, then looked back at Zero with a faint sad smile. He leaned on the doorframe and spoke as gently as possible “Sorry Zero, I did not mean to upset you… Truth is, I came in just when you were screaming at Takamiya-kun and running up the stairs. It seems that you did not notice me. When I tried to ask him what happened, he brushed it off as nothing but the usual bickering… I tried coming up to check on you but he told me not to… I guess he was right when he said that you needed to be left alone… I just came rushing when I heard crushing sound and then you screaming bloody murder… I was just worried about you.” He paused, waiting for Zero to respond, but the hunter just averted his gaze. He rubbed his own neck at the awkward silence before breaking it again, “Listen, I will go now, but if you need someone to talk to. Just call and I will be next to you in a second. Okay?”  

Gin closed the door gently and went on his way. Midway through the corridor, he heard the click of a door opening and hurried footsteps behind him. Turning around, he found Zero standing meekly, glancing sideways. He did not talk and gave the silverette the time he needed.

“I was in the wrong back there… I should not have lashed out on you without hearing you out. Sorry!” Zero talked softly, his nervousness showing by the way his hands were clenching and unclenching on his sides.

The taller man smiled, “No… you don’t have to worry about me, I am fine with being your punching bag if it helped calming you down…,” he teased, earning a scowl from the hunter who finally looked his way. “That is not funny!” Zero reprimanded, not liking the fact that he took out his anger on the man and worse, having Gin actually accept it without a fuss.

As if reading his mind, Gin replied accordingly, “Okay! You were wrong for lashing out at me and I accept your apology.”

Zero gave him a relieved look as if a burden lifted from his shoulders. With the intention of comforting him, Gin took a step closer and reached out a hand to ruffle the messy silver hair. Little did he expect Zero to flinch from his touch, moreover, he took a defensive stance by wrapping one arm around his own chest and clutched his other arm painfully. Seeing this display made the human opt out from the cuddling and leave the silverette alone. “Well then, I have to go prepare my lessons for next week… See you tomorrow. Good night!” he turned around after earning a nod from Zero who was once again averting his gaze.

The hunter cursed inwardly at how agitated and high-strung he was feeling. Tried as he may, he could never contain the outburst of his temper unless he lashes out on someone or do something stupid he would regret later. This time, he broke the record by doing both, and he is certainly reaping the consequence immediately.

He got back to his room and closed the door behind. He took a deep breath when he felt the shifting behind him signaling that the pureblood was still lurking around. “I told you to leave didn’t I?”

“I won’t”

“Just say your piece of mind and get out… I had enough shit today to last me a lifetime…”

“That is why I am here actually.” Kaname closed in behind Zero

“Then, by all means, start your ranting…” Zero turned to face him and threw his arms sideways, as if welcoming what is coming his way.

“No… What I meant is that I came here to listen to _your_ ‘ranting’” Kaname surprised him by pulling at his arms and cage him in an awkward hug.

Zero let out a pained whine and struggled for him to let go, which Kaname did but kept holding his forearm. “Ugh! Kaname… Don’t…”

Red-brown eyes narrowed at the face the hunter was showing, twisted in pain. _I am sure my grip is not that painful!_

“Zero? Are you hurt somewhere?” Kaname used his other hand to cradle the hunter’s cheek, rubbing soothing circle that backfired when the hunter flinched from it and gasped in pain.

“Ugh! Stop… haa… please” he whined, violet eyes screwed shut.

This time, Kaname grabbed his shoulders and shook him “Zero! Zero! Look at me, open your eyes! Talk to me! Tell me what is wrong damnit…” Kaname was second away from shouting out to whomever is in the house for help if they had any idea how to stop the silverette’s agony when the hunter finally spoke.

“My skin is on fire, Kaname! Don’t touch me please!” Zero finally explained in-between gritted teeth. As soon as he let go, Kaname noticed the pain in Zero’s expression fading as he took few deep breath.

“What the heck was that?” the pureblood asked, utterly confused.

“Nothing.”

“Zero, saying that won’t make me stop questioning you.”

“It is just a reaction”

“I don’t remember vampires suffering allergy to anything apart from blood pill.” Kaname snorted.

“I am not your regular vampire, you should know that.” Zero tried to brush it off by acting smug

“You are fooling no one.” Kaname deadpanned.

The hunter sighed when no more escape route remained. “It is a reaction, okay? Something like a nervous breakdown but not quite it.”

Seeing that Kaname still waited for more explanation, he elaborated. “It is a rare condition that happens to me when I am under an amount of stress that is more than I can handle. It can be physical stress, mental stress or emotional stress. It is not this bad usually. According to the type of stimuli, sometime it translates in something like getting in heat. Scratch that, most of the time it translate in me turning into a hornball. However, there were occurrence where it gets too much to the point of pain.”

“Okay… Since when did you get like this…?”

“Few years…”

“No! I meant this time, since when did it start?”

“Oh! I don’t know… But it started to bug me when I got back from the airport. I started getting restless and my blood felt like lava in my veins… that sort of feeling… Look! I need you to leave me alone so that I deal with it and feel better soon. So, I am kindly asking you to leave now.” Zero explained in a calmer voice, trying to get Kaname off his back.

“How do you deal with it?”

“I have my own ways, and I pretty much prefer not having an audience.”

“Okay! But I will come back later when you have calmed down. We need to talk.” Kaname insisted, making Zero roll his eyes in annoyance before reluctantly agreeing.

 

Kaname jumped out of the window and went on his way back to his chamber. Half way through, he made a U-turn and jumped back into Zero’s room because of a gnawing feeling that something very wrong was happening with the hunter, and his intuition was right on spot. Kaname practically pounced on Zero who was sitting on his desk, a towel folded under his forearm and blood trickling as he cut himself with a razor blade. The hunter gave a loud yelp when his hand holding the blade was yanked away and he glared at Kaname.

“What is wrong with you?” he screamed

“What is wrong with me? Zero, I am the one who should be asking that question to you. You are cutting yourself. Is this your plan?”

“Well… yes! That is the only way I could calm down… inflicting worse pain drive the burning of my nerves away and the blood loss numbs me. Do you have any better idea?” Zero barked at him.

Kaname noticed the necklace he was wearing “How many times do you do this… Do you cut yourself only when you get into this… heat?” he asked, already dreading the answer.

“Yeah…” Kaname’s blood ran cold when he heard the spike in Zero’s heartbeat. He concentrated hard enough to know if the hunter was lying or not because Zero mastered a perfect poker face over the years. _He is lying! God! And the necklace would camouflage the scent of his blood._ The pureblood felt horrified just imagining this gory scene happening each time the hunter was stressed out… _he really learned the worst ways to cope with his anxiety._

Noticing that Zero was no longer in pain from his touch, although hating the reason for it, Kaname pulled him in a tight hug. Zero’s eyes widened and his grip over the blade slackened, making the sound of its contact with the floor echoes.

“Sorry, I said too much earlier at my place. I should not have talked or acted that way…” Kaname knew he would regret apologizing this quickly, but he felt like that needed to do so in order to get Zero to open up.

Zero kept his hands to himself but did not free himself, too tired to fight back. “Stop telling me what I want to hear Kaname. I am not that pitiful”

“No, I am not saying it for you. It is the truth; I have no right to judge you.” Kaname insisted

“Well… If it makes you feel better, you were right on money… I am a control freak… So…” Zero chuckled and tried to get out of Kaname’s embrace but were denied. Kaname loosened his hold just enough for Zero to face him, but kept his grip firm over the silverette’s hips.

Zero sighed “And I also said too much… Making you out to be the bad guy when we both enjoyed what we had. Anyways, there is no use crying over spilled milk.”

Kaname smiled when he managed to get the hunter to talk and decided to tease him a bit to test the waters “So you admit that you used me like a…”

Zero arched an eyebrow in response before protesting “Okay! I might have used the fact that you were compromising to my every demand a little too much, but you should have said something, speak up instead of keeping it until you snapped, it is not like I would not have listened and evaluated my actions.”

Kaname finally found the lead he was looking for and latched on it “Says the person who keeps bottling up his feelings until it gets painful.”

Zero scowled at the remark, feeling cheated and looked away from the pureblood, “Manipulation is a second nature to you isn’t it?”

“I am just trying to get you to let it all out, speak your mind and express your worries” Kaname pleaded, tugging at Zero’s hips.

“Why should I confide in you?”

“Come on Zero! Quit being so…”

“What? Bitchy, demanding, control freak… do you have any other attribute you failed to imply”

“Zero I am not here to fight…” Kaname warned

“What are you here for then, to fuck?”

Kaname let out an exaggerated breath that tickled the silver bangs “NO! I am just trying to get you to talk, to confide in me with the things you cannot discuss with anyone else.”

“And what makes you think I would do that? Geez!”

“BECAUSE… because we are similar in that aspect… Because, for some reason or the other, I can be myself when I am around you, I feel like I don’t need to hide behind masks or be careful whatsoever and I would like you to feel the same. Actually, I think you do, otherwise you would not have allowed me into the deepest part of you.”

“Oh! Please!” Zero rolled his eyes again and got out of Kaname’s embrace. He jumped into his bed under the cover, with his back facing the vampire as if he was going to sleep.

Kaname smirked. He did not miss the slight blush that adorned the pale cheeks, nor the surprised look when he hit a nerve. Feeling more daring and playful, the pureblood got out of his shoes and slid under the blanket, spooning Zero from behind. The hunter stiffened “You could never take the hint, huh? Persistent prick”

“I won’t go unless you speak…”

“I have nothing to say.” Zero mumbled in annoyance, hiding his face into the pillow he is clutching and pinching the arm Kaname draped over his midsection.

“Is the fact that you were worried that I might try to take advantage of Yagari-san by having him indebted to me the only reason you came to my room.”  

The movement of the grumpy hunter stilled for a second. When no reply came, Kaname pulled Zero closer to his body and kissed the column of his neck, feeling him shiver at the touch.

He inhaled the unique sweet scent of the hunter and started to speak knowing that he could not miss a word because of their proximity, “When you asked me for the reason I did not tell you that I was helping him for my own benefit, I gave you a vague answer. The truth is, I don’t like flaunting my good deeds publicly and the secrecy became a habit to me. The reason is because for the king of vampires to be kind, helpful and at the service of everyone can be regarded as a weakness. Moreover, even if we have a certain amount of peace, there is still a risk of a more opposing faction to form if I appear to be siding with the hunter selflessly. What is keeping things together right now is the knowledge that hunters and vampires are using each other for their mutual benefit. As a result, me helping your mentor, as small as I may consider the action to be can cause a ripple of disapproval that might incur worse consequences. Yagari-san is in the same disposition; his image would be affected if word comes out about his life being saved by a vampire.” Kaname rested his head just on the pillow, patiently waiting for any response.

Moments later, he felt the hunter shift and twist his upper body to look towards the ceiling, glancing sideways to meet wine orbs. He licked his lips and took a sharp breath, then whispered, “I… I hate death…” Zero closed his eyes as if to will away the pain. Kaname tightened his hold on him in reassurance, urging him to continue. “I never asked for this… I could care less about living a long life… I did not ask to be a vampire… I did not ask to hold the power of the strongest hunter alive… I …” He gulped loudly “it scares me to think that I will outlive all those that I care about”

Kaname kept still as he saw glistening tears falling down slowly from violet eyes, he held the urge to pull the hunter tighter in his embrace when he saw his lips quivering. “There is nine chances out of ten that sensei would not make it back alive, Kaname! What am I going to do when that happens? I am supposed to grieve and move on. Then what? I am not even sure if I can actually do it. The worst is that it would be just the beginning, few decades later, if not less, the same will happen with the others… someday, I will have to say goodbye to Cross… Kaito… Ichiru… *hic* *sniffle*. Why? Because I am a fucking freak. All I ever wanted was to train as a hunter and compensate for Ichiru’s inability to do the same by making him proud of his brother. I wanted to carry on the legacy of my parents, marry, build a family and pass on our hunter heritage to my children. That is it. I just wanted what is normal for me, to live my life, as a normal dutiful hunter would have… I did not ask nor did I wish for any of this… I…” Zero turned around and hid his face into the crook of Kaname’s neck.

“Make it stop! Kaname! It hurts; please… just… do something… erase me…”

“SHH~ stop being stupid!” Kaname reprimanded him while kissing the top of his head. He maneuvered them so that he would be laying on his side with Zero using his arm as a pillow, coming face to face with the teary hunter.

Glassy amethyst eyes looked at the gently smiling brunet and scowled “Stop looking so smug when I am crying my eyes out… Geez, why do I always end up crying like a chick when you are around” Zero grumbled, wiping his eyes and runny nose then looking away from the amused gaze of the twinkling red-brown eyes.

“Feeling better now?” Kaname asked, already knowing the answer, which came in the form of a blush. He continued speaking as not to make Zero feel awkward. “Dying will only make matter worse, you will cause pain and sorrow to those who care about you and miss the chance of spending more time with them, and having even just one more happy moment to keep for when you need to remember them. You really are a coward, Zero! Seeing how much you look up to Yagari-san, you should take a page from his book of life” Kaname smirked when knitted eyebrow twitched at the insult. “I won’t take that back. Because, unlike you, He chose to fight until the end when he saw how much grieve he would cause a certain someone if he gave up that easily. My offer was more tempting after I told him that you actually invited me to dinner so that I don’t leave you alone the first time you visited him.”

“WHAT? You fucking told him about…” Zero screamed in disbelief.

“That I had dinner and kept you company. It was the first time I saw his eye pop out the size of a saucer. I was curious about his reaction if I told him that I actually had you for dessert that night, but I did not want to deal with a heart attack so I decided not to.” Kaname shrugged nonchalantly, amused at the way Zero’s mouth flapped multiple times before he grabbed and pulled his own bangs “Agh, the embarrassment! That is why he had that weird look as if I went mental the second time I paid him visit. Fuck you! How am I going to face him when he comes back now that I know that he knows? Ugh!”

Kaname chuckled “Well~ there is one huge fat chance out of ten that he will come back as ruthless as before and maybe more, so you better start thinking of how you are going to explain that little situation…” Kaname teased sarcastically as he hovered above the hunter with a mischievous grin. Zero’s eyes widened when he realized what exactly was it that the pureblood was trying to pull. All thoughts of being a burden, of dying, fear, worry and anxiety were completely gone by now, vanished as if they never suffocated him in the first place.

Kaname’s breath got caught in his throat when he caught a glimpse of what seemed like a quivering smile on the hunter’s lips. He realized that the hunter was no longer frowning. He was looking exasperated, defeated but comfortable, as if he caught a mischief but does not have the heart to correct it. _Mission accomplished, I guess!_

Kaname barely fought the urge to lean and steal those lips in a searing kiss. He cleared his throat and looked in direction of the window then back at Zero who was still observing him. “I think I should get going now… You need to rest…” Just as the brunet was shifting to get out of the bed, Zero pulled at his shirt, preventing his escape.

“Ah! Uhm… Never mind” the hunter belatedly realized that his body moved in his own accord. He let go of Kaname’s arm and laid back on the bed facing the other way while fighting the heat creeping up his face. _Why did have to go and do that! He will think I am coming on to him now._

Kaname let out a sigh of defeat, it seemed like he was unable to resist the cuteness that the helpless hunter was displaying, unconsciously. He moved back into the bed, this time covering the side of Zero’s body with his own. He cupped a flushed cheek to get the hunter to face him. They bumped their nose together and stared into each other’s eyes in silence. _Hmm? Maybe if it is just a little…_ a small naughty voice was whispering inside the hunter’s head as he looked into twinkling red-brown eyes.

After a minute of silence, Zero started rubbing Kaname’s arm that was on his chest seductively and giving him the look. Kaname gave a breathy chuckle and a look that clearly says ‘are you kidding me?’.

He cut him off before Zero could speak “No! I won’t do anything because it would be troublesome if my aura seeps out”

“Why would it?” Zero inquired, biting his lower lip, knowing how irresistible the action was for Kaname who immediately growled. _Well! At least he is not against doing it._

“I tend to lose control when I am inside of you.” The pureblood stated flatly.

Zero turned beet red “Oh! It is going to be a problem, cause I can’t seem to settle when you are nearby at all” he stuttered, fidgeting in effort to calm his growing erection.

“Same here” Kaname rubbed his own on Zero’s thigh, leading to both of them laughing at how little control they have when the other is concerned.

Seeing that neither of them seemed to be able to settle down, Kaname chose the only way out, “I think I should go”

Kaname started to unhook his arms but zero clutched them and turned his gaze as the blush crept further on his face

Kaname smiled at the implicit message and claimed the tightening lips of the embarrassed hunter, _Yuki was right! You do hate being alone at times like this!_

Zero startled but relaxed at the feel of the silken lips pressing on his own and moving lazily over his. The kiss was not deep and greedy nor was it superficial, they contented themselves by lazily moving they lips against each other while amethyst eyes gazed into wine orbs before Kaname pulled away and rested his forehead on Zero’s with eyes closed. “What was that for?” the dazed hunter spoke first

“hmm?... nothing… just felt like doing it…” Kaname’s hand twitched and he lifted his head up as if he was trying to listen to something.

“I think I have no choice but to leave after all, you have visitors…”

Zero frowned then concentrated his senses that allowed him to hear hurried footsteps coming into his direction. “Ugh… it must be Ichiru.”

With one last peck on the lips, Kaname left through the window in the form of crows in direction to his dorm quarter.

Zero let out a small smile while touching his lips which creeped Ichiru out when he came into the room

“Nii-san, you have an unusual goofy look, are you high on something…”

“Nah~ just feeling good”

“Good to hear, I was worried since Kaito said you guys had a small fight, shall we- What the fuck happened here?”

Zero rolled his eyes “Were you always this slow to take in your surroundings.”

Ichiru’s eyes roamed the room, horrified at the mess. His eyes landed at the bloodied towel on the desk as well as the equally bloodied razor blade on the floor. In a swift movement, he locked the door and rushed to his brother’s side. “What happened?”

Zero groaned, knowing the lecture he will get and hid under the cover. “Kiryuu Zero! Show me your wrists, NOW!”

“Haaaai!” he trailed as he poked on wrist out of the cover, Ichiru grabbed and checked it then asked for the other, and did the same. He let breathed a sigh of relief “Glad to know you did not use a hunter blade.”

“I was not that desperate!” Zero grunted from under the cover.

“What made you so anxious anyways? Was the fight with Kaito that bad?”

“Not really.”

“Then what?”

“Nothing, just a lot of small things accumulated together.” The older twin finally came out of his hiding. He cringed at the concerned look of Ichiru “They were being nosy, a little too nosy”

“You really need to grow out of this habit, Zero! Learn some tolerance.” Ichiru grounded

“I am plenty tolerant, mind you! I just can’t help it, when the switch flips, it just does…” Zero snapped at his twin, irritated that he ruined the good mood he had seconds ago.

“I seriously feel like I am talking to a rebellious teenager some time… And? Who was the victim this time around?” Ichiru asked, knowing that somebody must have sustained his brother’s wrath, or he would have found him still fuming until now.

Zero winced and gave Ichiru the puppy eyes knowing what is coming “I think I might have… kind of lashed out… a little… just a little…”

“fess up!” Ichiru was losing his patience.

“On Gin…” he finally said it. _Crap!_

Ichiru froze for a moment then stood to leave like a robot. “Ich~” Zero called meekly “Where are you going?”

“I am going to check on a probably traumatized man who probably witnessed a disturbingly psychotic behavior for the first time in his life, and apologize for what you have done. He will probably start avoiding you from now on. Gosh! Why does this guy have such bad luck with you. Do you know that you tackled him last night when you were fleeing god knows where.” Ichiru grumbled, without looking at his brother.

Zero perked “OH! But he said he did not mind it, at all.”

“What?” that got Ichiru to turn back.

“He kind of took it well. He was cool about it and said that he understood and even volunteered for being a punching bag whenever I am feeling down. Although I am sure he mean confidant by that. My punch might kill him.” Zero said jokingly. Leaving Ichiru stunned at the revelation.

 

The rest of the day went well. Zero reconciled with Kaito, Gin joined them in driving him to the airport to resume his mission and everything fell in place. Everything but the nature of the relationship between Kaname and Zero, which started to shift without them noticing. In fact, despite that Kaname called the deal off, they could not keep their hands off each other. In addition, Zero finally conceded to try to get along better with Kaname as a person by quoting “I would like for us to have a fresh start, forget about the past and move on. However, for me to be able to do so, you have to promise not to bring up the past, anything related to coexistence, feelings for Yuki when we are together because it would make me remember that you are the cold hearted bastard pureblood that ruined my life, which is a major turn off”

 

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A week later, Kaito took over the Chairman duties setting Zero free from the shackles after making him promise that he will stand in for Kaito and come visit more frequently from then on. Because of going back to his place, Zero found that his meetings with Kaname became more frequent thanks to the teleportation ability of the pureblood.

Everyone seemed to have settled into their routine with few indiscernible changes that did not affect the surface of the big pictures. However, one pregnant brunette was not as lucky as everyone else thanks to her bad habit of barging in without knocking.

At the beginning of the week, Yuki drifted to sleep with Keiichi in his bed. When she woke up, the brown-haired woman panicked when she did not find the red haired child. After searching every nook and cranny of the dorm, she concluded that he might have wandered off to see Zero thinking that he is still at the chairman office.

Completely oblivious to everything but finding the missing child, Yuki pushed the door open shouting “Zero! Did Kei-chan co…m..e….bby….”

She froze at the sight that greeted her. A blondie she recognized as a flushed Takuma Ichijou who was staring back at her wide-eyed in horror. The fact that Takuma was in the office was nothing new, but the compromising position that Yuki walked on in was unusual. He was on his knees on the carpet bending over with his upper body resting on the couch in front of him, with his bottom half completely naked and obviously mounted by another man clutching his hips. Yuki could barely process the fact that she just walked in on Ichijou having sex with another man at the chairman office. _Oh my-!_ Without being able to finish her thought, Yuki slammed the door closed and ran down (wobbled down) the corridor. He was feeling her face get hotter and hotter knowing that she must look as red as a tomato by now if her racing heart was any indication. _Oh my god! That was embarrassing! How am I going to face Ichijou-sempai from now on. Gosh! I can’t believe I witnessed him being intimate with Kai-!_

All blood that rushed to her face drained in an instant at the sudden realization. _That was Kaito! Kaito Takamiya?! Takamiya-sensei, right?! He has no twins, nuhuh!_

Yuki turned to stare in direction of the office with a comically shocked expression, pointing shaky finger. _That was definitely Kaito, known to hate vampires to the bone, actually getting intimate with- OH MY GOD! DO NOT TELL ME THAT ICHIJOU-SEMPAI IS THE SECRET LOVER HE REFUSEs TO TALK ABOUT! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!_  

A phone call saved her from the fangirl squeal she was about to let out. Ichiru was the one calling her to tell her that Keiichi was with him at Aido’s lab.

 

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Back at the Chairman’s Office xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 

 

“Damnit Kai! I told you it is not a good idea to do it here, now what am I gonna do?” the ash blond vampire whined as forest green eyes glared back at a positively pissed off hunter who was in turn glaring at the closed door.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now guess who will be in the lemony chapter coming up next *grin*
> 
> Shout out to the few how guessed the third pairing right XD
> 
> See ya
> 
> Reviews please!


	25. chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> ALERT! LEMON!!!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
> 
> This chapter ended up exclusively KaiTaku, although I was planning for it to be otherwise.
> 
>  

 

**oOo**

 

*Thrust* *Thrust* *Thrust*

“UHN… Kai.. no… Stop… Please!” Takuma moaned out, clutching the hand gripping his hips as Kaito resumed his thrusting without warning.

“For what?” Kaito grunted as he slowed down the pace yet again.

Takuma inhaled and looked back at the brown haired hunter hesitantly “I really can’t seem to relax here, can’t we go back to your room?” he pleaded

“Nope” he gripped the hand clutching his and wrenched the arm behind the blond vampire, tying it to the other with the rumpled shirt, Kaito resumed his relentless pounding until he felt the tremor going through the body underneath him, “Noo… hic… please… I can’t…”

Upon noticing the sobs escaping, he pulled out and turned Takuma around in order to look him in the eyes. Hazel eyes widened, and then narrowed at the fact that the blond vampire has gone soft and in pain. Kaito untied him and waited for him to calm down, inwardly cursing himself for being so hasty.

“I am sorry…” Takuma sniffled while wiping his face, knowing how much Kaito hated it when he cried like that.

“What is it?” Kaito asked as he unbuttoned the rest of his shirt kissing the thin skin on the shoulder he uncovered, already having a hunch about the answer to his question.

“I just… Yuki-chan… barging like that… I got shocked… scared… but you went on… and it hurts…” Takuma uttered between gasps of breath as he tried to even his talk and get over the fright he got.

“Tsk” the vampire flinched at the click of tongue, regretting his impulsiveness of attempting to seduce the hunter in such a place to begin with. _I just ruined the moment! Stupid me!_  

 

**oOo                       flashback                             oOo**

 

“I guess we’re all done here.” Zero announced with a clap, more than happy to get rid of chairman duty.

“Tch! Do you know how much of an asshole you are being? Would it kill you to wait a couple of days before handing over?” Kaito grumbled, his head pounding from having to go through the updates and important tasks he needs to be aware of just after his arrival back to cross academy.

“Yes, it would! You should have been here a day before and thanks to your delay; I messed up my work schedule and other important meetings.” Zero snorted.

Before Kaito could pull a smart retort, a soft knock was heard and the noble vampire came in. “I hope I am not interrupting anything important?” Ichijou greeted with a bright smile, already knowing the topic of the bickering since the hunters did not exactly keep their voices down.

“Nope, don’t worry about it Ichijou, I was on my way out if not for this guy making lame excuses so that I do his job for him.” Zero teased.

“You little shithead!” Kaito growled, and then nodded at Takuma.

“Am I?”

“Don’t you think you are going disappear into thin air again? I will hunt you down this time and lock you up.” He warned, pointing a finger at Zero.

Zero squinted, sneered and then turned to Takuma, ignoring him “Did you need anything from me, Ichijou”

Takuma looked from Kaito to Zero, then from Zero to Kaito, confused at the exchange, before replying “Uhm… I just brought the reports and few documents that need the co-signature of the acting chair.”

Zero grinned at that “Well that would be him from now on. Here is your first batch of paperwork, buddy! I am going to get back the life I deserve now.”

“Yeah right! Go right ahead, but you gave me your word to help out whenever I need a break, don’t you dare take that back.” Kaito reminded him as Zero was about to walk out of the door.

“I know! As I told you, give me prior notice and I won’t have a problem coming since Cross bought me the full equipment for my work here as well.” Zero waved before closing the door and running for the hills, feeling free as a bird.

There was an awkward silence as the two occupant watched the escape of the silver hunter.

“That prick! He sure does not take long to collect.” Kaito grumbled as he lit his cigarette, taking a long puff. He figured it was Zero’s way of getting back at him. No matter how forgiving his fellow hunter might be, he must admit that he went too far by threatening to end their friendship over a tryst with a guy he does not even know or care about. Hazel eyes traveled to the smaller figure having their back towards him. His lips curling up in a faint smile.

“So? Where are those documents?” the question snapped Takuma from his internal excitement coupled with a slight panic attack. _Silly! What the heck are you doing letting your head run wild fantasies at a time like this Takuma Ichijou! He just came back from a long trip, he has work, and he is in a bad mood. Besides, during the whole stay of his mission, he did not call you. Well… he did once and texted another time. Stop getting your hopes up already. That moment in his room last week must be due to his sleepy brain, you are just imagining things._

“Here you go!” Takuma put the documents on the desk, slightly brushing against the muscled shoulder of the hunter leaning back on the furniture, unaware of the heated gaze directed at him as he was immersed in his internal turmoil. _God I miss him! I miss his scent, even the stinky tobacco, damn!_

“Kiryuu-kun was sure in a hurry to leave, huh! Well then…” He trailed as moved back toward the door, slowly.

“Yeah… Thank you for the hard work! Good luck supervising those brats tonight as well.” Kaito spoke with a flat tone, his eyes following the vampire as he was about to leave, cursing how much of a coward he can be when it comes to the serious stuff.

Takuma held the brass knob and paused “Uhm… Actually, I took the night off. Two nights actually…” he murmured loud enough for the hunter to hear, which seemed far too loud to himself. _Shit! I can’t believe I said it! What is he going to think of it! That I am cheap for actually taking time off just to do… stuff with him…_

Kaito, on the other hand, had his mouth gaping and the cigarette almost falling if he was not holding it with his fingers. _Well I’ll be damned if this is not an invitation._

“Hmm! Good for you… you sure need a good rest once in a while…” He could not help but tease him.

“Um…” Takuma’s shoulder slumped as he held himself from banging his head against the door. “I guess I should go.” He was about to leave, but something was tugging at the back of his mind, preventing him from stepping out of the office.

“Is something the matter?” Kaito asked innocently, enjoying the struggle of the vampire into an awkward attempt of seduction.

Takuma turned around, with his hand still clutching the knob behind his back. “I was wondering if you had any plans later tonight.” He talked too fast to the point of almost biting his tongue.

Kaito put out his cigarette in the nearby ashtray and looked back at the vampire with a musing look, “Let’s see… I guess after finishing these documents, I will go back, take a relaxing bath, empty my luggage and get a much needed sleep.”

 _Figured as much, he must be tired after all!_ Takuma thought dejectedly as he expected the hunter to pull one of his crude way of inviting him. However, he did not want to give into his insecurities, his fear that Kaito’s interest for him had cooled down during the past couple of months. He did not want to be convinced that it was over because he was in too deep to move on unscathed.

“Uhm! If it is not too much trouble… Can I come to your room later?” Takuma finally found the courage to ask.

Kaito quirked an eyebrow up and covered his mouth as not to show the quivering lips itching to curl up into a smirk. _God! He is so freaking cute!_

“hmm! What for?” 

“Nothing!” Takuma answered a little too abruptly, feeling his face heat up “Just… Just thought of hanging out…” He looked down, not daring to face the taller man in fear that he might have gotten irritated at his persistence. _Gosh! This is unnerving!_

“Fine by me!” Kaito spoke, pushing his weight off the desk and approaching the flustered vampire whose face shot up in disbelief at the answer.

“R…Really” Takuma stuttered, feeling his chest tighten.

“Why not… As a matter of fact, it would be great if you could drop this duffel bag for me and make yourself comfortable there.” Kaito answered, calmly as he picked his luggage and extended it toward the blonde-haired man.

Takuma looked from the bag up to the smirk on Kaito’s face; he shook his head in exasperation. _A bully will always be a bully._

Feeling a little daring, Takuma tentatively held the hand gripping the handle of the bag, and then used the other to take the luggage while speaking “I guess one more errand would not hurt.” He gave a shy smile as he looked up to the taller man, hiding the nervousness in his voice.

He let out a yelp when Kaito suddenly twisted his own hand and gripped his wrist with a grin morphing on his face. The hunter pushed him back against the door and pinned his wrist above his head. “You know Taku… Your attempt at seducing me or inviting me reaaaly sucks, you need to work harder in that department.” He whispered close to the vampire’s ear, his breath swaying the soft blond strands that smelled of fresh shampoo. Takuma could not help the shudder that ran through his body at the proximity of the man he loved and longed for. He swallowed loudly, willing his voice to not tremble “What are you talking about?”

“Come on, Taku!” Kaito taunted “you know very well what I am talking about!... Okay! Since you are not able to say it bluntly, I will give you another chance to do it by action… try to be a bit sexier this time…” the hunter teased, enjoying the fiery blush that reached the vampire’s earlobe. _Unbearably cute._ He made him go redder by placing a kiss on the side of his neck before pulling away and letting go of his wrist.

Suddenly free, Takuma realized he dropped the bag he was holding from the earlier surprise. He felt lost for a moment before his emerald eyes met the darkened hazel one of the man standing inches away from him. He could still feel the heat radiating from his body, could distinguish his breathing getting irregular, and could hear his heart pounding in chest contradicting the smug expression plastered on his face.

Takuma hesitantly closed what little distance separated him from Kaito, glided his trembling hands from the chiseled chest up to the broad shoulders before snaking them around Kaito’s neck. He gave a tentative tug as he tiptoed to get the taller man to lean down slightly, which he did. His breath hitched when Kaito’s breath brushed against his face, he parted his lips a little and brought them against the awaiting ones of the hunter while he let his fingers tangle into the messy light brown hair at the nape of his neck. The kiss was chaste, shy and almost innocent. It lasted for a brief moment that seemed like eternity. Takuma pulled back just enough to face Kaito without letting go, his eyes looking for any signal from the hunter.

“One more time” Kaito whispered, his eyes never leaving the tempting lips that teased him for that brief moment.

Encouraged, Takuma claimed Kaito’s lips once again. This time, he kissed, sucked and nibbled on the lower lip, ignoring the bitter taste of the tobacco that assaulted him. Feeling his own body heat up, the blond vampire pulled away and hid his face in the crook of the hunter’s neck, tightening his grips over it as well. He pressed his body against Kaito’s, hoping for him to reciprocate, or react in some way. _God! I want him so much!_

Kaito remained still, hanging on what little control he still had. He could not remember the last time his little vampire took the initiative intimately. Takuma might be easygoing and cheerful, but he turns shy and prudish once his clothes are off, the kind of partner Kaito never bothered to seek out before him. When he felt the smaller figure pressing against him, he pulled his own hands out of his pockets and whispered, “One more time, Taku”, he could not help but smile at the childish whine the vampire let out.

Takuma felt like he was digging his own grave. He knew that if he gave Kaito an inch, the hunter would swallow him whole. However, he could not help but want him to do just that, but not in the chairman’s office, it was too risky of a place. He was still trying to think of a way to get Kaito to leave with him when a pair of rough hands pulled his shirt from under his belt and snaked up his sides, caressing the skin underneath. He gasped when one hand settled on the small of his back while the other sneaked up to his chest, kneading it.

Kaito was totally enjoying the gasps that soon turned to soft pants as he touched the warm supple skin underneath the layers of clothes. _Why does he have to wear so many anyways!._

He grazed a swelling nipple with his nail, and then stretched the skin around it out before squeezing again, knowing how much his partner would feel it judging from the moans he was earning. Takuma finally brought out his face from its hiding place; he looked into hazel orb, helplessly begging him to stop his assault with his troubled expression, which led to igniting Kaito’s sadistic desire instead.

“Let’s continue in your room…” Takuma begged before his rosy lips parted in a silent cry when Kaito’s finger gave a harsh tug on the sensitive nub, he whispered against him with a tone akin to a growl “Punishment for not kissing me one more time!” and he claimed those awaiting lips without waiting for an answer.

 If Takuma were in his right mind, he would be telling himself that he had it coming and try to bail out, but he was not. He was hungry for Kaito. Therefore, as soon as their lips locked and the wet muscle invaded his cavern, Takuma twisted his tongue around it and engaged in a passionate dance as he lost himself in the spicy flavor he craved, not minding the bitterness that came with it since he learned to accept it as a part of the man he loves.

In the middle of the room, the two were glued to each other, their hands hovering all over their bodies as they kissed to the point that it seemed as if they were eating each other’s faces. They only stopped briefly for air, with Kaito pulling the sweater off Takuma’s head before he resumed kissing the daylight out of him while unbuttoning some of the top buttons of the shirt the vampire was wearing underneath. _He is seriously wearing too many layers._

Takuma, however, was not having much luck finding strength in his shaky fingers to unbutton Kaito’s shirt. He groaned into the kiss, frustrated before he contended himself with lacing his fingers into messy light brown locks and pulling Kaito down to deepen the kiss. He suddenly yelped and pulled away when the hunter squeezed his rear. He braced himself knowing what is coming when Kaito placed one arm under his bottom and another on the middle of his back and picked him up. The vampire suddenly found his legs reflexively locked around the larger man’s waist and his face at a higher level than Kaito’s. “Uhnnn… mmmm” he moaned uncontrollably when the wicked mouth found his exposed neck and bit on it harshly.

Kaito moved around until he reached the desk where he placed the rear of the vampire who was wrapped around his body like a koala. He did not stop harassing the sensitive neck, nibbling and sucking on his throat then travelling up to the chin, giving false hope of a kiss before sliding his lips seductively over the side of the slender neck until he reached the collarbone where he bit harshly, catching the shivering vampire by surprise.

Kaito knew that the junction of the neck is a sensitive spot that will drive his vampire mad, and it sure did. He enjoyed as the body he was holding trembled and shuddered more when his tongue lapped on the spot he bit. His mouth travelled downward, relentlessly sucking and nibbling until he reached destination. He backed a little, lips curling up slightly. _I miss these sexy tits!_ He thought as he stared at the flushed inverted nipples before latching on one of them, making Takuma’s head go blank with his ministrations. All thoughts of stopping and considering the TPO now gone from their head and only the needy desire for each other surging more and more.

Takuma had to let go to grip the edges of the desk and throw his head backward when Kaito gave a teasing tug on the nipple he finally made to erect from its confine. When he tipped his head back, forest green eyes glazed with lust stared at shining hazel orbs over a smirking mouth showing his nub entrapped between pearly white teeth. Takuma shivered at the sight and screamed when pain and pleasure coursed through his body simultaneously, his back arching like a bow, feeling the electric jolt travel instantly to his aching groin. His breathing grew ragged, face flushed as heat coiled in his loins.

Satisfied with the sound elicited, Kaito suddenly stopped and straightened up, give a once over look at his work or art (making a mess out of Takuma), keeping his hand on a trembling thigh. He enjoyed the sight of the blond-haired vampire on the brink of insanity, completely flushed and disheveled, and sporting a straining tent between unconsciously parted legs.

While the hunter was enjoying the view, Ichijou was willing away his orgasm that threatened to erupt; he took large gulp of air, straining to calm down his raging desire as not to embarrass himself by releasing from just few touches and caresses. When he finally half opened his eyes that he did not notice ever closing, he caught sight of the bulge that the thick fabric of the hunter’s jean failed to hide. He immediately whimpered when the sight excited him further as he remembered the muscled naked body caging him and that hard rod impaling him to the bed mercilessly. He felt himself grow harder if it was even possible with his insides tingling in anticipation.

In the haze of his erotic memories, Takuma failed to notice the hand traveling from his thigh toward his own bulge. His body gave a violent jerk when Kaito’s finger probed his entrance through the clothes before cupping his sacks and finally palming his arousal not so gently, “NO! Ahnn… stop… Kaito… that’s…mm”

“You sure?” Kaito teased as he leaned closer to the flushed face, stopping his movement for a brief moment until the stunned vampire relaxed.

Takuma let out a shaky breath as he held the wrist of the hand that was torturing him, _that was so close._ “AAAHHH!” forest green eyes bulged out and both hands came up to cover his own mouth while his legs closed on the wicked hand of the hunter, trapping it there.

Hazel eyes widened for a moment, what meant to be a teasing rub made the vampire come undone immediately. Kaito startled when he felt Takuma twitch under his palm only for his suspicion to be confirmed the next second by the scream of pleasure, the body curling up on its own from violent spasm, and the dampness that could be felt through the thin fabric of Takuma’s pants.

“That was fast!” Kaito whispered, making the other glow as red as a traffic light.

“I told you to stop, baka!” Takuma almost wailed in frustration, unable to bear the humiliation, he covered his face.

Kaito chuckled as he wrestled to undo the ball Takuma made himself into until he finally removed the hands hiding the blushing vampire with glistening eyes. “So what? You just felt good, plain and simple.”

Blond eyebrows shot up in surprise. _He would usually teases and annoys me about finishing first until I cry!_

He tilted his head questionably, which made Kaito put his guard up instinctively when he belatedly noticed his unfamiliar reaction. His mouth moved before he thinks of way to take advantage of the soft mood, “I guess this is as far as we go, then. I will see you back in my room later”

“Wha… but… you are still…Uhm” Takuma stuttered in surprise yet again, his gaze following the hunter as he laid lazily on the couch, dropping one hand on the back, one leg reaching the opposite armrest and the other leg dangling down. The vampire got down from the desk, cringing at the sticky sensation between his thighs.

Kaito cocked his head sideway to face him, “What? Aren’t you dead set against doing it here moments ago?” He deadpanned, making the vampire halt any movement. The blond haired man gulped, his eyes traveling from hazel eyes to chiseled clothed chest until they landed on the ever-bulging tent. Takuma licked his drying lips and approached the couch until he was facing the hunter, “We don’t necessarily have to do it…” He suggested in a hushed voice that Kaito almost missed.

“Hmm?” Kaito hummed as he folded the extended leg to make space for the vampire who was crawling up to him by now.

Takuma was feeling more daring than usual, which was making him uneasy at the same time, as he did not know the reason for the funny feeling that was claiming the pit of his stomach for a while now. He was almost certain that if he were a human, he would be developing an ulcer due to the stress of being with the unpredictable hunter. Nonetheless, Takuma fell to the point that he would not be able to go without him, to the point of admitting his feeling without expecting anything in return knowing the pain he will endure because of it. The current situation is an example of his suffering, the sudden mellow attitude of the hunter, the fact that he is allowing him to take the initiative added to the other fact that he is not throwing hurtful sarcasm at him always threw Takuma for a loop. He loved but hated it all the same when Kaito was being tender, not using restrains and being considerate of his wellbeing, as it was happening a lot lately, Takuma hated that he was allowing himself to hope that this cruel man was coming around to reciprocate his feelings. 

The blond haired man hesitated a bit before kissing the lazy one smiling at him seductively with half-lid amused eyes. Not wanting to upset his eager partner with any misplaced remark, Kaito decided to chill and let Takuma experiment with whatever he had in mind, relinquishing control for once.

Takuma glided his tongue over the lower lip demanding access which Kaito granted. He kissed him as passionately as he could before pulling away slightly. Green eyes met hazel one for a moment before he started kissing him again. This time, rosy lips traveled from the tip of the hunter’s nose, leaving soft pecks on the lips again, then on the chin and went on as they travelled downward. An apparent flinch of Kaito’s body snapped Takuma out of his dreamy state and made him freeze for a split of a second when he realized that he licked and kissed the pulsing vein close to the hunter’s throat. The vampire felt his chest tighten in joy when he noticed that, instead of yanking his hair and literally kick him across the room; Kaito clutched the couch until his knuckles turned white and locked his jaw to keep from cursing for a moment before he relaxed his body yet again. He surprised him further by placing a hand on the blond head to caress it while he craned his head back, making it seem as if he was trying to get more comfortable. Takuma felt tears stinging his eyes at the small actions that meant a lot, the message conveyed, loud and clear. _I trust you!_

Without further ado, Takuma ripped Kaito’s shirt open after failing to unbutton it miserably, earning a breathy chuckle from the owner. The vampire gave him a trembling smile before he started kissing and nibbling everywhere, his hands roamed every line of the toned torso as if committing it to his memory before they landed on the hem of the jeans. He kept one hand teasingly tracing the edge of the rough fabric while he leaned on the other to resume kissing the panting hunter who was following his every move. He found it surprisingly easy to pop the button of the garment and quickly unzipped the fly open. “Fuck!”

Takuma smiled when Kaito cursed in his mouth at the feel of his hand dipping inside the underwear and caging his pulsating member. He enjoyed the puffs of breath on his face when said hand started moving obscenely. Kaito’s brain went into overdrive when the blond head dipped down to torment his navel while freeing his erection from its confine. His breath caught when he felt the warmth engulf him for a moment. Hazel eyes watched with dark lust as lascivious lips traced his underside before placing a peck on the engorged tip followed by a teasing lick then going for the kill and taking as much as possible inside the wet cavern of bliss. The hunter instantly gripped his own base, throwing his head back with a feral grunt at the sensation. “Shit!”

Takuma pulled his mouth away for a moment without stopping his stroking of the now lubed arousal, his thumb circling the head occasionally. He looked up to the tormented man who was staring back at him. “Is it good?” he asked, a blush dusting his heated cheeks.

“Don’t stop… hah… I want you to do it…” the only strained answer that the aroused hunter managed to give. Encouraged, Takuma dipped back to resume his ministration.  Kaito wiped his face with his free hand and breathed shakenly, his skin glistening with beads of sweat and his forehead wrinkled as he struggled to repress his impeding orgasm, not wanting to break Takuma’s record. “Relying on my right hand for almost two month did not cut it for me, I guess”

Kaito did not realize that he voiced his thoughts out loud until Takuma paused with wide eyes and asked with his mouth full “hmm?” leading to a sudden buck of hips that almost choked him. Thus, he instinctively relaxed his throat and let the hunter drown in the bliss of thrusting into his mouth, giving him encouraging caress on his thighs and lower belly. Even through all the action, Takuma could not help but ponder on what slipped from the hunter’s mouth. Before he was able to put the pieces together, Takuma felt the hand gripping his hair tighten and the other cupping his chin, a sign that the hunter was close to release if his ragged breathing was not a more obvious indication. He took the chance to speed up the bobbing motion of his head, leading to Kaito’s screwing his eyes shut, and the tug on the swollen sacks was the undoing point of the hunter as Takuma felt the thick creamy substance flood his mouth and slide down his throat as he swallowed. He patiently waited for the iron grip to slacken before raising his head up and look at the spent hunter whose chest was heaving and mouth open slack. He lifted his groggy body, wiping whatever spilled at the corner of his mouth, he rested his head on the defined chest, enjoying the thrumming of the erratic heartbeat, a smile he could not suppress plastered on his swollen lips.

“Where the heck did you learn all that…” a hoarse whisper vibrated above blond hair.

“I guess I had a good teacher… ACK!” Takuma answered jokingly before giving a surprised yelp when Kaito suddenly flipped the both of them and got him sandwiched between the sofa and the bulky body of the hunter. Kaito stared at the man underneath him with a scrutinizing look, a foreign emotion flitted through his eyes that Takuma could not pinpoint.

“I wonder if it was only that?” he whispered as his gaze roamed the effeminate feature of the smaller figure.

Green eyes rolled in annoyance, knowing the pattern to come. _Not again!_

“How many parties did you have to attend lately?” Kaito interrogated

“A handful… Mostly as an escort.” Takuma answered, adding the last detail to alleviate the souring mood of the hunter.

“What a about the ones where you were not escorting that pureblood bastard!” Kaito grumbled, partly relieved that the brown haired vampire was around. As much as he hated his guts, Kaito knew that Kaname looked out for Takuma and cared for him deeply. He would brush it off as nonsense if he did not witness it in person during one of the galas he had to guard; a creepy vampire was trying to feel up the blond noble when Kaname made him jump out of his skin with a subtle remark in his ear. Kaito was almost certain that it was a threat judging from the paling complexion of the man. At that time, the perverted act did not faze the hunter as it only confirmed his prejudice about vampires being filthy lewd creatures whose only drive was their lust for power and pleasure in all forms. However, the actions of the pureblood struck him as odd seeing as Takuma was under the commands of Sara Shirabuki at that time, which was regarded as a traitorous act toward Kaname. Nonetheless, the pureblood stepped in, protected him and stepped away without waiting for any word of gratitude, as if nothing happened to begin with.

The problem now is when Takuma was attending as a guest not as an escort. Kaito could not help the burning desire to shoot and slice everyone who dared look or prey on the cute and alluring noble. “There was a couple of them; I just stayed long enough to not be considered rude for leaving too early.” The soft answer snapped the hunter back to the present.

“Hmm? So you did not have anyone accompany you back home?” He stated sarcastically, earning a hurt look from the vampire.

“NO… Kaito, why are you doing this again… you know that my answer would be the same each time… there is only you and no one else…” Takuma protested, tugging at the hand gripping his above his head.

“What guarantees that you are not lying each time? What guarantees that you did not seek anyone else while I was gone? The convenient body of yours leaves no marks to prove you guilty… For all I know, you could be prancing around fucking everything that moves before coming and acting all cute and innocent with me… Who knows? Maybe you pull this act with every other guy you fuck?” Kaito could not stop his foolish mouth from spouting nonsense, even if he knew that most of them were baseless, he could not help the dark thoughts from haunting him. _What if everything was a beautifully crafted lie._ He cursed inwardly at his pessimistic attitude, especially when it was obvious that every word leaving his mouth hurt Takuma like a sharpened blade.

Sparkling tears escaped the emerald eyes as he looked away from the harsh hazel ones, suddenly feeling weak and helpless, the noble vampire managed to voice few words through his tightening throat before the sobs took over “Why do you have to be so cruel… Why bother acting like the one that cares if you were going to throw such baseless accusations again and again… Why give me hope that things are getting better between us when you never stopped doubting me…Hic… *sniffle*… I… *sob repeatedly*… I don’t…”

Takuma paused to take a breath and steel his nerve as he looked back into the eyes of the man hovering over him “I don’t have any way of proving you wrong other than my words and actions…” he freed his hands from the slackening grip and brought them up to cup the anguished face looking down at him. “I love you Kaito! I love you and only you… *sniffle*… I have never felt this way toward anyone else before… I was withering during the time you were away on this mission… I kept counting the days, hours and maybe seconds until you came back… I surprised even myself by how obsessed I am with you… Any thought of feeling this way toward another never crossed my mind as it was constantly filled with you, so is my heart… the mere thought of getting intimate with another makes my skin crawl with disgust… I has to be you or no one else… I know I sound like a broken record, but that is what I truly think and how I truly feel… I won’t expect anything out this love but I don’t think I can keep this up if you will not believe me anytime soon.” He whispered the last part, a painful squeeze of his chest made him choke on his words.

He would be lying if he said that it was fine for Kaito to leave him, and he would be a hypocrite if he said he would be fine, knowing that he was not the only one that Kaito was sleeping with as well. However, he would never voice out his insecurities out of fear that he might lose what little connection they managed to establish. Nevertheless, being accused based on the mindless actions of his own race hurts too much. Just because vampires tend to engage in debauchery and enjoy the lust they get out of blood and sex does not mean that they have no feelings and not capable of commitment when they find the one for them. Takuma covered his eyes, unable to stop the tears that flowed. “I can’t prove it, but it is the honest truth, I swear. You are the only one for me, I don’t want anyone else, Kaito! I love you…” he spoke the words with a thick and strained voice, stiffening when he felt hot puffs of air close to his ear.

“You want me to give you a chance to prove it?” Kaito suggested.

Takuma nodded without taking his hand away from his eyes.

“How about I watch you as another guy fucks you, I can determine whether you feel disgusted or not that way. Then, I will believe anything else you said…” Kaito explained with a flat voice, devoid of emotion with an unreadable blank expression as he stared down at the terrified vampire who finally met his eyes with trembling emerald irises, a quivering pair of lips and a shaking body as he clutched the forearms on either side of his head. “No… No…nono… Please! Anything but that, Kai!... You would not want that either right?… Please! I can’t…” Takuma was in total panic mode at this point, it would not surprise him if Kaito acted on his words Knowing how twisted the hunter can get … trembling hands gripped tense muscled shoulders, trying to shake them into reason “Kaito… Tell me you are joking, please!... I won’t do it… such a thing… No… anything but that…” he finally hid his face in the broad chest and gripped Kaito’s neck as if his life depended on it while he wailed in desperation.

Kaito seemed like he turned into stone, frozen in a position where he propped his weight on his extended strong arms while Takuma hanged on his neck, warm tears sliding on his skin. His nose crinkled in disgust. No… he was not disgusted with the vampire, he was disgusted with himself and how royally fucked up he was. How he managed to ruin the good atmosphere when he could have made it better is beyond him. How his train of thought took, a turn to the worst after a spectacular blowjob Takuma offered him astonished him. Of course he was the one who taught him how to do it right, the blond haired man did not know the first thing about going down on another man when he first made him do it. Of course, he could easily figure out if he was seeing others. Kaito dated and played around enough to sniff out a liar in bed. Then why? Why could he not accept the fact that Takuma belonged with him and wanted only him. Why does he have to hurt him each time he feels like he was falling deeper in love with the creature he was supposed to loath. _Why do you love me so much when I am this cruel to you? Even I find myself disgusting at times! Why did you have to choose me? Why did you not run away the first chance you got? I can’t let you go anymore now… I can’t set you free anymore, even knowing that I will hurt you more than ever with this sick love of mine._

Without saying a word, he took the trembling form into a crushing hug, adding his weight to suffocate the vampire under him. Takuma gasped when he felt the weight crushing him and the arms trapping him. He barely had space to poke his nose over the shoulder of the hunter for breathing.

“Kai?” his tears suddenly dry and mind clear, Takuma blinked few times and tapped the back of the man hiding his face in the crook of his neck.

“I won’t.” muffled words tickled his naked skin

“What?” Takuma winced at his scratchy voice. _Damn, my vocal chords are not healing fast enough!_ He cleared his throat and asked again, still shaken by the previous talk.

“I won’t do it… Stop crying… You know I hate it when you cry from anything other than pleasure… When I am the one fucking you of course.” Kaito whispered into the noble’s ear, without allowing him to see the grim expression he had.

Takuma snorted before asking suspiciously, “You promise?”

Kaito chuckled at how quickly the vampire can calm down. “On one condition” Kaito stated as he propped himself to face the wary vampire. Takuma tightened his lips into a thin line, the crease between his eyebrow deepening, and worries never left his eyes. “You said you would do anything, right?” Kaito teased again.

A blond eyebrow quirked up, “You promise not to entertain the idea of making me sleep with another man if I fulfill that condition, never ever again!” he reiterated to reassure himself. Takuma finally relaxed when Kaito nodded with his trademark smirk. _God! Why do I forgive him so easily! It must be that look, smug prick!_

“Shoot…”

“Gladly”

“Pervert… I meant the condition!”

“Oh right!” Kaito bit his lips innocently as if pondering about what to say. Takuma sighed. _You could have fooled me!_ “Alright! You are not to deny me anything!”

“What?” Takuma’s brain swirled with horrible premonitions. Giving the hunter a constant hold on him meant that he will probably never leave the bed, let alone the room.

“For the next hour…” Kaito added, smirking more at the flabbergasted vampire who let out a relieved sigh.

“Oh?” breathed Takuma “That is… too simple…” he noted, getting suspicious. He had been around plenty of cunning people to know that the hunter had a hidden agenda behind the request.

“So? What will it be, you accept? Yes? No?” Kaito inquired as he shifted until he was lying comfortably between the vampire’s legs. The overly worried vampire finally nodded. _An hour of his capricious demands would be better than a lifetime of worry that I might have to get screwed by another to gain his trust… Gosh! The logic of it alone is sick…Ugh!_

By the time he chased away the unwanted thoughts, Kaito had successfully unbuckled his belt, opened his pants and currently yanking them down along with his underwear, revealing the sticky mess that was hiding inside them from earlier release. “Wha… Kai… No!”

Surprised, Takuma flailed his legs and arms trying to prevent the bigger man from undressing him, but it only made it easier for Kaito to achieve his goal. “Not denying me means forgetting about saying ‘no’ because I would ignore you anyways.” The amused hunter made his point by dragging a finger along the naked nether regions of the blond, feeling himself react at the mere touch and sight… “It has quite the thick texture… thicker than usual… You had that much built up?” Kaito bullied the blushing Takuma as the latter scrambled to pull down his shirt and hide the evidence of his earlier release. Kaito diverted his attention by kissing him slowly, savoring the way he melted from the sensation. He let his hand wander under the shirt and stroke the limp member into full erection, swallowing the pants and moan of the squirming vampire.

The way Takuma was trying to pry his hand away despite the pleasure it brought him started to irritate Kaito. He grabbed it along with the other that was pushing at his chest and pinned them on the armrest above the blond head, growling “If you don’t want me to restrain you, you better keep them there!” he ordered the whimpering vampire. Takuma had no choice but to concede, not wanting the hunter to back down on the promise, he gripped the wooden armrest with all his might. Kaito gave him a soft kiss, whispering about how well he was behaving before he stood. Just as Takuma was about to stand as well the hunter pushed him back, accidently bumping his head against the wood.

 “Don’t you dare move from there” Kaito bit back with a tone harsh enough to send shivers down the vampire’s spine.

Takuma stilled and watched him move around fumbling with the pockets of his jacket. He finally pulled the small bottle of lube and poured a generous amount in his hand.

“Now, we will have some kinky office love affair Taku!” he cooed, with a grin plastered on his face.

“Oh come on Kai!” Takuma whined “Can’t we just go to your room now, I can’t seem to relax here… please?”

“Nope.” The hunter answered curtly as he hovered over the green-eyed vampires.

“Well… too bad then… I am leaving!” Takuma tried to scoot and bolt as soon as he saw the hazel eyes darken with lust, knowing that it was his last chance to escape.

 

Thud!

“Ouch!” he winced again, cradling the back of his head. “It hurts to get your head banged on the wood, not once but twice…Mmm… nAh… Haah..wait..Kai..Ah!” Takuma could not find the strength to finish as Kaito successfully pinned him to the sofa, pressing a strong hand on his shoulder, a knee between his thighs spreading his creamy legs further apart while the lubed hand pumped him at a crazy pace leaving the noble breathless.

“Then all I have to do is get you in the mood again!” Kaito whispered against the panting lips of the vampire before claiming them in a deep kiss, cutting off anymore protest… “Mmm… AAH..Kai…Kai…hnn” Takuma gripped the wooden armrest of the sofa with enough force to leave claw marks if not break it as Kaito’s lips traveled from his neck to one of his inverted nipples and started tormenting it as he sped up the kneading and stroking. Once the hidden nipple perked up, Kaito let go of the shoulder he was holding, pinched the abused cherry colored nub and tweaked it while he gave the other the same treatment with his tongue and teeth. He knew that Takuma was close judging from the way his body squirmed and his back arching as if asking Kaito to tease his chest more. He figured that the vampire was too delirious to realize that he had two fingers inside his core, brushing the bundle of nerves and prepping him. With one last bite and strong suction on one nipple coupled with a thumb pressing on a leaking slit, Takuma’s moans turned into screams as his body jerked and trembled uncontrollably, soaking Kaito’s hand with his release. Kaito winced at the sound of crackling wood. _There goes the armrest._

The noble vampire was completely and utterly spent, his vision blurry and body limp, but the orgasm still hummed through his nerves. He swallowed his saliva and slumped on the couch sideways with an arm dangling to the floor. He gave a soft purr when he felt the calloused hand brush away the blond strands sticking to his forehead and tickling his eyes. _Why did I not leave as soon as Kiryuu-kun walked out of the door? Why did I have to go and kiss him knowing how horny he was? Why could I not have waited for another couple of hours and sneaked in his room as I always do?_

In his daze, Takuma could barely make out the sound of Kaito asking him to roll over. His clumsy movement led to his falling off the couch in a comical way. He sat on his bottom, blinking a few time before a fiery blush shone on his face. Kaito chuckled at the funny actions and joined his partner on the carpet. He cupped his face and kissed him some more before guiding him to use the sofa as a support and positioning himself behind him. By then, Takuma gave up on his plea for Kaito to change locations. He felt the hands spread his cheeks and a finger tracing his ring of muscle, shuddering at the sensation. Shortly after, the hot familiar hardness made its way inside his willing core.

“Ahn!… please” he gasped as Kaito penetrated him slowly, he tried rocking his hips to hasten it but Kaito held them firmly. He could not believe how much he missed having the hunter filling him; he missed being one with him.

“Sorry…” Kaito took a shuddering breath after he sheathed himself completely inside the tight cavern. He covered the messily clothed back and hugged him gently as he waited for the sighing vampire who was relaxing to adjust himself to the intrusion. He began placing butterfly kisses on the nape of his neck to his shoulder until he grabbed his chin and made him turn back slightly so that he steal an awkward kiss from the parted rosy tempting lips.

“I am sorry, Taku… I don’t intend to let go of you anytime soon… I seriously cannot hold back or wait for even one more second. Two months without you were enough to drive me insane. I would have come and jumped you in your dorm room if you had not come yourself to deliver those papers… Consider yourself lucky because I would have taken you in _your room_ and had all your buddies there hear you scream in ecstasy.” Kaito grinned when he felt the tightening around his shaft. Takuma was beet red by then with an incredulous look on his face. Kaito pushed in and out slightly, earning sweet moans and gasps. Then he leaned to whisper “I missed you so much, Taku… you have no idea”

Takuma’s expression softened and his eyes turned glassy as he looked back at the gentle look on the man he loved. He wanted to reach a hand to caress it. His chest tightened and he swallowed the lump in his throat to prevent his silly tears from falling, _Gosh! I am such a sucker for cheesy lines!_ He finally cursed inwardly and looked away from pleading hazel eyes; he arched his back and craned his head in a way that he became glued to the perching hunter, rubbing his warm cheek against the other’s without bothering to hide the tears of happiness that stung his eyes. “I missed you just as much and more, you jerk!... Just… just do whatever you want already!...” he mumbled, but loud enough for Kaito to hear every word.

The light brown haired man could not wait for a better go-ahead. He laced his fingers with those of the hand resting against the couch and wrapped the other arm around Takuma’s mid-section. Kaito pulled out halfway before snapping his hips again, aiming for the sweet spot that will drive the other over the edge. He went on with a moderate pace until Takuma became rock hard again and unable to control his moans. Picking up the pace, Kaito brought his lips close to a heated ear and whispered in a sultry voice “Don’t hold back! Let me hear you scream…” along with a hard deep push that had Takuma grip the sofa and shake from trembling legs, screaming just like Kaito wanted. The hunter had to wrench his arm behind his back so that the blond beauty does not muffle his sound as he leaned back and increased his pounding, making him sway back and forth, tears of pleasure falling uncontrollably and sweet moans pouring from his lips.

“Aha…AHHnn… Kait… please..” Takuma wined as he lifted his head and looked back at the bulky hunter

“hmm…What?” asked Kaito as he slowed down the pace.

“I want…AH!” Takuma gasped when Kaito leaned and tweaked an abused nipple, his head dropping down again.

“hehe… you want what…” trailed the hunter, almost stopping all movement apart from teasing and licking.

“Pleaaase…” Takuma cried out in frustration as magma coiled under his stomach ready to erupt.

“I won’t know what you want me to do if you don’t say it, loud and clear, Taku?” Kaito grunted out as he leaned back with a mischievous smirk and a hard thrust to get his point across.

“Oh God! Ah! I… I wanna cum, please Kai… can’t take it anymore…nnnhh”

“and what should I do?” Kaito continued teasing as he picked a torturously slow pace.

“Do it harder… please” Takuma begged, not caring about being loud anymore as his vision blurred and mind was set on one thing, reaching the sweet release that only Kaito can give him.

“Do what?” The bully of a hunter was relentless, even as Takuma gave a soft sob and begged…

The vampire finally conceded knowing that his sadistic partner won’t have it any other way “F..ff…Fuck me harder… touch me… make me come with your… hard thing inside me!” he stuttered, his face going through every shade of pink to red

“See! You can talk dirty if you want!” Kaito grinned and leaned to nibble on a red earlobe as he picked a brutal pace, giving permission to Takuma so that he stroke himself in time with the thrust. As much as he was straining for his own release, Kaito still wanted to tease the little minx currently pleasuring himself and clutching the couch with the other hand like a lifeline, oblivious to the world.

Just when he felt the lithe body stiffen, Kaito was about to pull out completely, gasping as he gripped the base of his own shaft. “No~ “ Takuma whined at the loss, but gasped again when it was rammed inside at once. When he had enough of bullying the poor soul, Kaito took over the job of Takuma’s hand, determined to bring him the highest peak of ecstasy. It did not take long for the tight body to tremble and convulse as another release racked through him, the claws ripped throw the sofa seat and teeth gritted through the muffled scream. Kaito had it no better as the walls clamping around him made him cum violently inside the warm confines.

They laid there for few moments, basking in the afterglow that did not last long much to Takuma’s liking. He could feel the man above him stir, ready for another round. He could not say anything as he was in the same predicament. They were both far from sated and needed more of each other after the long abstinence. He reached a hand back toward the larger man’s thigh and tugged on it in encouragement before bringing it back to support him as Kaito was literally lying on his back and hugging him from behind, “I love you Kaito!” he whispered against the cheek next to his.

Kaito let out a long sigh as he tightened the hug “I-“

*BAM*

“Zero! Did Kei-chan co…m..e….bby….”

Both heads snapped to the direction of the intruder. _FUCK!_ Kaito cursed inwardly when he saw the pregnant brunette frozen like a clown with her mouth open half the size of her face. The only thought coursing his head, _I can’t believe I forgot to lock the door… This damn brat, barging at the best moment…_

Like a storm, she has come and gone, without a word. Leaving both men stunned. The flabbergasted Takuma had his mouth flapping like a fish out of the water before he realized that whatever excuse he wanted to voice was useless as the pureblood was long gone.

He turned back to glare at the source of trouble “Damnit Kai! I told you it is not a good idea to do it here, now what am I gonna do?” the ash blond vampire whined as forest green eyes glared back at a positively pissed off hunter who was in turn glaring at the closed door.

“Well… she is gone… we continue where we left off…” Kaito deadpanned.

“WHAT? NO!”

“The hour is not over yet…”

“But…”

“She was bound to know anyways… She has been bugging me about whom I am seeing after I rejected the omiai Tessa piled up once and for all.”

Takuma was lost for words, he could care less about the promise after being seen… however, he could not believe that Kaito could act so indifferent towards the incident… he suddenly remembered an unpleasant memory… That of Kaito warning him that it would be over if he dared make up stories about them like the one he told Kaname to get the pureblood off their back. He warned him that he had no problem cutting him off if anyone else came to know about this… Sadness suddenly crippled him, and pain shot through his soul… _No! this can’t be happening!._

**oOo                      Back to the present time                              oOo**

 

The tense atmosphere thickened as the clock ticked. The only sound filling the silent room was the sobs Takuma tried his best to suppress.

Kaito wiped his own face and stood up, fixing his clothes before speaking “You should leave…”

Takuma covered his mouth as another bout of tears erupted. The stern voice and tense body were enough to convey the message that the hunter had enough and wanted to be left alone. He stood on shaky legs, put on his clothes with great difficulty before leaving without a word.

Kaito banged his fist on the desk, _God! I am a stupid, fucking loser!_

Takuma made sure to wash his face before leaving the school building. He felt worse when he realized that he did not have any artificial blood on him to help heal his puffy eyes faster. As he walked in direction of the exit, he came face to face with Ichiru who was coming up the stairs with a red haired child in his arms. Takuma hoped that the silverette did not see him as he turned around, ready to flee.

“Taku-jii!” the melodious voice of the child echoed through the empty dark space. _This is the first time I don’t feel like complimenting Keiichi for his sharps senses!_

In fact, the child was not only able to sense those around him, he is able to recognize them with their aura alone, which is not easy. Vampires can recognize the rank of their fellow vampires, but Takuma had yet to witness one that can figure out the person’s identity through their aura alone. “What?” Ichiru asked

“Taku-ji is over there” Keiichi pointed in direction of the noble who was making his way towards them. “Oh! Hello Ichijou-sempai!” Ichiru stuttered.

“Good evening! Ichiru-kun!” Takuma put on his cheerful mask, confident that the dim atmosphere would hide any sign of sorrow that might slip.

“Taku-ji? It hurts?” Keiichi asked as he extended his tiny arms for Takuma to take him, which he did. “Huh? What are you talking about?” the vampire startled at the question, he was sure that Kaito did not hurt him physically and no blood could be smelled. _Is it the tears?_

Ichiru jumped in to explain “Uhmm… He kind of sneaked out on Yuki and came looking for Zero… I found him running aimlessly, scared outside the building. He jumped me as soon as he spotted my presence saying that you were in pain… Uhm… He kind of heard you scream…” Takuma blushed deeply when it all sank in “I was about to rush after I calmed him down, but a pale Yuki came out, and I understood what the pain was about…” Ichiru teased…

“Oh God!” Takuma was looking anywhere but Ichiru, a hand over his mouth.

“Don’t worry sempai. It’s fine!”

“How? Yuki-chan… Now, you… Oh God! I even scared the child!” Takuma blabbered until he felt small hands trying to cup his face, he looked into bright crystal eyes that had a cute frown between them, meaning that Keiichi was trying to act serious. “No wowwy… Kei-chan will make boo-boo go away…” Keiichi placed a peck on each eye that Takuma closed reflexively and hugged his neck as tight as his tiny body allowed. Takuma hugged him back, suddenly feeling a little better “God! You are the best therapy…”

Ichiru smiled at the action but the glistening tear did not escape him. “Sempai, if you are worried about Yuki-chan, then don’t. I took care of it. She won’t spread it around. About you and Kaito.”

This successfully caught the attention of the sulking blond man “What? How? You knew?” _Did his brother tell him?_

“Well… I kind of learned about it recently… Kaito dropped the bomb about him dating a vampire few days ago… I have to admit that it was quite a shock.”

“What! Kaito did? Wait… Dating?” Takuma was majorly confused by now… _What is going on here? How the twisted relationship that they had could be called dating… Since when did Kaito consider them a couple._

Ichiru was as confused as the vampire… That was not a reaction he was expecting… A light bulb suddenly flicked in his head… _Kaito! That moron!_

The silverette had the devilish idea of putting his childhood friend on the spot… a revenge for all his bullying, but a helping push for the blockhead at the same time.

He picked something from his pocket “He abducted me for a few hours, suddenly requesting a crash course I named ‘Dating a vampire 101’. I swear it was freaking awkward to reveal some of the private aspect of my relationship with Hana. I never thought of talking about them before. Of course, I made him fess up about you before I gave him any information. That is how I came to know whom he was dating, and don’t worry, your secret is safe… I was actually coming to hand this over to him… He requested it.” Ichiru showed the circular glinting metal between his fingers that Takuma recognized as the ring that never left Kaito’s thumb. Upon further inspection, his enhanced vision picked on the tiny carvings on the inner side of the ring. “What are those?”

Ichiru smiled “Those are the carvings of an ancient spell.”

“A spell? For what?”

“The simple explanation would be for camouflaging the blood scent.”

Takuma frowned at that, “What would Kai-Takamiya… I mean, why would Kaito need something like that?”

Ichiru tapped on his mouth, playing on the vampire nerve before he started explaining. “Hana dug this spell by chance when he was going through Kuran’s belongings. Around the time when he discovered his attempt to find the cure that dated of thousands of years ago. In those ancient books, it is said that if you carve this spell on a piece of silver, drench it in the blood of a vampire, then let a drop of human blood drip on it, the human’s scent would be nonexistent even if he was bleeding to death. Nobles who kept humans for feeding, to make sure no other vampires took their prey or something, mainly used it… However, when Hana tried it, he failed to activate it many times. That is until he figured that the vampire blood was the issue… You see, nobles of ancient times were way more powerful than those of the present time… therefore, the spell could only work with pureblood now…” Ichiru paused.

“I still don’t get what it has to do with Kaito… Why would Hanabusa bother with such spell anyw-“ Takuma’s eyes widened, _it can’t be!_

“Yes… Hana was eager to make the spell work because he was drinking from me and was bothered about my blood scent spreading around… It was hard sneaking away and waiting until he came to my place to be able to satiate his lust… it gets painful at time, and you know that he has the least control over his bloodlust.”

“Wait! That’s…”

“Not allowed? Come on, sempai! You were present when the new laws have been implemented. A vampire is only allowed to drink from his mate or another willing vampire.”

“Yeah but you are-“

“Human? So what? We are married by vampire laws and I already informed the concerned people about it…”

Takuma let out a sigh of relief “Oh! That is good then… The punishment is no joke… that is why I was worried.”

Ichiru smiled again at the overprotective noble “Now back to Kaito…”

“Oh right!”

“He asked me about the reason why I would allow Hana to drink from me… I explained the mechanism of how bloodlust works… You know… How it gets painful if you do not drink from the one you love because it becomes the only blood that can quench your thirst.”

Takuma nodded, feeling his throat parched at the thought of Kaito’s blood. He had been doing a good job hiding the thirst if he says so himself. It is true that when a vampire fall in love, they instinctively seek to make a bond with their mate, that is where the blood lust comes from. However, when your partner is not a vampire, it gets more tempting and painful to endure. He could only imagine what the weak willed Aido had to go through… Takuma himself is struggling each time he gets intimate with Kaito… He was grateful to his parents and Kaname with whom he worked on his self-control from young age. He suddenly froze when a conclusion formed in his head and looked into knowing amethyst eyes.

“The next day, Kaito gave me this silver ring to make it into a talisman like my bracelet… Yuki-chan was more than happy to provide the blood as always, I told her that it was for me… the spell is bound to it and all that is left is the droplet of his blood… As for why would he needed such a thing, I am sure you can figure it out by now.” Ichiru finished his explanation while taking the reluctant child from the arm of the stunned vampire. He dropped the ring in the breast pocket of the blond before leaving.

“I will have you deliver it to him… Have a good day, Ichijou sempai…” He waved, exiting the building.

 

Bits and pieces started to form in the vampire’s brain; words that Kaito said and that he did not pay attention to started to have a new whole meaning. The fact that he was becoming more gentle… Takuma gasped when he remember the moment Kaito allowed him to linger near his throat… _was that him allowing me to bite?..._ Then he remembered how he was complaining about holding it in for too long… and the final blow was the last thing Takuma heard but paid it no attention… “ _She has been bugging me about whom I am seeing after I rejected the omiai Tessa piled up once and for all”_

Takuma crouched down with his hands on top of his head looking at the floor and the shapes on its tiles. The pattern started to blur and sway as forest green eyes became glassy with unshed tears. He rocked back and forth, mumbling to himself, _Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! This can’t be real! Is it alright for me to think that… that…_

He could not finish the thought and merely glanced up in the direction of the office. His body moved on its own, bolting in direction of his lover, but he suddenly halted… _lover?..._ Although every nerve tells him to run and jump the man in a crushing hug, Takuma was still afraid… insecure… Unreasonable thoughts started creeping into his mind that he never considered before… the myriad of ‘what if’s flooded him and left him drained in a matter of seconds… Luckily, he was not one to back down easily… He clutched the pocket where the ring rested and turned on his heels towards the hunter’s room for a much needed shower…

 

**oOo       In Zero’s car       oOo**

 

“Yuki… You have to stop asking the same question… I told you… I knew, yes! But that is no reason for me to spread it across the globe.” Zero groaned

“Did Kaito ask you to keep it secret?” the sulking voice echoed from the speakers of the car.

“No… but I figured that he would not want to come out and say, hey I am fucking a vampire…”

“Dating! Geez, Zero…”

“Yeah right!”…

“I can’t believe I had to see them in such a situation… What do I do? How am I going to look them in the eyes?” she whined

“For Christ’s sake, would you stop asking that again and again… You stumbled on two people having sex, so what? Take it as a bad dream and forget about it… Or better yet, have your hubby erase it from your head if possible.” Zero snorted, his patience growing thin. _That bastard Ichiru, dumping such a chore on me. What is about ‘I recently learned as well, but Zero should have the full story, you can ask him’_

“But~”

“Yuki! I am hanging up and will not answer your eleventh call of the night, bye”

“Zer-“ *beep* Zero winced at the shrill voice of the angry pureblood before he hang up on her. He took a deep breath and relaxed on his seat, his eyes never leaving the illuminated road that stretched into the night. _That idiotic Kaito… Couldn’t he lock the damn door… Then again, it is unusually careless of him to do it in such a place… So much for wanting to keep their tryst hush hush._

*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*

Violet eyes rolled in annoyance…

*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*

He looked at the caller ID and instantly slammed the answering button on the steering wheel.

“You damn fucking piece of shit… Thank you for the half an hour headache you caused me” he bit with enough venom to show his annoyance.

“I take it she called you…”

“You bet your ass she did”

He could hear the intake of breath indicating that Kaito was smoking “That makes things easier… How do I get her off my back now?”

“You won’t.” Zero deadpanned, a smirk showing on his face

“What?”

“You can’t.”

“What do you mean, I can’t!” Kaito was confused

“She is in a state of shock, so you probably won’t see her for a few days.”

“Oh~ That’s good…” the hazel-eyed hunter sighed in relief only to tense again.

“Enjoy these few days before hell break loose”

“What?”

Zero chuckled “Knowing Yuki, she will not pester Ichijou because she would not want things to get awkward between them. You, however, she has no qualm annoying the shit out of you considering how much of busy-buddies you became recently. She will probably turn into your shadow…”

Kaito got creeped out as he could not deny such possibility… He would not have become friends with the midget if not for her persistence and annoying strike. She is after all, Cross Kaien’s daughter and lived under the same roof of none other than Zero for years. _Crap!_

“Listen, pal! Just give her what she wants, or she might haunt you for life… I mean her life…”

“You are having the fun of your life, huh?” Kaito grunted while squashing the cigarette.       

“Yep! Besides, I don’t get how you managed to get busted. Did you not think of locking the door, moving things to your room… I don’t know!”

“Tell me that again when you have a carrot dangling in front of you and your stomach growling like a beast starved for decades.”

Zero laughed “Wow! I can’t believe that _he_ came on to you… Somebody is getting bolder, and of course, you cannot deny a fine piece of ass when offered”

“Would you please shut up already!”

 “Okay! So… How did the big confession go…”

“Never happened!”

“Getting cold feet? Told you that it was not a good idea…”

 “More like screwing up every chance I get by being an asshole...”

“What? You raped him instead…” Zero teased

“…” Kaito could not find any retort… He did not exactly do that but it was not far from it.

“still there?”

“yeah! Yeah… Listen, I have to go.”

“Kaito what is going on?”

“Nothing…”

“Okay~” Zero trailed. He did not bother hanging up because he knew that the other hunter still had something on his mind.

“Fuck it all!” _See, I knew he was not done yet!_ “I can’t believe how stupid I am.”

“Nothing new to me.”

“Zero, can you please show some empathy for once in your life… I am agonizing here… I fucked up some good mood when I could have made it better… not only that, I fucking dragged him into something he was uncomfortable with and the cherry on the cake is that I made him cry and did not bother going after him… Fuck! I kicked him out… So much for asking Ichiru to prepare that spell and shit.”

“What spell?”

Kaito paused for a second before answering, “I gave him my ring to make it into a talisman to camouflage the blood scent”

“Oh!” _like my necklace…_ “Wait! Why would you need such a thing?”

Kaito quirked an eyebrow “What else other than to hide the scent of mine when he drinks from me… I don’t fancy having the bloodsuckers of the Academy smell it every time.”

“WHAT! ARE YOU NUTS… WHY?... WHY WOULD YOU ALLOW IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!” Zero almost lost control of the speeding car from the shock.

“Huh? Why you ask? Same reason that you brother allows his hubby to drink from him… Well… You should know… the bloodlust and all that crap about bonding and stuff…”

Amethyst eyes widened in horror… _Ichiru is … Rather, Hanabusa actually dared to drink from him…_ His jaw locked as he reigned in the anger boiling inside him. He figured that Ichiru forgot to ask Kaito to keep it a secret from him, so he played along.

“Do as you please then… I just don’t think such a thing is necessary… it is not like you can make a bond anyways.”

“still…”

“I really don’t want to talk about this particular topic, dude! Sorry.” Zero snapped

“It’s okay… I have to go now… I don’t feel like doing anything so I am going to sleep it off and see what I can do tomorrow.” Kaito informed before hanging up.

In his car, Zero stepped on it and flew the rest of the way.

**oOo    back at the academy          oOo**

 

_“It is not like you can make a bond anyways”_

The words resonated in his head as he made his way back to the faculty housing. It is true that a bond would not be made, however Ichiru somehow convinced Kaito of the importance that the action held for a vampire. If he were to believe the human twin, they can sense the feelings and emotions through the blood. Not only that, but the thought of having part of him inside his lover did please him greatly somehow to the point of not being scared. He somehow felt like he can allow it if it was Takuma. The hunter sighed as he remembered the earlier blunder, then nodded to himself in resolution, _Yes! It is a good idea to have him drink from me, at least I won’t have to always say how I feel, he would just know it. That make things a lot easier._ He immediately picked up his phone to call the blond vampire and try luring him, knowing how hard it might be because of the sour mood he left him. The call was directed to voicemail. “Tsk! He fucking switched off his phone”

He glanced in the direction of the moon dorm, but opted out of it. However, when he approached his place, he was surprised to sense a vampire presence. His heart jumped to his throat and started drumming as if it would burst out of his ribcage. He quickly opened the door and rushed to his bedroom, dropping his duffel bag on the nearby couch. A smile of relief creeped on his face when he saw a lump on his bed with shining ash blond hair poking out of the covers. Although Takuma seemed to be giving him the silent treatment, Kaito did not care as long as he was there. He decided to take it easy and not pester him again, so he proceeded to the bathroom and had a quick shower. He came out, drying his hair and staring at the still figure who was facing the other side. Kaito would usually cause a big fuss out of being ignored, thinking back on it, he felt like a brat for not being considerate of the other’s hurt feelings. This time, he decided to properly reconcile instead of forcing the blond to cheer up for his sake. He slid under the covers and spooned the smaller frame from behind, placing a kiss on a cold nape, “You should dry your hair properly,” he whispered, inhaling the scent of fresh shampoo. It always seemed tantalizing on the vampire, even though they used the same shampoo.

“It is not like I would catch a cold anyways.” Takuma muttered, still looking away from the hunter… He felt his face heat up for no reason.

“Thank you for coming here…” Kaito whispered as he tightened his hug.

“Did you finish your work…” Takuma tried to ignore the butterfly feeling in his stomach

“I could not do anything…”

“You are tired, don’t force yourself… Just sleep for now… You have a day off tomorrow, so it is not like anything would pile up.” He suggested while placing a hand on the bigger one caging his mid-section.

“Don’t wanna!” Kaito whined as he pulled him so that the face each other. His eyes narrowed when he caught glimpse of the slight blush on fair cheeks.

“Hey, Taku! I wanted to apologize… You know… about earlier… I was-“

“Its fine…” Takuma placed a finger on his lips to stop him. “I don’t want to talk about it…”

“But I have to…”

“Kaito please… listen… I have something I want to ask you…” Takuma felt his face heat up more, getting anxious and scared of what he might learn. _Here goes nothing!_

“What is it?” Kaito asked, feeling perplexed about the way his lover was acting.

“Uhm… First I want you to answer by a simple yes or no, and don’t ask why I asking about anything.” Takuma stated firmly, biting his thumbnail while waiting. Kaito frowned but nodded after holding the hand that the vampire was assaulting.

“Shoot!”

“Are you sleeping with any vampire other than me?”

“What?”

“Yes or no?”

“No, Geez, what made-“ Kaito started asking incredulously before clamming up at the sight of the serious expression on Takuma’s face.

“Are you sleeping with anyone else at all?”

“No”

“Really?”

“Yes”

“Since when?” Takuma could not help but blurt the question

“That is not a yes/no question.” Kaito teased.

“Tell me” he whispered

“Since that time at the ball, when we got back together…” Kaito confessed, not missing how Takuma’s breath caught for a second.

“Why?”

“Because I did not see the need to”

“Why?”

Kaito started to feel cornered, irritated. He flipped so that he hovered on top of the blond who was studying him with a steady gaze that Kaito could not read. He pinned the slender wrists on either sides of the vampires head and brought their face closer. “What is this about Taku?”

“What?”

“This interrogation… What do you want to find out… A reason to leave me?” he gritted his teeth, inwardly cursing at his rapidly surging insecurities. He could not prevent such a thing after how he had been treating him.

“What makes you think that?” Takuma pondered, tilting his head to the side in confusion. The thought of leaving the hunter never crossed his mind after all, it should be the other way around.

“Then why are you suddenly interested in stuff you normally never bother about?”

“Because you have been strange lately…”

“Huh? I am not following anymore. Strange?”

“You don’t do that stuff anymore… You know... the restrains…”

“Oh! That might be because I figured you would not try to kill me and you are not stupid to pull any stunt that… Anyways… I felt like there was no need for such a thing… I am not really into that kind of kink to begin with, so it was bound to happen-“

“Okay~” Takuma trailed, a small smile forming on his lips “Can you not restrain me now then,” he glanced at his caged hand that Kaito immediately freed and flopped to the side. He propped sideway on his elbow, intent on knowing where the vampire intends to take this conversation.

“You do not mock or make cruel jokes about me being a vampire, you do not… Well, in short, you are being this really nice person, less of a bully and sometime quite caring and… and it is scaring me…” Takuma stuttered, his face flushing scarlet by now.

Kaito narrowed his eyes again before commenting, “Have you become a full-fledged masochist?” Kaito pondered with a slightly disturbed look on his face.

Takuma growled at how thick the hunter was being, _Geez! I figured that for an oddball like him, he would not be able to say anything unless I gave him a slight push but this is too much._

“God damnit Kai! I am trying to figure out how you feel about me now… If your feelings took a different turn and… and…” He finally snapped, groaning more when Kaito was doing nothing but flapping his mouth aimlessly, lost for words. Takuma opened the drawer of the night stand beside him as he decided to take out the trump card “I wanted to know the meaning of this.”

Kaito froze when he saw his silver ring that Ichiru was supposed to deliver; he quickly snatched it, “Where did you get it?”

“Ichiru-kun asked me to deliver it to you.” Takuma answered, his eyes never missing the slightest reaction of the flustered hunter.

“That-“

“He also told me the reason for which you gave it to him in the first place” Takuma dropped the bomb, making Kaito pale at the realization.

“Fuck!” Kaito finally rolled on his back and covered his face.

“Why would you bother making such a ring anyways…” Takuma probed, wanting to hear it from his lips rather than assuming it.

_That fucking Ichiru! He must have done it on purpose…_

“Kai?” Takuma nudged him, with a pleading voice this time.

“This is for when you want to drink my blood.” He finally found enough courage to say it after taking a shuddering breath.

It was now Takuma’s turn to sit on his knees, clutching the covers on his lap nervously. “Why?” his voice starting to tremble

“Because I want you to” Kaito answered, holding the trembling hands with one of his, smiling at the glistening green eyes.

“Why?” He practically choked on his words

“Geez, Taku! Why else would I allow you to-“

“SAY IT!” Takuma yelled without meaning to, the roller coaster of his emotions catching up to him. He held the large hands between his as if praying “Please… Just say it… I need to hear it… Kai… I am begging you” He swallowed and took a shallow breath, willing his tears away “I need to know that it is real…”

Kaito looked away for a second before cursing and pulling the vampire into a needy kiss that startled him. He hooked his neck to prevent him from bringing his face up from the crook of his neck. The blushing hunter finally inhaled and whispered into the ear stuck to his mouth “I will say it only once so you better be ready” Takuma nodded awkwardly. “I love you!” Kaito smiled when he felt the tremor racking the vampire’s body “I love you, Takuma Ichijou! That is the reason why I want you to bite me and drink my blood, because I know you want to as well.”

The hunter could not believe how relieved he felt after finally saying the words, how it seemed so easy that it made him feel stupid for agonizing about it. He felt his chest tighten when Takuma finally faced him, the blissful look on the vampire face was priceless.

The hunter was surprised at first when a pair of soft hands cupped his face to get him to face ahead, softer plump lips claimed his before he finally gets enthralled with a the sight of an angel. He witnessed the most gorgeous heartfelt smile adorn the face of his cute vampire along with forest green eyes brimming with happiness.

_To think that the words I dared not to say for so long could bring forth such an expression, I never knew!_

 

**oOo oOo oOo**

  

Somewhere away from the bustling life of the city, on a rocky shore, a submarine emerged into a cave where a small group was waiting. A young woman took a step forward, her grey dress flowing elegantly before bowing slightly to the passenger who just emerged from the contraption.

“Welcome back! Mother.”

“Thank you dear… I have to say that it was quite the… peculiar trip I had to make.” The taller woman in a black dress commented as she made her way down the stairs

“I apologize for any unpleasant experience. It was the only way of getting you to cross the borders unnoticed.” The shorter one stated with a soft expression.

“Oh my! The world sure has changed. Sneaking around is certainly not to my fancy, neither the way things have become in my absence.” A fine nose crinkled to show her displeasure.

“It will not last long, but we have to be careful nonetheless.” The daughter tried her best not to sound rude while warning the impatient lady.

“I figured as much. So… How are things progressing?”

A young teen stepped in to join the conversation, “The first phase had already started. They should have picked on it and planning their move as we speak. It is good to see you in good health again Ma’am”

Ruby red lips curled up in what seemed like an amused smile “Oh dear! What an interesting form you have taken there. I almost did not recognize you. Oh well! I am glad to hear that things are going as planned. I wonder what kind of face he will show me when we meet again… I am feeling giddy just imagining it.” She hugged herself in a comical way that made everyone present recoil for a second.

“A…Anyways… I think it is about time we retire to our dwelling so that you can rest after such a long trip.” The young woman ushered her mother, trying to dissipate the awkward moment.

“That would be great!” chirped the taller lady as she got into the awaiting car.

The teen could not help but chuckle. _A handful as always, but worth working with!_ A sharp glint flitted through his dark eyes as a smirk drew on his lips. _I can’t wait either!_


	26. Chapter26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry for the long wait! here are two chapters of fluff and drama to enjoy. I am afraid this story is turning into a little giant. I might have to split it in arcs once it is done, or reorganize previous chapters.
> 
> Let’s not bother with that for now. Enjoy chapter 26&27
> 
> Love you and sorry for the lack of response lately, I have been crazy busy with RL.
> 
>  

**__**

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Time skip : few weeks xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

“Are you sure you are okay? I can call the doctor and have him come back if you want?” Kaname insisted, worries getting the best of him.

“Onii-sama, would you please stop fretting, it is just the regular Braxton hicks, nothing to worry about. Okay, they were a tad bit stronger this time but I will be fine. I am sure I can tell if I am going into labor and it is not going to be anytime soon, as that doctor said barely five minutes ago.”

“Still”

“No more arguing. Anyway, you were talking about some important work you needed to do earlier, do not hold back on my account. I am going to sleep now so … shoo” Yuki pushed the taller man to the door and jumped back into her bed. 

 

Kaname felt guilty about leaving her, even if she was not going to be alone. They were enjoying a meal together with some other nobles and the kids, when Yuki suddenly doubled over in pain only to end up as a false alarm. Kaname felt conflicted for not being able to take back his words about the important work that was nothing but an excuse to go see Zero as agreed with the hunter previously. Not only that, but the pureblood surprised himself by feeling relieved that Yuki was not about to give birth anytime soon. He could not believe that, in such a short time, he came to care so much about Zero that the idea of losing him surpassed the desire to hold his own daughter in his arms. His dark obsession called Kiryuu Zero was consuming him to the point of insanity, and here he was, in his lab office ready to teleport from there to Zero’s place like he did for so many times lately.

As usual, he found himself inside the familiar bedroom. Kaname frowned when he sensed more than one presence in the apartment. He took light steps toward the direction where the voices were coming from and ended up in front of Zero’s working area. _He did not say anything about a work meeting last time I checked._

Just as he was about to leave, the door clicked open and Kaname felt himself being pulled quickly back into the bedroom by a pissed off hunter. Zero slammed the bedroom door and locked it before turning around and speaking through gritted teeth “What the fuck are you doing here?”

The anger took Kaname by surprise, but he did not show it, he felt rather offended by the unwelcoming attitude that Zero was showing even though Kaname did not come uninvited. “May I remind you that we had previous arrangement about today? You invited me to come spend the night.”

Zero crossed his arm, still pissed “Then, may I inform you that I sent you a text to cancel that arrangement?”

Brown eyebrows shot up in surprise before wine orbs narrowed “When?” he asked, pulling out his phone to check for unread messages.

“About an hour ago”  

“Oh! It is correct.” The pureblood felt awkward. _I guess it happened during the panic about Yuki and I forgot to check my phone before leaving._  

“Duh!”

“I guess it cannot be helped if you are busy with work” He tucked his phone, and shrugged.

Zero felt bad for obviously putting the brunet on the spot “Yeah! Sorry, Kaname. I would have asked you to stick around, but Ichiru is here and we are rather swamped with work. There is trouble with a project belonging to an important client and I had to intervene so that we can meet the deadline or it will cause a big loss for the company.” The hunter tried to explain in order to dissipate the awkward situation, “I should have called instead of texting…”

“It is alright! You don’t need to worry about me” Kaname interrupted what seemed like the start of self-reprimanding. He took a moment to assess the state of the hunter. Zero’s hair was mussed with a headband keeping his bangs out of the way, which allowed the rare sight of his small face to be fully exposed. It allowed Kaname to notice the paler than usual skin, the blood shot red rims surrounding dim violet orbs. Kaname had to wonder about the humongous workload that left the resilient hunter in such a wrecked state. _They must be in a pinch if he is in such state._

He took a few steps to close the distance between them and reached a hand to caress the hunter’s cheek before grabbing his neck gently and kneading the side of it. Zero sighed at the comforting gesture, melting into the touch.

“You seem tired.” Kaname whispered

“That does not even start to describe it.” Zero whined

“When is the deadline?” Kaname had both hands on Zero’s shoulder by now, soothing the tense knotted muscles.

“Soon~” Zero hummed as he inhaled the scent of the pureblood while he rested his forehead on a firm chest.

“Will you make it in time?” He inquired while stopping the motions of his hands at the hunter’s request.

Zero looked up at the concerned vampire and snorted weakly “Well, only if a miracle occur… At this pace, I might have to renegotiate with the client for few more days.”

“Did you consider hiring extra help?”

“Mmm… no~… not that simple” Zero answered lazily as he wiped his face in attempt to chase away the drowsiness. Kaname started to worry when the hunter looked like he would fall asleep while standing up, “Certain important clients tend to designate the staff members overseeing their project for confidentiality matters. If by any chance, the content falls into the hand of a freelancer, they have the rights to file suit against us. Another fucked up perk Allen came up with and left me to bear the burn of it. However, I cannot deny that it earned us some unbelievable clients. Ichiru is fine because he is not from the same field, but there is not much he could help with.”

Kaname hesitated for a second, “If you’re okay with me helping… I am free for the…”

“No… I appreciate but…” Zero sighed, running a hand through his hair reflexively before groaning when it hit and messed the hairband. “That would have been a big help. Unfortunately, Ichiru is too sharp to risk it.”

Kaname nodded in agreement “You are probably right. It would not do to just waltz in and be like ‘hey, I just happened to materialize here and thought I could help’. I can’t begin to imagine the look he would have.”

Zero chuckled “Exactly! Even if we try to cover up by saying that, I called you that would just set his alarms off. I mean, he would certainly question my mental health because of that.” He added, smirking in amusement at the comical situation that would never happen.  

“Well! I better get going…” Kaname was about to focus on teleportation when Zero grabbed his arm.

“I… Again… Sorry for the mix up, but… I will make sure to call you as soon as I am done… After taking a shower of course” Zero winked jokingly before letting go

Kaname tilted his head in amusement before leaning in to kiss the hunter, enjoying the fact that Zero naturally responded by putting arms around his neck and reciprocated the kiss. Kaname wrapped his arms around Zero’s waist and pulled him closer, causing the silver head to tilt, eliciting a moan as the angle deepened the kiss.

The pureblood got greedier after tasting the hunter and grabbed the silver hair, plunging his tongue deeper into the warm mouth. His other hand roaming around the pliant body of the hunter. Zero felt his eyes stinging with tears caused by lack of oxygen; he tried to breathe through his nose, reluctant to break the pleasant connection.

Kaname was the first to break the kiss, he released the clutch over the hair and rested his forehead on Zero’s, who sighed and bumped their noses in response. Kaname traced the wet lips with his thumb before parting them and teased the red tongue he tortured seconds ago. Zero let out a breathy chuckled and shook his head to get the finger out of his mouth, “Any more and I won’t be able to stop…” He tiptoed to whisper into the pureblood ear, making Kaname smirk, “You’re cruel, Kaname! making me hot and bothered when you are going to leave anyways.” the sultry whisper and the arms caging his neck made the brunet groan and squeeze the hunter against his body in response, earning another victorious chuckle from the silver-haired man. “I will take it as the compensation for getting stood up” Kaname whispered back before releasing the hunter from his embrace, and kissing him lightly, “Don’t forget to call!” he reminded Zero before vanishing into thin air, leaving Zero to blink few times. He shook his head and left back to join Ichiru in their marathon.    

Back in his office, Kaname sighed deeply. When he made it back into the moon dorms, He softly opened the door to Yuki’s bedroom and peeked at the pregnant pureblood. He let out a relieved huff when he noticed the steady breathing indicating that she was deep asleep, a rare sight these days since Ai seemed to never give her a break. He carefully shut the door and headed towards his quarter.

Surprisingly, he found none other than Isaya Shouto standing absentmindedly in front of his door. After a little inquiry, it seemed that the pureblood came over for an informal visit and thought of swinging by to visit him before leaving, but failed to find him at the research facility. Kaname was grateful for the change plans that saved him from an awkward situation. He invited the fellow vampire in for a drink.

Twenty minutes later, Kaname showed Isaya out and sat back on his desk. Their casual conversation somehow escalated to social matters, politics and finally to the issue they were having hard time dealing with, Sara Shirabuki’s farewell gift and the new unknown enemy. He gazed upon the scribbles and diagrams scattered on his desk. If there is one thing he appreciated about the other pureblood, it was certainly his effective method of brainstorming and looking at matters from different angles. While Kaname is used to strategic games and manipulation, Isaya Shouto tends to think more outside the box and likes to pull others into weaving the bigger picture, the plan to remove the problem from its roots. Shouto is certainly an efficient team player, the complete opposite of Kuran Kaname, the lone wolf.

Despite the progress, they made on such a short notice, and the urgency to develop the idea into a proper proposal, Kaname could not stop thinking about the exhausted silver haired ex-human he left few miles away. An interesting thought suddenly popped in his head and he wasted no time acting on it.

“Kaname-sama?” The vampire scientist answered his phone as soon as he realized who was calling him.

“Aido, are you busy?”

“I am analyzing the results of some test I… I mean… It is nothing I cannot put on hold for later…” the noble clarified, and waited for the instruction he expected to receive.

“I presume that Ichiru-kun is not with you then?” Kaname inquired, already knowing the answer.

“… No…” Aido answered cautiously, surprised to hear the pureblood bring up his lover into a conversation, even though he knew they shared few work related connections.

“Do you happen to know of his whereabouts, I called his home but no one answered, and I did not have the chance to ask for his cellphone number?”

“Is there a problem I should know of Kaname-sama, if Ichiru is in some kind of tr…”

“No. Aido, it is nothing like that. Long story short, I would like to have his input about some ideas we put together. I am sure you are aware that Ichiru-kun is actively contributing in solving the case of the blood pills.”

Aido’s trepidation dissipated instantly when he understood what it was all about, “Oh! Yes!... Uhm… As for his whereabouts, I believe that he is staying with his brother for the last couple of days. If you could not reach him at home, he is certainly at his twin’s place.”

Kaname paused a bit so that he does not sound too eager, “This is quite troublesome… I assured Shouto-san that I would compile the ideas into a proposal and submit it in two days. However, there are some loopholes needing the information that Ichiru-kun gathered previously.”

“Would it not be possible to ask for a copy from the association?” Aido pointed much to Kaname’s dismay.

“The procedure will take too long as it is considered a confidential paper… I guess I will have to pay him a visit.”

Aido’s head snapped at the last sentence, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind “Shall I get the car ready?” he belatedly realized that the pureblood might have meant a visit at another time.

 “Sure.” Kaname answered calmly, happy that his plan worked.

 

Few hours later, Kaname found himself in front of Zero’s apartment. This time, he was entering the place in a civil way, with an actual knock and waiting for someone to open the door. Quite the refreshing change from their sneaky routine. All would have been perfect if not for the fidgety noble in front of him. He sincerely pitied Hanabusa. The door opened to a confused Ichiru who welcomed them in. Aido explained the reason behind the impromptu visit after placing a quick peck on his cheek.

At this point, Ichiru did most of the talking while guiding the guests to the working area. Kaname had hard time hiding the smirk on his face as he entered the room, waiting for the hunter to turn around and look at him.

“It is great to know that the association’s board are finally thinking about making their move. The damn government’s dogs are starting to spread rumors about the uselessness of such an organization. They are constantly looking for ways to cut off our intel and connections. By keeping still and quite about this epidemic situation, we are giving them the perfect reason to categorize us as a cult working solely for their own interest… Anyways, for now, I have to help Zero with some urgent work he has to submit. I will be taking a break in half an hour; Hana can drive me to my place to fetch the papers you need then… Nii-san! We… Actually I have guests, if you don’t mind.”

Zero answered the call by turning his chair around to face the door where the three men were standing. He jolted slightly at the sight of the pureblood. A deadly glare immediately plastered on his face, clearly annoyed by the presence of the brunet. Kaname kept his deadpan mask on, internally enjoying the hunter’s dilemma.

Aido could swear to seeing sparks flying between the two vampires, feeling a storm ready to erupt.

“Hey Zero! You look like a total wreck. How long have you been going on without sleep or food?” He attempted to stir a conversation, but chose the wrong topic.

“Unless you are blind and an idiot, you can figure that out just by looking…” Spat the cranky hunter.

“Maaa…Ma… Nii-san… Hana is trying to be considerate. Don’t take out your stress on him!” Ichiru interrupted with a calm voice, but Zero did not miss the warning tone laced within, thus gracing Ichiru with a death glare and a flick of tongue before turning to his screen and resume working.

Ichiru turned to face the two guests with an apologetic look, “I believe it is better if you made yourself comfortable in the living room. He is like a ticking bomb right now, better not stay around any longer.”

Despite the pleading look and the obvious annoyance of the hunter, Kaname had no plan on complying.

“Since we will be here for a while, how about we lend a helping hand,” the pureblood suggested.

Zero’s eyebrow twitched along with a vein popping in his temple. Annoyed was an understatement, Zero was downright pissed at the obvious game that the pureblood was playing. He never appreciated it when the other party could not take a hint. _What part of ‘the arrangement is canceled’ or ‘I will call when I am done’ does this idiot not understand._

“That would be great!” Ichiru’s chirping snapped him out of his thoughts

To Zero’s horror, Aido joined in by bragging about Kaname’s achievement and how he got a degree in software development at a young age just because he was curious about new technologies and what lies behind it. Zero rolled his eyes, ready to spout one of his smart retort and put an end to the farce when Ichiru cut him off by bringing out a workstation for Kaname on a nearby table. Even Kaname was surprised to see the interaction between them. He realized that either Ichiru had an unexpectedly strong hold on Zero, or the hunter had an extremely soft spot for his brother to the point that he does not argue when he is being nosy or meddlesome. The pureblood was certain that anyone else would have been chewed or burnt to crisp if they dared impose themselves.

 

Zero finally conceded and sent a rather large chunk of work to the pureblood, as if daring him to finish it on time. After folding his suit jacket neatly on the nearby couch, Kaname made himself comfortable on the working chair, unbuttoned the cuffs of his sleeves and rolled them up.

Finding himself left as the odd one out, Aido asked for the permission to use the kitchen and left the three of them in order to make coffee and look for some snacks.   

About an hour later, Zero found himself astonished by the speed with which Kaname was tackling one task after another. Although the frown never left his face, a glimmer of hope shone inside at the thought that they might finish the job much earlier than predicted. Nonetheless, he just had to preach about the reckless behavior of the pureblood.

A blinking light caught Kaname’s attention to the incoming message on his phone,

:”What do you think you are doing?”

:”I had nothing better to do. Seeing how exhausted you look, I figured that you would not mind a helping hand. I just had to think of a way that would not make you worry about what your brother might think. Is that bad?”

Zero rolled his eyes at the obvious bullshit, feeling the pureblood staring at him from behind.

:”It looked more like you just want to get this done sooner so that you can bang me”

:”that sounds like a good idea too” the hunter could easily imagine the smug face that Kaname could make while writing this. Zero contemplated what was left to do, not denying that he liked the idea as well. He sent him a big chunk of work and texted Kaname right after,

:”how long do you think it will take to debug and test this part?”

:”two to three hours at most, it does not look like it has too many errors”

:”alright here is what we are going to do ….” Kaname finished reading the long message and smirked. Right on cue, Ichiru chirped from his seat “Nii-san, I am done sorting these data, what else is left for me to do…”

“Not much Ich, just the last part I sent you, you can go home after that because all what is left is debugging and testing which I am sure is not to your fancy.”

“Ugh! You bet! It was torture doing those practical labs when I was posing as you back in US. Anyways, I can help a bit if it is something simple”

“Have a look” Zero beckoned his brother to check, and Ichiru’s eyes bulged out

“Crap! That will take an entire day, how come Allen let such shitty work slide”

“Believe it or not, this is the work Allen did after that subcontractor went under and failed to deliver, I guess he is out of it because of his wife collapsing and having to take care of his daughter. It would have taken two days actually if I were alone, but with the help of Kuran, we might not need to plead with the client to push the deadline”

Ichiru poked his brother cheek and beamed at the statement “See! I told you that he would be helpful. You should take my advice more often and accept other’s kindness when in need. Kuran! Thank you for the great help and sorry for the ungratefulness of my rude brother” Zero rolled his eyes and tried his best to hide his amused face.

Aido came in at that moment with another set of steaming coffee mugs for the hardworking team, Kaname looked up from his seat and nodded at Ichiru :” don’t mind it Ichiru-kun, I would not have offered to help if I did not have enough free time. In fact, I think you should go home and get some rest now that there is not much for you to do here, those dark circles look painful under your eyes. How long has it been since you last slept.”

“Since yesterday maybe, but it is nothing compared to what Zero has to go through, he has been glued there all the time while I managed to take short naps,” Ichiru explained, yawning when reminded of his exhaustion.

“Kuran is right for once Ich, you should take off with Aido, and we will be done soon anyways. I think I might sleep for twenty four hours myself after this.” Chuckled Zero as he saw Aido’s expression lighten up.

“It’s okay, I will crash here in case you needed assistance” Ichiru insisted

“No, I won’t! Now go, I will take a short nap while Kuran takes care of his part and get back to work with more energy. Does that make you less guilty over leaving to have some quality time with your man? For heaven’s sake Ichiru, how many times did Hanabusa manage to get some time off to come visit you, and you want to make him into our errand boy tonight serving drinks and buzzing around aimlessly.” Zero snapped at his brother making the couple blush and fluster at the truth of the statement.

“Okay! I got it” whined Ichiru “but if you ---“

“ever need extra help I will call you up even knowing I am interrupting some quite…”

“Okay we are out of here!” Aido pulled Ichiru out of the room before Zero made his face go tomato red with his crude joke. Zero looked back at Kaname who finally looked at him after stifling a laughter “worked like a charm, now we have a full day to ourselves.” The hunter winked while stretching his back.

Kaname took the mug and sat on the lazy chair beside the desk sipping on his drink. Zero followed suit but sat on his lap instead with a Cheshire smile. He leaned in and gave the pureblood a peck on the lips after pushing the mug out of the way. Kaname smiled into the kiss and whispered, “Your brother still has something to say it seems.” Confusion flashed through Zero’s face before his eyes widened.

The door opened once again as Ichiru rushed back inside to pick his phone and looked at Kaname, puzzled. _What kind of pause is that? is he trying to mimic the status of liberty with a mug in in his hand?_

Looking around, Ichiru did not find his twin, “Where did he go?”

“To wash his face, I think” Kaname kept a blank expression as he sipped on his coffee to stifle the chuckle. The hunter got himself worked up quite fast, and Kaname knew how hard it was for Zero to hide his lust filled look once he gets in the mood. He practically flew to the bathroom in a split of a second to avoid his brother.

“Thanks again for helping him. You’re a life savior. It was not guaranteed that the client would agree to push the deadline, and even if they did, there would be some kind of loss. I just have to apologize beforehand in case he shows some nasty attitude, Zero tends to get cranky and lash out on others when pressurized.”

“I understand. Have a good rest and don’t worry, I am sure I can handle what comes my way. Just don’t forget to send me those documents. Oh! and you can tell Aido to go back whenever he wants. I will leave by myself when I am done here.”

“Sure!” Ichiru nodded enthusiastically.

Once the coast cleared, Zero opened the door and leaned back on the frame, “So you think you can handle what is coming your way?” He asked sarcastically with a raised eyebrow.

Indeed, Kaname had to exert a great deal of self-restraint to deny Zero the ‘short break’ he wanted them to have before getting back to work. He expected the hunter to pounce him as soon as they were done a couple of hours later, which he certainly did. Zero straddled him as soon as he sat on the couch.

Breaking the sloppy kiss, Zero arched his back to the limit until his spine cracked pleasantly. He was certainly not worried about falling from the brunet’s lap since Kaname had a strong hold on him. He cracked one violet eye open, smiling lazily before yanking the hairband off his head, “Now then, what should we do now?” he whispered while placing his palms over Kaname’s chest, enjoying the feel of his heartbeat. Kaname did not waste time to flip their position, much to Zero’s delight. Unfortunately, the pureblood made him believe that he was about to kiss the daylight out of him before pulling away at the last second and standing up.

“Tsk!” the frowning silverette followed the regal man walking towards the kitchen. He rested his chin on the back of the couch, pouting, “Kaname~ come on, do we really have to do this. I already rested enough while you were finishing the last touches. I am obviously not tired to the point of collapsing like you assumed, and nowhere near sleepy. Stop being a douchebag when we both know that you are as horny as I am.”

A brown eyebrow twitched while Kaname looked at his watch, “We will see about that… the time we bet on is still not over. Until then, we are doing things my way.” He announced as he rummaged through the cupboards.

Zero groaned “Buzzkill”, turned to cross his arms and sank in the comfortable couch, ignoring the pureblood and his preaching.

“What are you? Sixteen?” Kaname teased. He hovered over the couch with two steaming mug letting out the fragrant smell of cocoa. Zero just tilted his head back and scowled at him. A moment of silent seemed to stretch as they stared at each other stubbornly. The hunter finally gave up and sighed, he left the comfort of the couch and took the offered mug. He silently followed the older vampire out of the apartment, into the elevator that went up to the rooftop, and ended up following him to the gazebo that stood out in the middle of the carefully maintained garden. Zero pondered about how Kaname came to know about the presence of such a place in his compound. Surely, Zero was aware of it since the time he purchased his place, but he rarely came by.

Thanks to the height of the building, the clear starry sky seemed magically close, the sound of water from the fountain in front of the gazebo were soothing in the stillness of the night, accompanied by the sweet smell of the moonlight flowers blooming around the place. _Can someone remind me why I never come here?_

Kaname’s voice pulled him out of his musing; he let out an exasperated sigh looking at the brunet, “Are we roleplaying a picnic now?”

“Just come sit and enjoy a moment of peace and quiet, would you?” Kaname grounded, he stretched out the quilt he placed on the bench to make a space for Zero beside him. The hunter, stubborn as he was, ignored it and sat on the other end of the bench, sulkily sipping on the hot drink.

 Kaname was not about to give in and go along with the hunter’s whims. If he learned something in the past few weeks, that is the fact that Zero does not seem to realize his limits, and that he has hard time suppressing his carnal desires. Which leaves Kaname with a sense of emptiness whenever they were done lately. The pureblood could not pinpoint the reason for such a feeling, but he knew he needed more of the hunter, he was not sure about what he wanted exactly but he was certain that he did not want to settle for the temporarily position of a sex friend.  He glanced towards the silver-haired man, noticing the shivering.

“Zero… Could you please stop being stubborn. You are obviously feeling cold in that light clothing.”

“Let’s go back inside if you are that worried?” Zero grumbled

“No.”

“Grrrr”

“I like to enjoy this time of the day outside. Usually, I would be sipping on a fine glass of wine on my balcony instead of keeping company to a grumpy kid.”

“Asshole!”

“Sunrise will be in a few minutes, bear with me until then.”

“I don’t get why you would be so interested in watching the sun fucking rise.”

“Are you saying that because I am _a creature of the night?”_

“Duh! Pureblood have the least tolerance towards the sun. Yuki always complained about how harsh it gets for her eyes.”

“Hmmm… You have a point, and I can’t really explain. Anyways… Come here.” Kaname hummed while shifting closer and pulling Zero to his side. They were finally both wrapped in the woolen fabric resting against each other. As the starlight started to fade, the darkness started to unravel, leaving a rising burst of colors in its wake. The reddish golden hue brushed against the white clouds, bringing forth their fleeting beauty as they traveled the sky. Kaname could hear a lazy mutter against his shoulder, he smiled when hearing the word ‘beautiful’ coming out of the hunter’s mouth. He enjoyed the sight of the first sunrays that came out like a fan, chasing away any darkness left. Kaname was lost in his thoughts like every time he did when watching such a fascinating sight; it was the one thing that he never got tired of.

When the light got too harsh on his sensitive eyes, he decided it was time to seek refuge inside. He turned to the impatient hunter to grant his wish only to be surprised by finding him asleep against his shoulder with the luckily empty mug dangling on his lap. His lips curled up and a tender look adorned his face as his finger teased the fine strands of silver hair. He enjoyed watching the innocent, peaceful face of the hunter while asleep. Carefully, Kaname wrapped him in the quilt and picked him up bridal style back to his bed.

 

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

In the dimly lit bedroom, the bodies joined on the bed moved in harmony against one another. The harsh breathing mixed with the rustling of the sheets underneath them drowned the soft sigh and breathless moans that escaped the silver haired man as he tightened his clutch on the shoulders he was gripping for dear life. He arched his body to its limit, trying not to leave any space between them as he whispered sweet nothings in the ear close to his mouth. It did not take long for the strain to catch up to his neck, forcing him to rest his head on the pillow. He screwed his eyes shut, feeling his release coiling as the man above made love to him tenderly. Slightly cool and sweaty fingers brushed against his parted lips, and then traveled down his chin and neck. He could feel them brushing away his long silver hair. He craned his neck sideway, leaving his pulsing vein more exposed for easy access. He could see the ruby red color from the corner of his eyes before the familiar golden one replaced them. A warm tongue lapped at his sensitive skin. His body shivered at the mix of sensations and anticipation. Soon enough, pristine fangs broke his pale skin and the warmth of his own blood coated it. His breath hitched, body jerked and muscles tightened at the second intrusion, but he soon relaxed when the beloved cool hand cupped the side of his face and rested on his forehead, the thrusting went slower at a more sensual pace by then. Once over the first reaction, his body immediately went into overdrive, he felt himself getting more excited at the feeling of being so intimately connected with his loved one. His fogged mind went blank when his release erupted suddenly, and he did nothing to resist it, just like the way he reveled in the gulping sound so close to his ear laced with a muffled moan that was followed by the warmth flooding his inside. This moment has always been his favorite, he could feel them becoming one as part of him poured inside his lover while the other gifted him with his own essence. At that point, neither knew whose heartbeat was faster, whose trembling more as everything reunited as one. Ichiru belatedly registered the coppery taste slipping in his mouth. He waited for the liquid to pool before swallowing it, grateful for the exhausted kiss that followed to wash the unpleasant taste.

Feeling like he was crushing his lover with his weight, Hanabusa propped himself on elbows that dug on either side of Ichiru’s head. The vampire could not help the giddiness he felt every time he came across the blissful expression of the silver hair human after he made love to him. Ichiru’s pale skin had a rosy hue accentuating the beads of sweat making him glow in the eyes of the blond vampire. Blue eyes examined the punctured neck; relieve washing over them when he made sure that the wounds were closing properly. He smiled back at the silver beauty, as purple irises seemed to finally focus on him. Hanabusa leaned to place a soft kiss on the sweaty forehead, “I should have let you rest properly instead of burdening you like this, Gomen…”

Ichiru smiled lazily, he caressed the biceps next to his head as he hummed, “I am sure I would have wanted you to embrace me even if I were half dead…”

Aido chuckled at that, “That is one scary joke… let me go get a towel… I stained a sheet yet again” He shifted a bit, but Ichiru restrained him.

“Stay… Keep me warm, you got the room freezing, _again!_ ” the human smirked as he hooked his arm around the blond’s neck

Aido looked around before dropping his head, “hahaha… It’s been a while since I had done it… You are to blame for that, though… Getting me worked up like that.” They both laughed looking at the ice sparkling around the place due to the vampire’s control slipping during his climax.

A while later, Ichiru released him and waited obediently for his lover to come back with a warm wet towel. He did not have another choice since he was too exhausted to move a muscle. Once back, Aido helped him into a sitting position, and started to wipe down the little bit of blood that trickled down his shoulder and a few strands of hair. Then, he went to fetch a water bottle from the mini fridge that he handed over to Ichiru, “You should probably hop in for another shower.”

“Mmm… *gulping water*… Later…” Ichiru dismissed the hectic task in favor of lazing around with his lover. He traced and scratched the arm of the vampire who was now dressed in his pants, topless staring at him as if he turned five.

“Ichiru…” Aido spoke slowly.

“In a while…” came the reply coupled with purple eyes averting the knowing blue ones.

“Do we have to do this every time?”

“If you stop nagging about it, it would not be _every time._ ” the silverette pouted cutely, swaying the stern stance of the vampire.

“Baby~ You know perfectly well why I have to nag about it. You will only end up with a funny stomach if I don’t clean you up properly… And forget about leaving it up to you because I don’t want a repeat of that time.”

The pout turned to puffed cheek and frowning face that started a headache for the vampire, _I bet he learned that from Yuki-sama, but damn he looks so cute like that._

“Bearing with a funny stomach or whatnot is fine by me.”

_Here it comes! Typical Kiryuu stubbornness._ The blond vampire groaned, knowing the familiar pattern that will only lead to more heartache.

“No.”

“I am not moving from here. Suit yourself.”

“I can always drag you like a sack of potato”

“Hana!?!!”

“It’s either you stop the nonsense or that.” the vampire stated, a serious expression on his face,

“It is not nonsense.”

“It is Ichiru! How many times have we talked about this?” Aido finally snapped, “There is no w…”

“What if!... What if it happens… by some miracle… what if…” Aido felt his chest hurting at the pleading visible in violet eyes “What if by any chance… you know… a chibi-Hana gets conceived inside because I kept it for a while longer… just a little… please?”

Aido huffed and climbed on the bed, he pulled and cradled the dejected human in his lap like a baby. A hand stroking the small silver head that he secured on his shoulder. A moment of silence passed before he whispered gently against Ichiru’s forehead, “I love you, and I always will… You know that right.”

The answer came as a soft nod.

“Then, you did not happen to forget that the one I fell in love with is Ichiru Kiryuu, a human, obviously male, who has quite the problematic stubborn strike.”

His sarcastic tone earned him a fierce scowl that made him chuckle. This has become some sort of routine for the vampire ever since they had to give up Keiichi whom they were planning to adopt as their son. The experience of being responsible for such a fragile life and watching over them as they grow up left a deep impression on both of them. However, it seemed to have affected Ichiru in a different way. Hanabusa could still remember the day his lover suggested trying to conceive a child of their own. The idea caused a huge argument to explode between them as Aido categorically denied it. It defied every law of science he learnt. Nonetheless, the obstinate stance of his lover led him to agree on digging into the tiny possibility to make it happen. Now, he considers it as the worst decision he had ever made. Everything pointed back to the fact that it was impossible for a vampire to impregnate a male human unless they were purebloods. Unfortunately, Ichiru never gave up. A pattern occurred each time a child was born or when a pregnancy matter was brought up. Aido cursed internally for being careless about mentioning the incident of Yuki that happened that day. That coupled with a tired state of his partner was a recipe for disaster.

He looked into glassy purple irises, “Please stop looking so sad… I can’t stand the thought that I am making you wear such an expression”

Ichiru shut his eyes and hid his face into the crook of Aido’s neck, swallowing the lump forming in his throat.

“Hey… Hey…” Aido cooed while he managed to cup his face and look him in the eyes, “I will say it as many times as you need to hear it. I want you and only you. I don’t care about having a child of our own.”

“Liar!” Ichiru mumbled, “You were trying so hard to find a way for us to have one before.” 

“That is because you insisted on trying.”

Ichiru’s thoughts drifted away, and Hanabusa patiently waited for his reply, hoping that he would drop the issue and get back to his cheerful mood.

“It would be easy if I turn into a vampire.” the silverette deadpanned.

Electric blue eyes widened in horror, he let out a strained smile “Love… Look… I am happy just knowing that you wish for us to have a family… I am perfectly okay with adopting if you want to, but you objected before.”

“…and I still do… Kei-chan was an exception… I want us to love and raise our children… I wish…” Ichiru was having a hard time getting his thoughts in order. He knew perfectly well that it was too much to ask. He knew that Hanabusa indulged him in this matter to the point of insanity. He never forgot the endless hours that the vampire spent digging around the books and reference for the glimmer of a clue. He could not forget how, despite the egocentric alpha male of a noble he is, Hana still allowed Ichiru to take him, thinking that it might work the other way around. However, Ichiru still hoped for a miracle to happen. A miracle that his scientist of a lover never believed in. Conceiving their own child meant to Ichiru more than playing house together. Knowing that his mortal life would end eventually. He wanted to leave a vestige of himself for his lover to remember him. He was scared that Aido would forget about him centuries after his death. Having a child would be the living proof of what they have, of their love.

At this point, Ichiru got off Hanabusa’s lap and curled up under the covers. The blond haired vampire scooped him from behind and kissed his exposed shoulder in attempt to sooth him.

“Sorry…” Ichiru apologized and turned to kiss him.

“It’s okay…”

“Gosh! I get so annoying when I sink in one of these moods!” Ichiru huffed and puffed at himself before turned to hug his lover, tangling their limbs together. He could feel Aido relaxing in relief…

Aido stared at him for a moment before a goofy smile ate half of his face “It is fine by me as long as you don’t act one of the crazy thoughts you get when you are like that.”

Ichiru frowned at that, “I was being serious about turning into a vampire…”

The smile vanished in an instant “But you know that won’t happen…”

“I do” Ichiru answered with a tongue out, “Grrrr! If only Shizuka had turned me instead of Zero… If only they had not removed the law of turning humans if they wished to… The universe is certainly conspiring against me?”  

Aido laughed at the dramatic complaint, “Well… If given the choice, I would be against you turning.”

Ichiru was surprised since he thought Aido would welcome the idea of an eternity together. The vampire caught on the derailing train of thoughts and quickly amended, “I meant that I do not want to risk it. I prefer having plenty more years with you as a human than risk you perishing from pureblood venom, or fall too quickly to level E because you could not withstand the transformation, or…”

Ichiru smiled widely, and clasped his lover’s hand. Aido sighed before adding, “Besides, it is not a piece of cake to impregnate a male ex-human. Moreover, most level D’s are unable to carry pregnancy to term, even with the support of the father. They either lose the child or die together with it. That is why the thought never crossed my mind and I want to never ever consider it.”

Ichiru nodded in agreement. He pondered a bit before speaking again, “Fate works in weird ways.”

Aido raised an eyebrow, puzzled about the observation “How so?”

“I mean,” Ichiru started explaining “Here I am, in a loving relationship… Happy to have found the one and only for me… But still greedily wanting more… My twin, on the other hand, who actually have what I wish for, is wasting away his life without settling down.”

“Well… That may be true, but I would not wish for you to suffer what Zero has to endure.” Aido replied.

“Uh! I know… Come to think of it, how come that you fell in love with me and not with Zero.”

“Huh?” The question caught the blond haired man completely off guard. His eyes narrowed, “In case you have forgotten, your brother and I were and still are like oil and water. We just tolerate each other out of consideration for you.”

“But you still go out of your way to help him and monitor his health.” Ichiru inquired

“That… He is your priority and you are mine. If anything were to happen to him, it would affect you and I promised that I would show you enough happiness to forget about anything else, and keeping your brother from screwing up his life and turn suicidal again is one way of ensuring that.” Aido grumbled on and on about the headache, Zero would give him and how his life would have been easier if he actually settled with one partner as his lover said.

Ichiru’s eyes teared up from laughing so hard at the hilarious memories they shared with his twin.

“But you came to care about him in the end. You cannot deny that.”

“Maybe… Ok! Yes, as my brother in law…”

“You know…” Ichiru trailed “Back in US, I was quite insecure every time I had to leave him in your care and go substitute for him in class. Since we were kids, everyone were more attracted to Zero’s charm, so I worried that you might fall for him after getting to know him better…” he let out a silly laugh “Sometime, I imagined Zero actually seducing you to get back at me for hurting him… Crazy right? I mean, that would be bad because it would be near impossible to differentiate us back then.”

The amused vampire joined him with an equally silly laughter, “Nah~ I did not fall for that… His smell was a dead giveaway, even with my sleepy brain I could-“ Aido froze when he realized that he just blurted something he should not have said. He cursed when Ichiru pushed on his chest to bring some distance between them. A look of shock and suspicion graced his features.

“You… He… What?”

“No… I meant if he tried, I would not have fallen for it…” Aido quickly clarified, praying to any higher power that his lover would buy it.

“Cut the crap! Did something happen between you and Zero while I was gone back then? What was it and when…” Ichiru snapped, his eyes blazing with fury.

“Damn!” Hanabusa sighed before surrendering to his fate, “It was about the time he discovered that we were together, a couple. You were gone for classes and it was midday. Naturally, I was deep asleep. Zero… He… He kind of sneaked into my room and … joined me in bed…” Aido paused when hurt flashed across Ichiru’s eyes,

“What… Happened?” He could barely get the words to come out of his mouth.

“Nothing…”

“Hana!”

“NOTHING! I swear… He started kissing my face and I woke up just in time to find him fumbling with my pajama shirt… I immediately realized that he was not you and pushed him away… You know how he was back then… A total mess. I did not bring it up because I knew it would break whatever fragile connection you managed to mend back with him. I never intended to bring it up… Neither did Zero… I am sure he regret his actions more than anything he had ever done.”

“Oh? Now you are defending him for what he had done. Are you sure you pushed him away?” Ichiru was livid at this point.

“What? You think that I actually cheated on you with your brother?” Aido gawked in disbelief

“I don’t know! I can’t think… Anything is possible when it comes to Zero… No one ever resisted his temptation… Why should you be an exception?” Ichiru was pacing the room in frustration, putting on whatever discarded clothes he can find.

“BECAUSE I LOVE _YOU._ Because I am not a lowlife who would go cheat on his lover after promising a forever together… Because I would never do anything to screw up what we have, especially not with your nutcase of a brother.” Aido stood in turn and grabbed Ichiru’s arm to keep him still. “Nothing happened I swear…” His anger about being accused subsided when he felt Ichiru trembling. He quickly hugged his shaking form, “There is only you and no one else… Even your carbon copy would not faze me because you are two different people inside, and it is definitely not your pretty face that got me hooked.” Aido tried his best to convince his lover. After being together this long, he came to understand the inferiority complex that was deeply rooted inside Ichiru because everyone he cared about had only eyes for his prodigy of a brother. He tried times and times to prove him that he was equally amazing if not better than Zero in some areas, but never succeeded. The vampire wanted to take the incident as a secret to his grave; he knew that Zero felt the same because such a thing would cause a bad blow to Ichiru. Unfortunately, it happened because of a slip of tongue.

The blue-eyed man loosened his hug when Ichiru pushed against him. Just when he thought that the storm was over, Ichiru started throwing insults and accusation out of thin air. The prideful vampire could not take any more of it, which lead the tension to rise and the argument to heat up until their screams could be heard next door. They finally ran out of insults and energy, both faces red and contorted into a mix of pain and anger. Ichiru took a deep breath and spoke first “I want you to leave. Now.”

“What? No.” Aido denied, crossing his arm as if to stand his ground.

“You will leave. I can’t stand anymore of this bullshit… Heck, I can’t stand looking at you or hearing your voice for another second…” Ichiru’s voice was dripping with contempt that only serve in flaring up Aido’s fury.

“Oh really?” He answered sarcastically. Ichiru only glared at him in response. The vampire gritted his teeth and yanked his clothes from the floor to put them on hastily. He threw one last glance at his lover who looked away. “Tsk! Don’t expect an apology for I did nothing wrong… Whatever… It is not like you will believe anything I say anyways…” he barked as he fetched the car keys. He paused in front of the door, suddenly feeling like his feet were glued to the floor. He did not want to leave, he wanted to fix it, he was scared of losing the silverette, but his pride and ego were getting in the way and the hurt he was feeling was too great to ignore. “Never Had I imagined that you had so little faith in me.” He finally left with that last remark, slamming the door behind him.

Ichiru finally collapsed on his bed, feeling weak, helpless, betrayed, scared but mostly brokenhearted.

 

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞** **few hours later** **∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

 

Kaname woke up to an empty bed. Judging from the glaring digits of the alarm clock, he barely had two hours sleep. He fumbled around and found a note from Zero saying that he was in the gym, and that if Kaname was joining, he will have to wear the proper attire. Of course, he ignored the side note saying that he can leave if he thinks that he might still be impotent. It seemed like the hunter hated the fact that he lost the bet.

The pureblood made his way down to the lobby and asked the receptionist about the gym location. When the clerk made the same remark about the attire, Kaname headed to the 24/7 gears store open besides the gym. He finally bought the clothes, since wearing Zero’s would have been hilarious.

Kaname was impressed with the great service and high security of the building, he understood the reason why Zero chose to live in such place, it was not because it was posh, but because it was practical and suited his lifestyle. He slid the badge Zero left him on the marble counter for the gym’s receptionist to examine. When the man read the badge, his eyes widened for a second. Kaname could swear that the man glared his way, checking him out with a sense of rivalry before he finally told him that Zero was in the inner covered swimming pool.

Following the signs, Kaname reached while Zero was still swimming, he watched him do his laps, liking the way he sliced through the water. The hunter came out of the water upon noticing the other presence in the empty gym, He was naturally dripping wet, and wearing swimming trunks that were too tight to Kaname’s liking. The brunet did not lose time to fetch a towel from the nearby lounging chair to wrap him in. Zero gratefully accepted the gesture and leaned into the warm embrace since they were the only people around.

“You did not sleep much, are you okay.”

“Ugh! I told you I was not tired. I replenished my energy with some blood pills. I don’t get much sleep after pulling all-nighters unless I overexert myself, physically.” He complained with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Kaname was unable to see through the perfect acting of the silverette, who managed to dodge the real reason behind the lack of sleep. Zero deemed it unnecessary to burden another person with his plaguing nightmares. He was grateful enough that Kaname was deep asleep and did not notice his agitation, nor the fact that he almost shot the pureblood in his sleep when he woke up and found him nearby. It was a good thing that he kept Bloody Rose locked up and was too out of it to get the passcode right at that time. He took a shuddering breath as he sneaked his arm from under the towel and squeezed the brunet’s midsection, inhaling his scent to remind himself that he was safe.

The subtle clinginess surprised Kaname but he smiled and patted the silver wet hair in response, not bothering to talk back. His wine eyes caught the reflection of the receptionist staring at them through the glass wall and he shot him a cold glare. The unflinching man irritated him, but he was not about to let him ruin the mood.

Noticing the way he tensed for a moment, Zero looked up quizzically, “What wrong?”

Kaname smirked “It seems we have some curious audience.” his head titling in direction of the still staring man.

Zero huffed in annoyance, “Think of him as an ugly painting on a wall.”

“hmm?” a brown eyebrow shot up in amusement.

“He always strips me naked with his perverted stare every time I come on his shift.”

“Oh! From the way he was assessing me, I thought that he was one of your unfortunate victims.” the pureblood teased.

“Fuck no! He did hit on me more than once though…. but no! The last thing I need is a live in stalker… Still, it is annoying how he does not seem to give up” 

As much as the way Zero was tiptoeing to scowl and frown at the man over his shoulder amused Kaname, the idea of the stalker displeased him to no end. Thus, he blurted the words before even processing the idea in his usually calculating mind “Shall we make him give up.”

“Huh? Whamm…mnnn… ah…” Zero heard the whispered words but did not react on time since Kaname claimed his lips harshly all of a sudden. He grasped the hand cupping his face. Kaname broke the kiss briefly, “What… was…that?” Zero gasped the words

“A way to make him give up.” Kaname smirked, but Zero noticed that his eyes were not smiling. The silverette shivered under the intense gaze of the eyes fixated on him. He was used to others staring at him with raw lust and desire, he thought that he became immune to anything by now, but he was greatly mistaken. Whatever dwelled in those dark eyes seemed to strike his very core. He could not pinpoint it, but all he knew was that he felt hypnotized. For an instant, he forgot about his surrounding, what was it they were talking about, what was it that he wanted to say.  His lips simply parted and joined the silky one awaiting them. His hands tangled into chocolate brown locks, and he pulled the taller man down. The towel long forgotten on the floor, Kaname let his hand roam and trace the spine of the pliant body molding into his embrace. He was startled by Zero’s reaction and passionate kiss. Hungry for the hunter, he wasted no time pulling him closer to the point that it seemed like the hunter was hanging on him. Out of breath, their lips parted but not their bodies as Kaname kept placing kisses and sucked the tender skin all the way from a flushed ear to a pale collarbone, eliciting delicious moans and gasps from the hunter. Zero’s mind was nothing but a dense fog of desire, everywhere Kaname touches seemed to scorch him with unbelievable heat. He could feel his body thrumming in harmony with his erratic heartbeat. He tilted his head back, allowing more space for the pleasant treatment his neck was receiving. His glazed violet eyes had long fluttered shut.

“Ehem! ... Ex… Excuse us…” Both vampires stiffened as a meekly sounding voice called them back to reality. They untangled their limbs in what seemed like a slow motion picture and glanced at the direction of the voice. A furiously blushing man was standing couple of feet away from them, looking the other way with his wife standing beside him and smiling at them. She was the first to break the awkward silence, “Sorry to interrupt, but we need to get through… Uhm… to the locker room?” She explained hesitantly.

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞** **TBC** **∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews?


	27. Chapter27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Make sure to read chapter 26 before ;)
> 
> I posted two of them at the same time, 26&27
> 
>  

 

****

Zero nodded quickly as he fetched the towel and wrapped his waist with it. He naturally put some distance between him and the pureblood while turning to face the ‘intruders’. The husband beamed as soon as he came face to face with the silverette. “Oh! Good morning Kiryuu-san,” Zero recognized the man as the one who drove him to the station. His guess confirmed when he saw their son in the baby stroller in front of the wife. _Oh! that is why they needed to pass through this path._

Zero greeted back and cleared the way, apologizing for the compromising situation they had to witness. However, just as the man was about to pass him, he stopped and stared at the hunter as if a sudden realization struck him. “Are you, by any chance, the president of K-corps?” Zero was once again taken aback by the jumpy attitude of the man but answered him affirmatively nonetheless. That is when the husband went into a bubbly one-sided conversation about how they recently signed a subcontractor agreement with them along with other details that Zero was having hard time keeping up with. He cursed inwardly at the inconvenient coincidence. Meanwhile, Kaname was watching and half listening to the conversation. For a second, he felt like blowing them to pieces for interfering. Therefore, it took time for him to calm down and compose himself. He was currently staring at the hunter, trying hard to explain the reason why he acted that impulsively earlier. He knew that he can be aggressive, dominant and pushy, but Kaname was always the cautious type. Especially after losing his sanity once, he learned to ponder on the consequence of each action before it happens, no matter how small it was, but the rule seemed to never apply whenever the hunter was involved.

In the midst of his musing and the chattering, the toddler started crying. His mother was trying her best, but he did not seem to calm down. Out of habit, Kaname went ahead and asked if he could take the boy in his arms. He cooed and rocked the child softly until he calmed down and started to smile and giggle at him. The woman was astonished, while Zero was watching him from the corner of his eyes without losing track of the conversation with the father. It was only when the father noticed how fast his son quieted down did he turn to find him in the arm of the brown haired man, “You are pretty good with kids.” He complimented

“Yeah… I have a little sister that I used to take care of, so…” Kaname answered with a charming smile that left a blush on the couple’s faces.

“How nice! Your child will be a lucky one to have such a wonderful father.” The woman commented, her hands clapped in front of her mouth in awe.

“He is actually expecting a baby girl soon…” Zero blurted unintentionally and punched himself mentally as the eyes of their companions bulged out.

“Really? At such a young age? That is… quite brave… Congratulations anyways… Kids are the best spice in life.” the man stuttered

“That is amazing! Oh, my! She is such a lucky one to be raised by two cool and handsome daddy’s” The woman chirped.

Three pair of eyes looked at her as if she had grown another head. “Honey? what are you…”

“Oh come on dear! You don’t get it? I told you about this surrogate program! Remember the gay couple at work with me, they wanted children, so each one of them went through artificial insemination of the same surrogate mother, now they have two adorable kids that are sibling by blood as well as adoption. Isn’t it the case for you two? I have to admit, you make such a wonderful couple just standing together like that. I am sure your children will be wonderful, wish you luck and if you need assistance I will be there for you, just a call away!” the woman extended a hand holding a card with her contact,

Zero was about to deny when Kaname beat him to it and took the card “Thank you very much madam, we appreciate your generosity.”

“Nothing of that sort, I am glad that homosexuality is not as frowned upon as before and great people like you can lead a non-oppressed life. I wish you happiness. If you will excuse us” and they left like a storm

“What was that…? “ Zero hissed, looking at the retreating couple but addressing the question to the indifferent man standing beside him.

“Don’t mind it, shall we pick up where we left” Kaname cooed while touching Zero’s arm softly.

Zero threw towel to his face “no, I think I am going for one more lap” and dived before Kaname could say anything.

 

 

The pureblood exhaled and threw the towel on lounging seat. Seeing that the hunter had no plan on leaving the water, he went to the counter where receptionist was reading the papers of the previous day.

“Water please!” … he got the glass, popped three tablets in it and watched as they dissolved.  

The human smirked “is he that voracious that you need to use three at once to keep up with him. That’s… hot!” He drawled.

Kaname glared at him before realizing what he meant. _“The blood pills? Is he thinking that they were some sort of performance enhancer? Which means that he is a consumer of those illegal drugs with Sara’s blood”_

Kaname decided to play the game “What do you know, gotta keep up the face” he winked. The guy fell for it in a heartbeat, he bent over the counter and whispered to Kaname as if there was anyone around to hear them “How about this, buddy! I can get you the most potent ones for cheaper price than the market. In exchange, I want to have your little one for a week, that hot ass just calls for me to pound it… hard!” He licked his lips and gave a full toothed smile, successfully irking the brunet, but Kaname did not show it.

“Really! Are you a dealing?”

“No! Too much trouble! But I know the place they sell it and have contact with the dealer. Since I bring in customers, they make good price for my goods for me.”

“Lucky you! And where is this place,” Kaname feigned interest

“It is a high class bar restaurant, not too far from here.”

“You don’t mean K-bar, don’t you, …” He pointed, knowing that the possibility is absolutely negative.

“You kidding? No! from what I gather, that place is bad news for dealers, many got sacked when trying to do business there, dunno if it is the bartender or owner, anyways both seems vicious and too straight laced to get into this kind of thing… The one I am talking about is a little further away, but if you go by yourself, you won’t get shit. Even if you do somehow get some, it will be ten times the price. I need to go with you the first time to introduce you. The price for that is the week I requested. Of course, I get to have the cutie before I go with you. Deal?”

Kaname asked for a pen and a paper where he scribbled an address. He beckoned the excited man with his finger to come closer, and suddenly grabbed him by the collar. The man yelped and paled at the strength and the ruby red eyes staring back at him, fear contorted his features. Kaname quickly covered his mouth to muffle a scream and started his mind control, “Tomorrow, you will turn in your resignation from this job, and then you will go to this address and ask to meet Kaien Cross. You will tell him about everything you know concerning the drugs, dealers, names, places, everything and you will answer truly to all questions he asks. Tell him that you met Kuran Kaname at a restaurant and saw him put tablets in the champagne; you thought he was a consumer and wanted to refer him to your dealer… Ah! One last thing, from now on you will have no desire to fuck Zero, look at him or go near him at all… Understood!”

The receptionist, with a blank look in his eyes, answered “Yes! I understand” before snapping out his daze and shaking his head. He looked at the piece of paper in his hand and tucked it in his pocket.

Kaname relaxed in his seat and waved back at the couple and their toddler when he noticed them leaving. He caught Zero exiting the pool from the corner of his eye, going towards the locker room. He gulped the rest of his fake blood and followed him. Knowing that the hunters was already aware of him, Kaname started drying Zero’s head with a towel he picked from the rack.

Zero, however, yanked the towel and threw it on the floor. He did not bother looking at the taller male as he rummaged through his locker to get his shower kit.  Kaname quirked an eyebrow and asked “You’re angry”…. He got no response

“What did I do this time?”

“….”

“Zero? Silent treatment again, really?” Kaname crossed his arms and leaned on the metal door next to the one of Zero’s locker.

“…”

Their eyes finally met when Zero closed the door, coming face to face with the pureblood leaning against the metallic furniture.

He turned away from his gaze and was about to go for the showers, but Kaname prevented it. He felt him grab his arm and push him, not too hard, against the locker to cage him between it and his body.

“Kaname! Let me go, I am not in the mood for your shit” He hissed, glancing up at the surveillance camera at the top left corner of the room. _Who is the pervert with the idea of putting that there?_ His thoughts were interrupted by the rich voice close to his face.

“I won’t let go, but I won’t do anything either, until you tell me what’s wrong” Kaname insisted. Sincerely puzzled at the sudden change of attitude, which was a little more extreme than the usual mood swings of the hunter.

“What is there not to be pissed about? Making out in public like that… Being seen by my neighbors… Nah~ that should not be a problem… Neighbors thinking we are couple, expecting a child, gay marriage… You are right… What was I angry about? I can’t really think of anything… Oh! And it is certainly not the fact that whoever is watching through that camera might think that you are assaulting me… No~ not at all…” Zero spoke with a tone dripping with sarcasm and contempt.

Kaname was silent this time. he dropped his arms on his sides, freeing the hunter.

Zero’s glare intensified “What? Nothing to say? Oh wait! save your breath if you are going to say ‘sorry’ in that fucking bored tone of yours.”

Kaname tucked his hands inside the jersey’s pocket, took a deep breath before speaking “I do not feel bad for making them think we were a couple”

Zero froze, feeling his heart jump to his throat.

“It is true that homosexuality is not frowned upon like before, but people still shun those who do not believe in monogamy. Society is still narrow-minded in that aspect. That man will be a business associate, right. If I understood your conversation correctly, he might become a valuable asset to your company. Do you really want to blatantly expose that all we have is a physical relationship? Revealing that you are having an affair with a man who is expecting a child, which would automatically translate into the attribute ‘married’? What will you earn from it, apart from having him repulsed in the worst case scenario?”

Zero clenched the towel in his hand, reluctant to admit that the pureblood had a point. They were both considered as Elites of the top tier of society, people who are generally judged quite harshly for any misstep. The fact that they keep low public profile or the fact that Kaname and Yuki’s relationship was not made public does not overshadow the truth of a scandal erupting if the affair were exposed. They could not afford nasty gossip spreading around.

A sizzling sound startled the hunter. He looked up to see smoke fanning out of the security camera. “They generally have a periodic back up. I am sure you know that. They won’t be able to have proof even if someone is watching if the device is destroyed shortly after.”

“Show off!” Zero drawled and stomped to the shower.

Kaname watched in silence until he heard the water running. He relaxed on the bench in the middle of the room; chuckling at the memory of the hunter’s expressions as he explained himself. He could see that Zero understood his point but still acting stubborn because he always hated to admit or apologize, let alone say thank you.

He craned his neck when he heard the humming coming from the shower, the smile already plastered on his face turned into a grin. Zero seems to have left the cubicle’s door ajar. _He can be quite endearing when he refuses to admit the truth._ Delighted with the implicit invitation, Kaname proceeded to take off his clothes in order to join the silverette. He chuckled again softly, this time amused at how being with Zero made him feel like the teenager he has never been before.

He used his telekinesis to lock the door of the room before pushing the cubicle’s open. He reacted almost instantly to the sight of the naked Zero with water streams gliding along his alabaster skin. Without wasting time, he collected the silverette in his arms from behind. Zero tilted his head back to let it rest on the collarbone of the pureblood enjoying his warmth as warmer water slid across his face. A soft moan escaped his lips when he felt Kaname teasing the back of his ear and the sensitive earlobe. The more teasing he got, the more Zero rocked his hips back against the pureblood until the brunet could take no more.

Kaname swiftly turned Zero around and pushed him against the misted wall, escaping the shower stream. Zero’s heart leaped at the sight that greeted him. A wet Kaname might be the sexiest and most sensual thing he ever came across. The shivers, excitement and hypnotic feeling he felt at the poolside came rushing tenfold stronger. He unconsciously licked his lips, unaware of his shallow breathing and the slight flush appearing across his heated skin that excited the pureblood in return.

Kaname grabbed his chin for a kiss and Zero responded passionately, his finger laced through the wet brown hair that he tugged on to deepen it. Kaname groaned before sliding a hand across Zero’s chest and down between them. He held both their arousals together in his fist and started pumping, without interrupting their kiss. Zero closed his eyes shut to resist, but did not take long before breaking the kiss to moan and gasp with each stroke, His head thrashed against the cold tile of the wall, and his hands rose up in search of something to grab on as he felt his knees growing weak from the shattering orgasm to come.

Kaname chose that moment to let go, earning a whimper from the silverette. He went down on his knees leaving a trail of kisses from his jugular all the way down to his stomach, navel and lower belly. He stared at the flat surface for a second as a thought flashed through his lust filled mind, “baby, huh…”

He had to shake his head in order to chase away the fleeting image of how Zero might look when heavily pregnant with his child. He took the weeping arousal in his mouth slowly inch by inch, sucking and nibbling until Zero’s legs buckled. The hunter had to bend over and hold onto Kaname’s broad shoulders for support. He watched with half lid eyes as the wet brown head bobbed back and forth driving him mad.

As soon as the trembling ex-human released with a gasp, he sagged in Kaname’s awaiting arms, breathing hard and fast in attempt to calm down. He could feel Kaname’s length rub on his thigh while the brunet helped him stand straight. His lips curled up, it always got to him how Kaname would make sure to give Zero enough pleasure and orgasms to blow his brains out before claiming some for himself. He looked up with a mischievous expression that looked almost childish as he gave an open mouthed kiss to the taller man’s chin. Kaname smiled at the gesture and gave him a peck on the tip of his nose.

Zero rested his back on the wet. He hooked his arms around Kaname’s neck and pulled him flush against him. Kaname, in turn, rested his hands on zero’s hips and kissed his shoulder, tasting the chlorine and Zero’s flavor all the way to his ear where he whispered huskily, “what now?”.

Gluing their cheek together, Zero spoke lazily, “I want more, but~”

Violet eyes widened when the met a square foil packet floating inches away from them. Zero let out a baffled laugh, “Unbelievable!” Kaname smirked while tearing it and preparing himself.

Without adding word, Zero tiptoed and lifted one leg that he wrapped around Kaname’s hips, and then freed one hand that he used to guide Kaname’s arousal to his awaiting destination. The pureblood thrusted up as soon as he reached the aperture earning a double moan from Zero and himself. When wine orbs darkened with lust met lilac ones equally dark, Kaname pulled out almost completely and slammed back up with gusto, Zero’s eyes widened and gasped before whispering “uhnnn… so good… more”… Kaname gladly complied as he picked up a brutal pace pinning the silverette between the wall and his body until Zero climaxed again.

He was not done with him yet. The pureblood made sure to take him repeatedly, making him scream in painful pleasure while he caressed, kissed and nibbled at every sensitive spot he learnt. He watched him come undone, liking the way his hair swayed from the rocking motion… It was then and there that Kaname realized the reason behind his impulsiveness and obsession with the lilac-eyed hunter. “oh god! Kaname… aaha ah aaahah… there feels good… more”…

Jealousy! Kaname was feeling irritated by the fact that the some other person wanted a piece of the hunter. The thought that he might have succeeded had Zero taken an interest in him drove the vampire mad. He unconsciously increased the already brutal pace and made a mess out of the hunter more than usual as if trying to imprint him. He explored every nook and cranny of the pliant body as if trying to erase any trace of other men he knew Zero was with before him. It was not until the delectable body went limp that Kaname snapped out of his frenzy to a passed out Zero.

 

Later, Kaname opened the door to the apartment and gently laid down the blushing hunter on the couch of his living room.

“You’re seriously insatiable once you get started. You were planning on doing it from the start weren’t you… going as far as bringing the damns condoms, pervert”. When Kaname was done with him, Zero found himself walking like a newborn fawn, unable to make a yard without his leg giving out on him. After regaining consciousness, he unintentionally egged the pureblood on which lead to another intense session on the bench of the locker room. As a result, the sadistic pureblood hoisted Zero and carried him bridal style all the way up to the apartment, earning weird stares, knowing giggle and few shocked expression from the security, receptionist and few residents they came across. _“I should start thinking of moving out”_ … 

“I am always insatiable when it comes to you Zero, I don’t mind going at it for days if allowed… However, the fact here is that you overestimated your stamina.” Kaname whispered in zero’s ear with a husky sultry voice. “Here I thought you were past the point of passing out like many times before.”

“Fuck you! You go take a shower, change and leave, don’t you dare come near me again until I say so…” bellowed a beet red hunter who curled up in the couch in a defensive stance. Kaname chuckled, kissed his forehead.

Of course, he ignored the order of the grumpy princess and sat next to him with a glass of fake blood. Zero took and gulped it grudgingly.

“Is something wrong?” Zero asked softly while placing he glass on the coffee table.

“hmmm?”

“You are not… How should I say it… You seemed agitated back there…”

The perceptive hunter took Kaname aback. “It’s nothing…”

 They fell silent for sometime, each lost in their own world before Kaname spoke again.

“Yuki… She had strong contractions today… I really thought she was going into labor for a moment.”

Zero was surprised to hear it, the reminder that the deadline of their affair was coming close.

“hooh! So you fucked me senseless because you thought this might be the last time. Makes sense.”

Kaname neither confirmed, nor denied. Part of him contemplated the possibility that what Zero said might be the correct explanation for his actions, but another part was pushing the other scenario that Kaname did not want to admit.

“Probably…”

“You look good in that jersey by the way…” Zero teased, trying to lighten the mood. Kaname chuckled at the rare compliment. He pulled the cover from Zero and dropped his head on the hunter’s lap. He ignored the protest of the hunter who struggled to get him off “You better save your strength. I have another half a day before leaving and I want to make the most out of it.” He grinned at the scarlet color washing over the hunter. Zero threw his head on the back of the couch, sighing in defeat “You will be the end of me”

“I was thinking about this for a while, how did you end up swinging for men? You were obviously pinning for Yuki before, who, as boyish as she might be is still a woman.” Kaname inquired

“Hmm… It happened gradually… Like a journey ending up with me finding my true self.” Zero answered in a joking manner

“I am being serious here…”

“Why are you asking about this all of a sudden anyways?”

“Curiosity?” Kaname suggested

Zero took a deep breath, “Well… When I left, I kept to myself for some time. Then, I tried dating, women. I went out with a couple of chicks and had a one-night stand with another one. It was when I embraced, and saw them enjoying it that I started to wonder about how good it would feel if I was the one being embraced. The idea disturbed me at first since I was well aware of my unique condition. However, the thought never left, and I found myself getting more and more dissatisfied each time I slept with a woman. Therefore, I looked up the clubs where people like _me_ gather. I initially planned on visiting the club out of curiosity, but that night was the start of my current life. The trashy mood, weird clothing and tasteless music booming inside my head horrified me. I barely finished a beer when I decided to leave and never come back. It was then that a straight couple approached me. The woman was the one doing the introduction and lured me into having some fun with them.”

Kaname had covered his eyes with his forearm while listening to the hunter. He regretted his curiosity to know more about him as soon as the meaning sank. He uncovered his face to see a sad nostalgic look on the hunter’s face. “Did you?”

“Yes… I went along. Things were rocky between Ichiru and me and I certainly did not want to go back home that night…”

“How did it go?”

Zero snorted “Mind-blowing.”

“…”  

“From the first time I saw her, the woman screamed of wild and reckless… She sure lived up to that first impression… She was the one suggesting to her husband to take me, something about two guys turning her on… Anyways, the fun did not end that night as I met with them more times after… Things turned ugly later when the husband started developing feelings for me and his wife caught on… I sincerely did not notice until she pointed it out during a lunch we were having at the cafeteria. Oh! She attended the same university by the way… She finally dumped the loser but remained good friends with me, without physical involvement… It was nice to have someone understanding and accepting you for who you are.”

Kaname felt conflicted, he did not want to unfold more about the hunter’s debauchery seeing the bad taste a tiny glimpse left. He decided to change the topic.

“Are you still keeping in touch with her?”

“You bet! Despite being wild and adventurous, she had a good head over her shoulders. She beat us into shape and accomplished what Ichiru could never do with me. It was thanks to her that I made it where I am today. She gathered the freelancers and started the idea of the business and foundation of it. Pushing each one of us to their limit thanks to the crazy contracts, she managed to bring in. She should have been the president now, not me.”

Seeing the sparkle in his eyes, Kaname assumed that the reason was not sad. “Why didn’t she?”

“She got pregnant as soon as she finished her studies and decided to settle down and be a happy housewife. She gladly left the associate position to her competent husband because she knew her health would not allow her to juggle between work and home.”

“Wait!... Her husband is you current associate… You mean?”

Zero finally look down to face him, smirking “Allen, yeah… Although, fyi, he is not aware of the kinky past between us, neither does he know that I am of the ‘third gender’ as she calls it. We both agreed that some things are better left unknown if we wanted to keep our friendship healthy.”

Kaname was about to inquire about something else when Zero’s phone started ringing. He grunted and stretched his hand to fetch it from the table and pass it to the hunter.

“Ichiru?” Zero answered

Kaname did not bother eavesdropping on the conversation even with Zero’s worried expression. He chose to give him space by going to brew some coffee.

Couple of minutes later, a frowning Zero joined him in the kitchen scratching the back of his head.

“Kaname…” he trailed

“Yes.”

“I think your half a day got shortened to twenty minutes.” Zero deadpanned

“Something happened?”

“Ichiru sounded like he had been crying… Troubles in paradise probably… He is leaving now to come here… It is fine if you want to stay longer since he knows you are here, but it will be awkward for you…”

“Oh~ I get it… It’s okay. I will just change and leave… After I finish drinking my coffee if you don’t mind” Kaname answered in amusement.

“Just remember to leave through the door this time. Just like you came in.” Zero pointed. He started going around, fixing things and fetching the gym bag to erase any proof that he did anything apart from working. Kaname followed the meticulous man with his gaze as he sipped on his drink.

Ichiru came just in time to find Kaname about to leave, dressed in the same suit he came wearing the night before. The pureblood did not miss the anguished look on the longhaired silverette and the tired reddened eyes of his. He left as soon as the twin came in. Once he walked a good distance away from the building, he went into a dark alley to teleport back to Cross Academy.

With steady footsteps, he made his way to the working area where a noble scientist was staring blankly at the screen.

“Aido” the commanding tone snapped him out of his daze

“Yes!”

“How long have you been here?”

“Few hours.” Brown eyebrow twitched in annoyance at the answer

“I assume you made some progress on those result you were checking before we left.”

“Ah! uh…” the noble answered meekly, leading to an invisible vein to pop in the brunet temple.

“I expect a progress report on my desk in two hours then.” The order jolted the blond

“What? I mean, there is still three days until the weekly progress report. Is there a reason Kaname-sama needs it so soon?”

“Is there a reason for me to justify my order? or is this a roundabout way to telling me that no progress was made?”

“No… It is not…”

“Do I need to repeat myself?” Kaname commanded with a cold stare that made the vampire feel like shrinking and hiding in one of his test tubes.

“Progress report in two hours, understood.” He announced in a military fashion before sagging in his chair once the door closed behind the leaving pureblood.

“I think it is against me that the universe is conspiring.” he felt like crying from all the anxiety racking his body and soul. He flipped his phone for the thousandth time already to check for incoming mail or call, finding none. He pressed the dial button, showing the number he tried to call for as many times before locking the phone yet again and throwing it on the table to resume the task thrown his way.

Kaname knew better than to take it out on Hanabusa, but he could not help it, especially in his confused state. He decided to go on with his daily routine and not dwell too much on his dark thoughts.

 

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞** **BACK IN ZERO’S APARTEMENT** **∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

 

Ichiru kept standing in front of coffee table, facing Zero who was sitting on the couch staring back at his twin, observing the fidgeting of his carbon copy.

Ichiru covered his face with both hands and breathed out before wiping it. He fixed Zero with an accusing gaze, “How could you?”

Puzzled, Zero made a questioning gesture with his hand,

“How could you do that to me and go on as if nothing happened.”

The translucent tears dripping from purple eyes alarmed the hunter, before he could stand and comfort his brother, Ichiru screamed. “Don’t! Don’t come closer… I just want to know why?”

“Ichiru! I don’t understand what you are talking about… You just came in, clammed up for an eternity and now asking me about shit I dunno if I have even had anything to do with.”

Ichiru gritted his teeth, his knuckle turning white from tightening his fist… “I thought you forgave my foolishness, that you were glad I did not die back then… I thought you left because you wanted a fresh start… Now that I think back on it… Maybe all that was an act… That you have always despised me for what I have done to you and our parents… That you did not push me away because you just needed me and saw that I can be of use for you… After all, the gentle big brother that used to take care of me when I fall sick and defend me when bullied is nowhere to be found anymore… Ne, Zero… Do you even care about me…”

Zero inhaled sharply, trying to calm down. It was obvious that Ichiru was upset about something he had done, but Zero could not recall anything that might put his twin in such a devastated state.

“Ich… I do care about you… Whatever or whoever tells you otherwise can go to hell… What made you consider such a thing as me using you? If anything, having you back in my life might have been the best thing that ever happened. What brought this on?”

“If I am that important to you… If what you are saying is true, why did you have to seduce him?”

“Who?”

“Don’t play dumb now” Ichiru barked “Hana! who else?”

“What the fuck are talking about?” It was Zero’s turn to snap

“I am talking about you sneaking into my boyfriend’s bed and sleeping with him while I was posing as you for school. When we had to leave everything and fly to you side in order to make sure that you do not kill yourself because you got your sorry ass pregnant. That is what I am talking about. Was it so bad to see me happily in love, to see that someone actually gives a shit about me? Huh?”

“Wew Wew… Easy there…” Zero spoke slowly, making a calming gesture before raising a finger as a timeout sign for Ichiru to allow him a word, “First of all, I never fucked you boyfriend and never will… Secondly, I would never feel resentful for you happiness since I always wish for it… Where the heck did you get that impression from.”

Ichiru stared at him, clearly still not believing him “Are you telling me that you did not seduce him?”

Zero clutched his bangs and faced down, _Fuck you Aido!._

“Did you or did you not” Ichiru crossed his arms again, a foot impatiently tapping on the wooden floor.

“I did…” the doomed answer came as a whisper. He lifted his head at the choking sound from Ichiru crying while covering his mouth. He felt a stabbing to the chest at the sight of his trembling twin. “Did Aido tell you about it?” _of course it is that idiot, who else would come to know about it if he does not let his big mouth loose._

Ichiru nodded, stifling a sob.

“Come on! I was not in my right mind then… You really should not think too much into it… It happened before the extinction of the fucking dinosaurs, I would have forgotten about it if you did not bring it up now.”

“Why? I just want to know why did you even try it? Was it to get back at me…”

“No… God! No… It was definetley not because of that…”

“Then why?”

Zero looked away from his twin intense glare, feeling stupid thinking back on that incident.

“Zero~” Ichiru pleaded, he felt like he was about to crumble if his brother did not give him closure on this matter.

“I… Fuck it! If you really want to know, I was pissed.”

“I _knew_ it”

“No you did not… I was not pissed at you for fuck sake… I wanted Aido out of the picture… I could not accept it… The fact that you are dating a vampire… What made it worse was that I came to know about it upon finding him drinking from your throat… I simply had the fucked up idea to prove that he was only after your blood, that the prick he was could not be capable of love, let alone loving my twin… To drive my point home, I thought up the scenario of seducing him and have you witness us being intimate upon coming back, thus realizing that he was worth nothing… I WAS DOING IT ALL TO PROTECT YOU? That is how I convinced myself at least… You can guess that the plan backfired since you two are still together.”

Ichiru blinked repeatedly before mumbling, “It means that he really pushed you away when you were unbuttoning his shirt.”

Zero’s eyebrows knotted as he focused on remembering, “More like he flipped me and caged me in ice, everything except my head was frozen.”

“What?”

“Nothing… The point is, nothing happened and you don’t need to worry about that loyal puppy of your ever cheating on you.” Zero teased

Ichiru finally wiped his tears and chuckled at the metaphor. “Okay… but really, tell me what happened… You got me curious and I am sure Hana would rather cut off his tongue then speak about it.” Ichiru chirped, joining Zero on the sofa.

The hunter nose crinkled, he sighed. He would rather not recollect but if it would make his twin feel better, he found no other choice. “As I said, he caged me in ice… left me there and went to wash his face, as if it was a morning routine like any other… He came back and stood beside the bed, looking down on me with contempt. Of course, we exchanged a few insult, bickering and a lot of yelling about how bad he is for you countered with how better your life will be with him in it. In the end, we got down to the core problem, blood drinking. After a lot of give and take, we made an agreement.” Zero paused all of a sudden when remembering the content of the agreement.

“What was it?” Ichiru asked, now enjoying the story…

The answer came in an absentminded tone “That I would not lay hands on him or anyone in the family or circle of friends as long as Aido keeps his end of the deal by never hurting you, physically…”

“Oh~” Ichiru was surprised but it help him understand the reason behind the secrecy of his husband when he begged him not to let his twin know that he was drinking from him. He also understood the reason behind his abstinence back then. Ichiru was worried for nothing when he thought Aido did not like the taste of his blood.

“I hope he is keeping his end of the bargain?” Came the interrogative tone of the hunter.

“Ah… Yes…Off… Of course! He is not one to break a promise, hahaah” Ichiru laughed nervously, hoping that no trace of his blood remained that Zero could pick on.

Scrutinizing violet eyes assessed him carefully before the hunter flopped back on the couch, suddenly feeling drained.

“You should go take a shower.” Ichiru stiffened at the words, looking at his brother nose crinkling as a sign of smelling something unpleasant.

“My poor sensitive nose have been suffering from his stench all over you… I guess you were too out of it from fighting right after sex…” Ichiru’s face flamed beet red when it sunk in. He jumped to Zero’s bathroom without wasting any second. Calling out from the door for a change of clothes.

Zero exited the couch in a slow manner; he popped few more pills on the way to his master bedroom, still feeling the strain of his earlier activities with Kaname.

He entered the bathroom with a set of clothes in hand that he put on a nearby rack. Glinting metal caught his attention; it was Ichiru’s wedding band. He took the circular object and examined it. He bit his lips when the suspicions about Ichiru’s reaction were confirmed, but he still needed a tangible proof. Without warning, he drew the shower curtain violently, revealing his naked brother. Ichiru yelped and looked at the face identical to his. Zero was calm and expressionless as he spoke “I forgot to ask something.”

Ichiru groaned as he resumed scrubbing his body, “And you could not wait until I am done?”

“Kaito said that he got his ring charmed to camouflage his blood scent for when Takuma wanted to bite him.” Zero did not miss the flinch and pause in his twins movement.

“When I asked about the reason to allow such a thing, he said it was the same reason for which my brother allows his hubby to bite him. Care to explain what that means?”

Ichiru muttered a string of profanity and curses at the hazel-eyed hunter, to the point that Kaito got a chill down his spine while grading papers on his desk.

“AAAh! That… hhhh… It is nothing really… The topic came up when talking about dating vampires, so I teased him about it and he took the bait. I could not take it back when I said it was tested and proved, and I could not tell him that you were the one using such an amulet for you know what. So I made it out to be for me.”

 

Zero lifted the ring between his fingers, “Why does your ring have the same carvings of the spell then?”

 _Shit!_ Ichiru felt like a cornered mouse, “Uhm… I guess I liked the design. Hana has it on his band as well.”

“So you are telling me that if I put this on you and scratch you, I would still be able to smell your blood?”

“What the hell, Zero!” Ichiru immediately went on the defensive “What are you getting at. Just because of a stupid agreement, you think I would accept things to break off with Hanabusa. Don’t get over your head, Nii-san! You have no right to interfere in my life, not after all this time. I might have tolerated it long ago since you had my best interest in mind, but now. If you dare do anything to him, I will never forgive you. I much rather prefer dying than living without him-“ Tears mixed with water as Ichiru stood frozen, remembering the fight he had with the blond vampire and all the horrible things he said to him. Fear started to take over as thought of Hanabusa actually leaving him haunted his mind.”

As if reading his thoughts, Zero dropped the issue and spoke “Just finish showering. I put a change of clothes out for you. Once you are done, I will drive you to the station.” appreciating the gentle push, Ichiru nodded and resumed.

Zero closed his bathroom door and leaned against him, despite everything, Zero still chose to believe his brother for now. Especially when he saw no scar of puncture wound anywhere on his flawless skin.

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

An hour later, Ichiru was waving at Zero in front the train station, he made it on time for the earliest departure to Cross-city. As soon as his twin got out of sight, Zero glanced at his rearview mirror. The red sedan was still visible. Amidst the chattering of his brother, Zero did not miss the car tailing his. He did not bother alarming Ichiru about it since he already had enough on his plate, so he drove as if not aware of his follower. Now that his brother is safe, judging from the fact that the driver was not following him into the station left Zero to conclude that it was a stalker for him. 

On his way back, the hunter chose a different route, leading to a rarely used old highway. The red car was persistently following him to the point that made him wonder what kind of amateur was it. When no other car were spotted, Zero sped up suddenly, making the other speed up in process. As expected, the red car slid quickly chasing after his. In a swift practiced motion, he changed the lane and hit the brakes, coming side by side with the culprit. Zero did not waste the opportunity to nudge the vehicle, sending him twirling to the roadside before coming to a skidding stop. The disoriented male came out of the vehicle, visibly trying to wrap his mind around what just happened before turning to stone at the feel of a barrel against his temple. He glanced sideway while raising his hands up, the silver haired angry man stood by him, pointing an equally silver gun to his head.

“I am no one suspicious, I am unarmed; please… please don’t kill me.” The American English accent caught the hunter off guard, as much as the fact that the man following him was a human. He was expecting him to be a vampire or some rogue hunter that came along some time to claim his head. He even considered the possibility of a persistent one-night stand, although he did not have much action in that department thanks to a matchless pureblood. The least he was expecting was a harmless foreigner.

“Who are you? and Why are you following me?”

“My name is Thomas. I am a journalist…hiii” the guy squealed when the gun pushed against his temple “I am a freelance journalist, blogger, writer, paparazzi whatever suits your taste…”

“What are you doing here?”

“I am on vacation…”

“Bullshit”

“Okay I came on vacation but my motive was you… I would like to write an article and needed your interview, as the top amongst young entrepreneur…”

Zero finally retracted his gun, and put it back in place. He groaned at the memory of Allen saying something about an article requiring a picture of him in the business magazine.

“You should not swing something like that around Mr. Kiryuu, even if it was a toy.” The man reprimanded, regretting his world when a cold stare came his way.

“If you are a stickler to the rules, you should know that I make no public appearance or private interviews. Kindly leave me alone.” Zero answered calmly before turning to get in his car.

“Anna Stevens, 27 years old now. Few years back, she was one of the victims of the ‘no-kill ripper’. Does it ring a bell, Mr. Kiryuu” He taunted. Since Zero had his back facing him, the man could not see the surprise gracing the features of the hunter.

“The name is not familiar, but the ‘no-kill ripper’ was the highlight of the news at some point back then. I lived in that area, so I was bound to come across it.” Zero turned with a poker face.

“You see… Anna was my girlfriend at that time. After the assault, she almost turned mental. Although the police closed the case, she insisted that they caught the wrong culprit… She swore by whatever dear to her that what attacked her was a monster… a monster with red blazing eyes… Scary fangs and white hair. Crazy, isn’t? It was as if she was describing a vampire.”

“I guess she had quite the broad imagination. Did this monster wear a cloak and vanished in the form of bats.” Zero asked sarcastically “Oh! and did she turn into a vampire like the myth dictates.”

Thomas stared at him for a moment, “I will get straight to the point, Mr. Kiryuu. I was one of the detective working on the case. I was pulled out when my girlfriend was involved. But before that, your name came up in the suspect list. Of course, you were cleared after they interrogated you at the comfort of your home.”

“So… What are you trying to say…” Zero started to feel irritated.

“How does it sound when I mention that all the description and portrait pointed to your direction… I did not give it much thoughts at that time, but… the fact that a special unit took over the case right after questioning you, then they arrested a culprit that had no previous record and willingly surrendered himself to the police… Does it not strike you as weird when that suspect mysteriously vanishes from prison leaving scattered clothes and dust.”

“If you are going to waste my time about a case you failed to solve and that has nothing to do with me, I am afraid I will have no choice but to leave. Thomas.” Zero answered flatly

“Can you answer a few questions before that.”

Zero remained silent, knowing that this kind of man does not take no for an answer.

“How is it that most of the victim identified you as the culprit just from the picture I showed them recently, when they were affirmative about the suspect caught before?”

“I don’t know… They did say that I share many common features with the suspect back then.”

“I doubt that you had the same ear piercings. One of them picked up on that detail, which intrigued me.”

“Thomas.” Zero approached the man with a dominant stance

“Tom is fine”

“In case you are not aware, I can easily sue you for harassment, stalking and false baseless accusation. Your vacation here might turn permanent”

The threat was useless as it fired up the man even more. “Why is it that your twin had a change of image when he came to US, making himself to look exactly like you down to the intricate tattoo on your neck if not to provide an alibi? Why is it that your profiles as well as those around you are classified as confidential and not accessible only by a handful of investigator? Why do you look exactly like the picture on this article from six years ago? I thought you just used the same one for the recent article, so I had to confirm it by myself… The last thing, how can you deny being a supernatural creature when you reached my car in the blink of an eye, from _that_ distance?”

 The man had to catch his breath while Zero doubled over, laughing hard. He finally stood, facing the offended man he just made fun of by laughing. Glancing at the smoke coming out of the car’s engine, he tapped on his shoulder in a comforting manner. “Tom… Did that girlfriend break up with you?”

Zero gouged the affirmative answer from the tensing muscle. “And you lost your job because you were persistent on opening up the case again?”

“Now how would you know that?”

“You just confirmed a wild guess.” He smirked at the annoyed face.

“Let’s recapitulate… You believe that I am the real suspect for this ‘no-kill ripper case’… You fly all the way to Japan to confirm if I age or not… Just because you were drowsy and did not see me coming your way, you think that I materialized next to you when you got out of your car… You, my friend, are a _genius._ What would you have done if you were right? Standing here, cornering me with questions in an isolated area. If I were the monster you speak of, I would have ripped your throat and left you for the dead.”

The man flinched and paled at the realization of his rash action. He turned to see that his car was done for and the fear became paralyzing.

“Relax! I happened to be on my way to get a drink and chill out. I would not mind the company if you need a ride.” Zero pointed to his car. Sensing not malice whatsoever. The foreigner followed.

In K-bar, Zero acted like the perfect host by making sure the guest was comfortable in the table designated for him. One the man relaxed, Zero took the opportunity to pull Ryou into the staff room. “Zero?”

“I have a quick favor to ask… The man I came with knows a bit too much… He is digging too deep into my nature and he might get in serious trouble if he does not give it up… You know what to do, right?”

The bartender rubbed his chin, pondering before nodding slowly, “You owe me.”

“You’re the best…” Zero winked with a grin on his face. He went to invite the naturally curious human to a tour of the V.I.P room where Ryou did his magic and sent him his way.

Zero finally relaxed in his car seat. Fatigue catching up to him. He decided to get back for a much needed rest. The last thing that flashed through his mind was a bit of the conversation he had with Ichiru after he finished the shower.

_*flashback*  “Nii-san, I am not saying this just because I felt like it. Seriously, you have to look around and realize that there are a lot of good men around. I know of one who fancies you quite a lot.”_

_“Yeah! yeah! Ok but no, thank you… I don’t want a repeat of that time… I had my share of relationship drama… What makes even think that I would consider this guy.”_

_“Maybe because you happened to have slept with him, and I see that you are on good terms as well… Which means that you don’t dislike him.”_

_“Who are you talking about”_

_“Come on, who else? Gin, you idiot… I had a good talk with him after you lashed out on him before… He did say that he likes you, but I had to probe more to see how serious he was… I was surprised when I found out that he knew about your little secret and then everything came clear. Just consider it, you don’t have to give him any special treatment for now, you can act as if I never told you, but think about it.” *end of flashback*_

 

Zero buried his face in his pillow, groaning. “Ugh! Why am I surrounded by idiots and blabbermouths?”

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞** **Cross Academy, MoonDorms** **∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

In his room, Hanabusa was rolling the wedding band on his ring finger. Even if the wedding was just a formality to acknowledge them as mates in the vampire society, the ice-wielder never forgot the moment they made their vows, surrounded by family and friends. No matter how many centuries might pass by, he was sure to never forget the moment he got to shout it out loud, and announce to the whole world that Ichiru is the love of his life and no other can ever come close to how precious he was in his heart.

The text he received from Zero only served in increasing his anxiety. What is with _“Way to go blabbermouth, I sent you a present, enjoy!”?_

Knowing the sarcastic nature of the hunter, Aido could not figure out if whatever Zero was talking about was negative or positive. He glanced at the paper on top of the nightstand with sad eyes. A knock on the door startled him, and the smell of the man he loved made his throat tighten.

He opened the door to a meekly looking Ichiru who just stood there looking at him with hesitant eyes. “I.-“ “May I-“ they both spoke at the same time and stopped to let the other finish. Aido sighed before gesturing for Ichiru to speak first.

“May I come inside.” Electric blue eyes widened for a second when he recognized the shy smile adorning his lover’s lips. Due to their stubborn strikes, they tended to fight and clash a lot at the beginning of their journey. Therefore, Hanabusa noticed that whenever Ichiru was about to give in and admit when he was in the wrong, the silverette would have the same expression. The one Aido was witnessing right now. Without further ado, he spread his arms wide-open waiting for Ichiru who took small steps until he was pulled into the warm embrace, a small tear trickled down his cheek.

 

 

**∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞** **Somewhere else** **∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞**

 

Ruby red lips parted slowly as the lollipop forced its way out of the small mouth.

“That would be all, lady”

after one last lick of the candy, she started twirling it vertically while pondering on the report. She looked at the messenger “You are sure that there was a memory tempering?”

“Yes, affirmative.”

“Hmmm! Interesting.”

“What will be the next move?”

The red lips curled up in amusement, “Let them run free for now… Something better than I expected might come up from this… Ah! and make sure to get rid of any annoying mosquitos”

“Understood.” The messenger was promptly dismissed.

“Mother, what is so good about sitting around, waiting when you know what you need to do to get what you want?”

“All in good time, child. All in good times.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews?
> 
> PS: Ryou is a vampire and he erased the memory of anything related to Zero from Thomas’ head.
> 
>  
> 
>  


	28. chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I forget, I am starting a story about Kaito and Takuma, it will be sort of a spin off of this one. Writing the chapter about them opened the gate to many ideas for a dramatic and angsty love story. I posted the prologue and will be posting new chapters soon. Do check it out if you ship the pair ;)
> 
> Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews. They were the right push to motivate me into pulling an all-nighter and finish these two chapters.
> 
> I apologize for any grammar, spelling or sentence structure mistake. I literally have only one eye open right now but still wanted to finish and post this in case I get busier and end up taking another two to three weeks to update.
> 
> Love you all, Enjoy
> 
> Warning: attempt of date rape drug.  

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero sighed as he exited his shower stall, he wiped the mist gathered on the big mirror of his bathroom and stared at his reflection. A deeper sigh escaped at the memory of last week. He hated it when things turned ugly between him and his brother. What made it worse is that most of their fight revolves on one thing, his lover. He looked at the new pack of pills stacked on top the ones he usually takes. _The number is always increasing…_

Everything started few days after he sent Ichiru to Cross Academy so that he reconcile with Aido. He received a phone call from the vampire asking him to visit for another annoying checkup. As much as he hated it, Zero could not escape it because he knew that is what is keeping his life in order.

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞ _FLASHBACK_ ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

****

 

 The hunter was lying on the bed after going through a series of scan and blood tests. His brother in law was sitting on the desk next to him, tapping with the pen as he went through the reports. No matter how many times he went through this, this part of the process always made Zero nervous.

Aido finally leaned back on his chair running a hand through his hair and face before looking at Zero, “Well… As expected… It is complete and functional.”

Zero groaned and face palmed himself.   

“Congrats, you are officially as fertile as a rabbit…” Aido teased while looking at the echo scan picture he plastered on the shining board for Zero to see. Try as he may, the hunter could not deny what was glaring at him, a perfectly shaped uterus.

“Fuck! I thought it was going to be a slow process, which would take fucking decades as long as I don’t consume human blood. What the fuck happened?”

“Well… That was just an assumption. Vampires who lose a limb have to take real blood to accelerate the process of regeneration. The same thing happens with internal organ. It is true that it slowed down when you stopped drinking blood and went on tablets only. But it seems that something triggered it again.” Aido explained, now tapping the pen on his lips while pondering about the reason himself.

Zero rolled his eyes in annoyance, the last thing he needed was more changes that are physical.

“Don’t worry though! This does not mean that anything else will happen.”

“Yeah right! You mean that I am not going to grow some permanent fucking boobs and turn into a chick next…That’s reassuring…”

“Nope that won’t happen.”

“What makes you so sure of that, Genius!”

“That would have happened long ago if it was meant to be. You may be hermaphrodite, but the dominant gender is male.” Hanabusa pointed out.

“Then get rid of the extra shit once and for all!” Zero snapped.

Aido looked at him with one raised eyebrow relaying a message of ‘are you seriously saying that’

“Fuck it! Just do it again…”

“Zero, we already discussed this before. I am not making you go through another ablation. You clearly remember what happened when it was removed once…”

“But!”

“No but!” Aido shouted firmly, pressing on his temple “Seriously… Ichiru first and now you… Stop being stubborn about the impossible… You won’t go through with it, over my dead body. I had enough dealing with the insane you from back then… Your body will regenerate… It will require blood and you will go more insane than a level E for the first weeks… Do you expect me to allow it to happen again? Hell no!”

Zero was now sitting on the medical bed, bare feet dangling like a child. “So what now?” he grumbled, not wanting to reminiscence about that dark period of his life.

Aido threw two packs his way. They had no label as usual. Zero opened the first to see some orange colored pills, and the second had some beige round ones having labels indicating the days of the week. He narrowed his eyes before looking up at the noble.

“The one with the daily label is what you’re suspecting it is and the other is for emergency cases. Make sure to jot it down as you please. Needless to say that these are to be taken at the right time without messing up. The emergency one is to be taken during the 72 hours after if you are suspecting that you might have had an ‘accident’… I am confident about the efficiency since I used some reliable sources and custom made them according to your physiology. No need to thank me as usual”   

Zero scoffed, “Oh Thank you Aido-sama for making me feel less of a man by handing me contraceptive pills” he raised one hand with the pill tablet, “and a morning after pill.” He raised the other packet before dropping his hands on his thighs.

Aido snorted, “If you are so bothered, you just have to go back to being straight and you won’t have to worry about getting knocked up.”

His remark was totally ignored. Meanwhile, he was pondering on the reason for the morphological development. It always annoyed him when his assumptions are contradicted.

“I still don’t get how the regeneration kicked in all of a sudden… Humans cannot be more dominant than you to cause any reaction.” He pondered, snapping Zero out of his thoughts.

“What do you mean?” the hunter asked.

“Mmm… Oh! Nothing… Just talking to myself… I was comparing the situation with the male pregnancy in vampire society. You know how it is divided right, the hierarchy.”

“Yeah… The ranking according to power. A: pureblood, B: Noble, C: Commoner, D: Stable ex-human, E: End”

“Not that~ the reproductive one…”

“Just the highlight.”

“Well… higher rank can indeed impregnate lower rank and stuff. Did you wonder how that is possible?”

“I am not sure I want to know…” Zero felt awkward and uneasy about the subject.

“Well among the classes, like in the noble class, male are divided into two types, carrier and dominant, kind of like the alpha omega idea. The carrier is already born with what it takes to bear offspring. Of course, they can choose to mate with female and not carry themselves. However, the alpha dominant are not born with the proper equipment… So?”

“So?...” the hunter trailed, not getting the point that the blond noble was desperately trying to get across.

“The fact that pureblood can impregnate practically anyone, and the fact that not all noble are adapted for it neither human males led to some research that revealed one intriguing fact; The dominant pheromones of a pureblood can influence the hormones of the partner, which lead to the eventual conception. I am sure you understand what I mean… But, this does not apply to you now since I am sure that the last thing you would do is sleep with a vampire much less submit to a pureblood. I am sure you would rather shoot them instantly…. Anyways… I wanted to thank you for clearing things up with Ichiru the other day.

Zero was silent for a moment before the blank expression vanished as if he remembered something. He scowled at the blond vampire “You did not have to remind me of how stupid you can get… You could have given me some heads up after you run your fucking mouth about useless shit.”

Aido glared back, “Well it is not like I wanted him to know about it either… It just slipped…”

“Slipped? What a great excuse!”

“Fine, it was stupid. I messed up… I am sorry for putting you on the spot, I am sure he gave you a hard time. Thank you for restoring his faith in me… However, this does not help the fact that none of it would have happened if not because of you…”

“Hai… Hai… Hai… I am the black sheep of the family… always causing trouble for my brother… I know…” Zero answered in a robotic manner before adding “Next time you fight, make sure he does not wander around smelling like that again…” he added, in a low menacing tone.

Aido tilted his head in confusion.

“He came to my place reeking of sex… The fact that your smell was all over him in addition to that will only cause him trouble… It is a good thing he came by cab. I shudder just thinking of what could have happened if a vampire came across him in that state.”

Aido blushed then paled in a matter of seconds.

Zero took advantage of the vulnerable moment to strike, “Well I can’t blame you this time… The afterglow along with the blood can cloud your judgement.”

The confused Aido went with the flow of the conversation “No, I did not take that much blood. It is the conversation after that had my head spinning... Wait, he told you about the blood?” finally catching up and digging his own grave.

“How he absolutely enjoys it, yeah~” Zero faked a teasing tone

The blush deepened on the noble’s face, but it soon disappeared when he was slammed against a wall with the barrel of Bloody Rose locked on his jaw. “You fucking bastard!”

“What… The!” Aido did not get the chance to voice two words as Zero screamed his lungs out.

“I warned you that if you ever bite him again, I will kill you…” Zero brought his face closer to the struggling vampire until his breath brushed against his face.

Aido took a moment to calm down from his panicked reaction caused by the sizzling sensation from the contact with the gun. His face regained its calm feature and he looked at the hunter with a steady gaze. “Go ahead if you can, kill me! Kill me, and then think of a way to explain to the man sleeping in my bedroom the reason for which you killed his lover. Explain to your brother how you passed the final judgment on me because I could not resist drinking from him out of love… That my actions are unacceptable compared to the way you were gnawing at his throat like he is some kind of livestock.” Venom and disgust dripped from the ice-wielder, unaffected by the tightening grip of the hunter over his neck.

Zero let go of him abruptly and left the infirmary. Aido rubbed his throat as he collected the scattered paper. He arranged everything in the file that he carried with him in the direction he knew the hunter took as well.

Back in the Moon Dorms, Ichiru was sleeping peacefully under the lavender scented soft covers of his husband’s bed. The rash entrance of his brother, who all but knocked the heavy wooden doors down, painfully interrupted his sleep. His drowsy mind failed to register the enraged hunter who stomped in his direction and flung the covers off his naked form.

“EEEK! Nii-san? What are you doing?” He screeched at the bruising grip Zero had over his arm as he pulled and dragged him up to come face to face.

“You are coming with me. Now!”

“What?!!”

“I won’t allow it!” Zero shouted “I won’t sit around and wait until he drains you dry… I should never have agreed to this in the first place…”

“Nii-san” Ichiru whimpered, fully awake but still confused, “You’re hurting me~”

It was at that moment that Zero realized that he was about to crush his brother’s bone. He flung his arm away, breathing hard. His murderous aura caused the other vampires to stir and some to come witness the commotion. Ichiru quickly covered himself when he realized how exposed he was. Zero shot a deathly glare at the door, making the curious bystanders scurry away except for the dorm supervisor, Ichijou Takuma.

“Kiryuu-kun, may I know what is going on here?” Takuma looked him in the eyes with worried expression.

Zero averted the emerald orbs, glancing at the trembling form of his surprised but angry brother. What should he say? How will he explain? How can they understand the rage that surged inside, which the memory of his brother’s life slipping away in his arms caused to see black? That the thought of the incident repeating at the hand of yet another of his loved ones frightened Zero to no end. The truth is, Zero was not against them dating. He might not have attended their wedding, but it does not mean that he does not wish for his brother’s happiness. He was fine with it, as long as his brother was safe.

“It is just a sibling’s quarrel, Ichijou-san. You do not have to mind it. I will see that they settle things without disrupting the other resident. I apologize for making you come all the way here.” Zero stiffened at the smooth cadenced voice of the ice-wielder. He watched as Aido exchanged few words with Takuma before closing the door and turning to face him with an annoyed look.

Ichiru looked from his brother to his lover and back again.

The gentle way he addressed his confused lover contradicted the arrogant haughty look on his face, “Love… Your brother just found out that I have been drinking from you and went into a mad frenzy… From what I heard on the way here, I assume that Zero believes that I have little control over my urge and might end up killing you by taking too much.” In one simple sentence, Aido managed to lay all Zero’s fear out in the open.

Zero looked at his brother with a pained expression as the memory in that damned dungeon flashed across their identical faces.

Ichiru took a deep breath, “Nii-san… Look!” He ordered softly while removing the cover to reveal his naked body once again.

Zero was confused for a moment; it was when his eyes landed on the wedding band that it clicked.

“How?” The hunter whispered softly. He felt lost as he sat next to his brother, examining every inch of his skin with Aido merely observing. He could not understand how his brother’s skin could be so… flawless. Ichiru was human, there was no doubt about it, then, how is it that there was no scarring, bite marks or bruising except for the one he just inflicted on him moments ago.

“Hana… Can you?” Ichiru did not have to finish for Aido to understand. The blond vampire approached the bed, bit his wrist deep enough for the wound not to close quickly. He brought the bloody limb close to Ichiru’s mouth who accepted the red liquid gratefully. Zero watched in bewilderment. It did not surprise him that he did not smell the blood since the vampire was wearing his ring. What confused him was the fact that his brother was drinking from him. Sure, Ichiru used to drink from Shizuka regularly to cure his weak health, but she was a pureblood.

“What!!” Zero suddenly shot up the bed, stumbling back few feet from the surprise. It happened slowly so he cannot say it was a visual illusion. He clearly saw the bruise on his brother’s arm disappear.

Wiping the blood trickling on his mouth, Ichiru gulped the water Hanabusa offered. The blond vampire looked at the hunter with a small smile, “It is not just your body that has some fascinating elements, Zero. Both of you have always been a great mystery to me.”

Zero let out a baffled laugh, “Seriously, not only did you let yourself become his blood bag but also his guinea pig?” addressing his scowling twin.

“Nii-san!! Take that back, Now!” Ichiru grounded

“Why should I? Isn’t it true?”

“No, it is not…”

“Then explain to me how a freaking human with a weak constitution like yours can heal wounds almost instantly by drinking blood like a fucking vampire?”

“I don’t…” Ichiru muttered

“How did you find out then… That you have this oh so mysterious ability…” Zero probed further, not at all convinced that it has nothing to do with a sick experiment Aido might have done.

Ichiru clammed up… He could not say anything… Explaining would only make things worse and give Zero more reason to despise his lover.

“It was by coincidence that we found out…” Hanabusa started explaining.

“Hana! don’t!!” Ichiru pleaded, pulling at his arm as he sat on his knees. He could not afford this.

“I drank a little too much once…” Aido continued nonetheless, “He passed out, I panicked and made him drink my blood out of instinct. That is how we found out that not only it healed up his wounds, but it compensates the blood loss he suffered from my drinking.” Ichiru jumped in time with arm spread open to stop Zero on his track as the hunter skipped in direction of the unmoving noble’s throat. Snarling with eyes blazing with anger.

“Motherfucker, you dare say that you almost killed him with a face like that, as if you just recited a fucking formula.” Zero growled, and glared at his brother who kept them apart.

“Nii-san, stop it! This is getting ridiculous. Whether you like it or not, nothing will change the fact that I allow him. It is my decision to make. You have no right to dictate how our relationship should work just like the fact that you do not allow us to dictate how you should live your life.” Ichiru stated firmly, finality of his voice did not allow any more room for arguing.

Zero scoffed after few second, “Ah really? Okay then I will get out of your hair; pardon the annoying third wheel that have been burdening you for so long. I won’t bother about you anymore so please do the same. Don’t bother come crying to me when everything falls apart one day.” The hunter announced bitterly before storming out.

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞  END OF _FLASHBACK_ ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

It has been a week since then, he has been ignoring their phone calls. He assumed that Ichiru stayed over at Cross since he did not come to see him. Zero knew he was acting like a sulking child who had been left out of the loop, but he could not help but feel betrayed, angry and sad at the same time. He felt worse when an express delivery package came to his front door. Hanabusa sent the new pills among a stock of the others to him.

He looked at his reflection again, _What right do I have to judge him when I never kept my promise anyways? I should know first-hand about how painful it gets when you lust over the blood of the one you love. Drinking Yuki’s blood haunted me day and night when I used to have feelings for her._

He popped the bottle cap open and started chugging the pills one of the other. He muttered a thank you before proceeding to get ready for the mission. He was thankful for the distraction. It has been a while since he went for an undercover investigation and he does not intend to botch it up. It was after all, the big breakthrough of the smuggled pill’s case. The mission was important enough that the association appointed two of their top hunters to lead, Kiryuu Zero and Takamiya Kaito along with other mid-ranked, but experienced hunters.

The bell rang as soon as he put on his underwear. He quickly wrapped a towel around his waist and went to answer the door. He was ready to lash out at the tardy hunter who was supposed to bring his outfit when he came face to face with a regal pureblood dressed in a dark brown tuxedo, a coat neatly folded over his arm with a huge bag in his hand that ruined the perfect picture.

Violet orbs narrowed, “What are you doing here?”

Kaname invited himself in and turned back to face the hunter leaning on the closed door, “There was a slight change in the team members. Takamiya-kun had an urgent matter to attend.”

Zero groaned, “And? Why is it you who came to replace him… What kind of trick did you pull this time?”

“None, I assure you… Cross sent a message to Yuki explaining the situation, and she relayed it to me with the request to back you up… They saw it fitting for me to oversee the success alongside with you since I somehow contributed in achieving this progress. Besides, it is hard to find a replacement for Takamiya-kun among the hunters. It can be even harder to find a person who can attend that kind of party uninvited”

Zero rolled his eyes but said no more. It is true that this mission requires someone strong and sharp enough to catch on the signals and back him up at the critical time. The silver hunter had very few people he could trust with this task and most of them were out of commission for various reasons. He finally stomped toward the pureblood, snatched the bag and headed to his bedroom. Kaname merely followed him with an amused look on his face.

Kaname chose to sit at the edge of the bed next to the nightstand where the papers for the detailed mission were stacked neatly. He took the pile and started going through the information. Yuki told him that Zero would fill him in on the details since it was a last minute request; she only gave him a vague idea about it.

“I don’t get why you have to dress as a woman for this mission, you could have just changed your image as not to be recognized.” Kaname asked as he went through the profile of their target, where he coincidently found the answer that Zero provided seconds later.

“ Well… It seems that this target is a bit tricky to approach. There were enough casualties so far to show that we won’t be able to get a hold on him unless we take drastic measure. There is a reason why Kaito and I were called for this. Three male hunters were shot dead before even encountering the target. Two other females managed to get close but ended up getting raped and thrown like garbage. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the target let his guard down around female because he is confident that they cannot harm him even if they were of hunter lineage. Seeing that I can pull off the crossdressing better than most hunters can led Cross to decide on this arrangement. I can easily pass as a woman with the right outfit; get close to this pervert, all while being strong enough to take him down if he shows resistance. Besides, the idea of killing a high ranking vampire legally can be very tempting.”

The pureblood hummed in response without taking his eyes off the papers. A brown eyebrow arched up, “You do realize that your target is human.”

“Fuck! Seriously?”

“Seriously…” Kaname teased while glancing at the hunter who was still taking stuff from the bag and laying them on the bed in an orderly manner.

He frowned upon landing on a disturbing piece of information stating that the target was a man who engaged in debauchery with both genders. He praised the intel for digging up such a detail. Looking up again to verify if Zero was aware of it, He got shocked speechless by the sight that greeted him.

Zero was having his back facing Kaname while bending over to slide the skin-colored stockings up his pale legs that he soon clipped with the sexy lacy belt hanging dangerously low on his hips. Kaname felt his body heating up at the sight of a firm butt freely exposed for him to ogle with only a piece of white g-string piece snuggled in the crack. Zero was not paying attention to the aroused pureblood who got quiet all of a sudden since he was having a tough time wiggling into the tight Chinese dress and cursing at Cross and Yuki for choosing such an non-practical outfit. He finally huffed when he managed to stop the outfit from twisting and bunching up in weird ways. After a quick check at the full-length mirror, he glanced at Kaname who was observing him, papers long forgotten on his lap.

“Can you help me button the back, they really should learn about something called zipper.” Zero beckoned the vampire softly. He narrowed his eyes when Kaname did not seem like he heard him but still staring at him. The pureblood reacted at the second call and moved slowly toward the hunter.

With both of them standing in front of the mirror, Zero watched in amusement the focused expression on Kaname’s face while he dealt with the dozen of small balls and strings. As for the pureblood, he kept replaying the way the hunter was getting dressed up until he finished putting on an attire that left little to imagination. In fact, the dark blue dress with silver embroidery had slits on the sides that were too high up for Kaname’s liking. Adding it to the fact that the small of Zero’s back was bare with only a piece of cloth covering his shoulder blades that he was buttoning up. The pureblood felt conflicted about what to think and what to do.

When he finished the dainty task, Kaname nuzzled Zero’s soft hair as he wrapped a hand around his lower belly to prevent him from stirring away. Wine orbs stared into amethyst jewels through the reflection of the mirror. Zero relaxed into the embrace, leaning on the broad chest and wondering what brought on the sudden show of affection.

The husky whisper tickled his ear, “All these preparation… and sexy garments? All to lure and capture a measly human?” Kaname nibbled on the earlobe while the other hand travelled further down to rub against a stocking clad thigh, eliciting a soft sigh from the hunter.

Zero arched away to escape the pleasurable torment. He put a little distance as he faced the brunet, smiling slyly while flaunting the generous fake bosom. The dress was well made with paddings discreetly placed at the right area to give Zero a curvy feminine hourglass figure, which added to Kaname’s agony.

“Well~ The guy is a sleazy pervert known to engage in affairs with various porn stars, do you expect him to pry on a proper lady dressing in a conservative way. The plan is to get him alone away from his bodyguards with a little seduction. This outfit just makes it easier.” Zero got closer to Kaname and started playing with his bow tie as he got his lips closer to those of the pureblood, taunting him, “Besides, we can enjoy a little roleplaying afterwards with this. It is not rental so you can do whatever~ you like with it… Wouldn’t you like that?” Kaname felt his cock twitch at the idea but it was quickly chased away in favor of a darker one.

He held Zero’s wrist to get his attention, “So… if the situation requires you to make out with him to get the info that incriminates him, would you do it?” Zero did not miss the irritation in his voice, neither the hardening eyes looking into his.

“Hmm…” he pondered, “It is true that I have to make sure that he has something to do with the illegal pills… If it comes down to that, I guess I might give it a shot.” he answered with a tongue out, making light of the question.

“Really?” Kaname asked, the last thread of his control threatening to snap.

“What? Jealous?” Zero taunted yet again, expecting a sarcastic answer that never came. Instead, he was pulled, and thrown on the bed with an irritated pureblood hovering over him.

“You never refuse, do you?” Kaname’s voice was menacing as he parted Zero’s leg and slid a hand across his inner thigh.

Zero flinched and cursed inwardly. He could feel the warm hand slipping under his dress, the other hand joining it shortly after. Kaname started rubbing the skin of his pelvic bone, making him shudder involuntarily “Ah… Kaname… Stop… no time… uhmmm” Zero bit his lips to suppress a moan as Kaname palmed both junctions of his inner thighs and massaged the sensitive area without touching his crotch. Kaname watched the hunter’s reactions as his length hardened in the little V shaped piece of cloth tightly covering it. The light colored fabric looked as if it would tear if he got any harder. “You’re so easy to stir up… I doubt that the little seduction would not become a full course.” Emotionless wine orb met amused amethyst one.

 “If he is as good as you are… Why not?” Zero shrugged while lifting himself on elbows, it felt strangely exhilarating to have Kaname that agitated over the idea of him sleeping with another. Zero thought that he was going crazy because he was totally enjoying the idea of a jealous Kaname to the point of not being able to stop his taunting. Even if he knew better than to stir the vampire in the wrong way.

Kaname felt aggravated, his eyes darkening with anger as he growled. Zero shivered at the sudden change of demeanor. _Shit, This is bad!_

Sensing the danger of the situation a little late, the hunter tried to wiggle away and speak but the only thing he could do was yelp, jolt and gasp before a hand covered his mouth tightly. Kaname pressed him down by the hips, preventing the escape. He pulled the string fabric away, pushing fingers into Zero’s entrance and scissoring inside.

Zero fell back on the bed with his back arching like a bow, his screams and protests muffled under the hand shutting him up. He reached to the wrist between his legs and pulled while trying to free his mouth. He wanted to scream that it was all a joke, that he had no intention to do any of it from the start, but the pureblood’s hold was unnaturally strong. Kaname took a shuddering breath, increasing the pumping motion in and out of the trembling body as he brought his face closer to the awkwardly leaning hunter.

“Since there is a possibility that you would go and do it with him, I will be taking my share now… You see Zero… I don’t appreciate leftovers. It is a shame that I have to cancel the booking of the hotel suite though.” His voice was low, his tone harsh and threatening to the point that Zero’s eyes widened in horror before narrowing in pure rage. Everything after that happened in a blur when Zero let go and placed a palm on Kaname’s chest. The pureblood had no time to react as a glowing light shone from the point of contact just before he was propelled to the other side of the room crashing into the standing mirror and almost going through the cracked wall.

It took them sometime to catch their breath, each in their spot while glaring at each other. Zero’s brain was swirling, trying to catch up with his body who reacted on instinct to protect himself. He cursed at how careless he was. _I fucking should have known not to push him too far._ The hunter blamed himself for not learning from previous incident. The one where Kaname failed to show up then made the trip only to find Zero in a club picking up a one-night stand. They had not met for more than a week and the hunter felt pent up. He made the mistake of giving Kaname the location and the pureblood actually came and picked him up just when he found a partner. That was not the worst of it. Because his careless taunting, Zero was unable to walk straight for two days even with the blood pills. That is when he confirmed that the pureblood is not one to share. Even if what they have is temporarily, Zero figured that Kaname did not like his promiscuous nature, thus, he chose to keep quiet about his other encounters instead of breaking thing off with the brunet. After all, none of those partners came close to the pureblood. Although, after that incident, Zero did not have the time to seek anyone else since Kaname made sure to keep him satisfied more than ever.

 

The hunter ignored the shuffling of the pureblood who stood and dusted off his tuxedo while checking for any tear or stain. Kaname chose to leave the room and cool his head in the living room after having some water. He honestly found it despicable that he would lose control every time Zero insinuates being with another man. This time was worse because of the thought that he had no means of stopping him from doing so since it had to do with a mission. He just lost it. If Zero was not the powerful hunter he was, if Zero was not talented enough to call a repelling spell without chanting it out loud, Kaname would have certainly raped him right then and there. The thought alone scared the ancient vampire to no end.

 

Few silent minutes later, He heard the silverette moving and shuffling in the room. He placed the empty glass on the coffee table and proceeded to join the certainly livid hunter. He found Zero in the bathroom, laying out a makeup kit, wig, fake nails and few other tools with a crease on his forehead. Kaname leaned on the doorframe watching him putting the last of them before clutching the edges of the sink, looking at Kaname’s reflection through the mirror.

“Zero I-“

“Don’t!” Zero interrupted him with a raised hand that halted the pureblood’s speech. “Don’t bother apologizing; it will only make it worse… Just drop it… I have a mission ahead and you are to perform properly as my back up. That’s it.” Zero stated with a flat tone. He did not want Kaname to apologize because then he had to admit that he had a hand in it.

“I understand.” Kaname decided to go along with his decision, but Zero added one last bit to dissipate any tension between them. Violet eyes met claret one with a faint smirk, “You should already know it but I will say it loud and clear this one time. I am not one to mix things up. I have a clear line separating my work and private life and won’t do anything to jeopardize that balance.”

Kaname’s tense shoulder relaxed as if a burden has lifted, but he did not show it on his face that kept the same serious poker expression. The message did not need deciphering to be understood. Zero Kiryuu does not use his body, as a tool to attain his business goal, be it as a company president or as a hunter.

 “Should I help you with that?” the pureblood asked, pointing to the stuff on the marble counter.

“Hmm?”

“I somehow get the feeling that I can do a better job than you will with those tools. After all, you need to seduce the target, not scare him off.” He explained sarcastically.

Still speaking through the reflection of the mirror, Zero laughed bitterly, knowing how much truth there was in that statement, but could not help a sarcastic remark of his own, “I am worried you might jump me again, you do not seem able to keep your hands to yourself today.”

He turned to face the brunet who was smiling by now. Kaname held his hands up, wiggling his fingers, “They will only wonder where they are supposed to in order to get the job done. I give you my word.”

Zero’s shoulder sagged as his arm fell to his sides. He made a dejected walk and sat on the edge of the bathtub. “I will be in your care then…” He announced in a long sigh. There must be a valid reason as to why Yuki insisted on sending Kaname to assist him. He had to get dressed up as a woman for an undercover mission only once before. He can remember the shrill of Yuki’s excited voice when his mentor wrestled him into doing the task and asked her to doll him up. It was interesting to see how she fared well doing it for him but did nothing about her tomboyish sloppy self, girls will be girls no matter what.

Violet orbs glanced up at the pureblood who had a serious expression while choosing colors and tools. Zero had no desire to know how it came to be, but he had a hunch that amongst the hidden talents of the pureblood, he was about to discover that of a stylist.

Even if that was not the case, he was sure that Kaname would still do a better job than he would. He could not afford to go look like the clown he would have painted himself to be after all.

Seconds then minutes ticked by while the pureblood was awkwardly bending to apply layers of cosmetics on Zero’s face. In the quiet bathroom, only the sound of brushes placed on the counter and the shuffling as Kaname moved to pick whatever he needed could be heard. Any bystander would think that was all there is to it, but not the occupants of the pristine white marbled room.

With every stroke of the brush, Kaname’s breath would mingle with Zero’s. In every instance that Kaname asks Zero to open his eyes, they realize how intimately close their faces were for a purpose other than kissing. The choice of dipping his finger into the pod and stroke Zero’s parted lips with the color at the tip did not help in subsiding the tension. The pleasant way Kaname’s finger run through his hair as he pinned and moved the fine strands made Zero’s throat tighten, watching the way the pureblood meticulously file and delicately place the decorated nails on his fingertips left him with knots in his stomach. He felt dazed, relaxed and fidgety at the same time. Having Kaname take care of him as if he was something… precious? felt weird, pleasantly weird, especially after the rough handling he made him go through moments ago. It was as like a silent plea for forgiveness that made the hunter’s chest tighten, almost bringing tears to his eyes when those wine orbs looked at him with pure adoration. Kaname had to ask him twice to check himself in the mirror saying that he was done and ready.

Zero was utterly speechless as soon as he faced the mirror. He almost did not recognize himself. The maroon colored wig and the greyish blue lenses suited his alabaster skin almost as much as his original coloring. The makeup was soft but sensual nonetheless. Kaname somehow framed his face to look even smaller and more feminine, which made his eyes look even bigger and shinier than usual. Zero could do nothing but stare at himself, just speechless.

Kaname chuckled at the funny expression on the hunter’s pretty face. Even when Zero tried scowling, it has long lost its power with the doe looking eyes accentuated with thick and long dark lashes. He approached the no longer silver but beauty nonetheless with a device in his hand, turning him around to face forward.

“The last touch…” Kaname fumbled with the wiretap that he was about to adjust on Zero. He got down on his knees and was about to raise Zero’s dress when the hunter suddenly pushed the garment down with a yelp. Kaname looked up, surprised at the action to find Zero’s lips pursed and the hunter glaring down at him, “I… I will do it myself, give me” He reached one hand while the other clutched the fabric still.

Kaname frowned as he stood up, “Zero… The full-length mirror that you could have used to put it in place is shattered to pieces. How are you going to be able to place it properly while blinding fumbling around? It would be easier for me to place it. You should have tucked it before getting dressed in the first place.”

“I did not know it was there in the first place…” Zero grumbled.

“That is because you did not read the mission’s instructions properly beforehand.”

“Well excuse me for being a slacker…”

“Okay… That is enough time wasted.” Kaname grounded as he tried to pry Zero’s hand away from the fabric to lift it. “What are you acting like a prudish shy girl for now-”Kaname’s manhandling of the struggling hunter came to a halt when he accidently felt the bulge in between his legs.

The blush dusted over the hunter’s cheek failed to hide the actual blush heating up his face. Kaname leaned close to his ear “Was my touch that pleasant? Or did you get turned on looking at yourself?” he teased.

Zero’s face flamed red, feeling his ears ringing. _What is this man doing to me? Scratch that! What is this devil doing to me?_

The hunter wished for the earth to swallow him right that moment for getting aroused by the touch of the man who almost raped him seconds ago. His shame worsened when the pureblood took advantage of his lowered guard to kneel down and raise the dress, not to attach the device but to do something more obscene.

Zero’s head fell back as he gripped the edge of the sink when the familiar warmth of Kaname’s mouth engulfed his arousal. He swallowed and gasped at the sensation, looking down with half-lidded eyes. The fact that he could not see him only made it more exciting. He could feel the head of his length hitting against the wet back of Kaname’s throat as his hips snapped forward for more friction. His vision blurred and his mind went blank as he felt his seed spilling into the pureblood’s mouth. His body jerked repeatedly, mouth wide open, gasping for every bit of air it can get. Kaname had to hold him close to make sure that he does not fall. “I am looking forward to the after party…” He whispered in his ear, sending more shivers to the boneless body.

Zero scoffed as soon as he regained enough strength to stand by himself. “What would you have done if that ruined the make up or the dress?”

Kaname chuckled, “Forgive me my lady…” he bowed like a gentleman with a hand over his heart before looking up from his position, smirking “It is just hard to refuse a tasty treat when presented my way.”

“Bastard!” Zero growled before skipping to the bedroom. Kaname followed the sulking princess to help him into the rest of the garments and place the problematic device. The grin never leaving his face all the time. As petulant as he usually is, a shy Zero was an agreeable new discovery for Kaname.

The mission’s idea looked simple; Kaname was to drive Zero to the meeting location with the other hunters. The hunters were informed that the person coming was from an oversea branch so that they do not suspect the hunter. Afterwards, Zero and Kaname would be the only ones to go into the party while the other members stand watch outside.

Everything went well, except from the awkward moment where one hunter was trying to get his contact number for a matchmaking session with himself. The old hunter seemed to be a huge fan of his and respected him greatly. He was talking non-stop and singing his praise to the other hunters, boasting about how he went on some missions with him and how great of a president he was when he held the position even temporarily.

“It is hard to find a suitable woman among the barbarian monkeys we have at the association, and a normal woman would not cut it for such a great man. I am sure that a fine diamond like you would suit him the best and I am certain you would not find a better man… I know I am setting the bar a bit too high, but I consider him the ideal that my son will aspire to become in the future…” Zero tuned out the rest of the rambling in favor to focus on what is coming as the car pulled up in front of the fancy hotel building.

 

After successfully making his way in, he wondered around until he found the regal pureblood standing with a glass of champagne in hand, discussing with a bunch of businessmen swarming around him. _As expected from the tycoon of the financial world. Even without an invitation, he is always welcome. Fucking idiot! you are supposed to infiltrate, not steal the limelight. What with that fucking harem?_

Zero growled and muttered profanity until their eyes met. Once they nodded, signaling the start of the mission, the hunter went his way to look for the target. Kaname’s eyes were trained on him all the time until small arms caged his. He glanced to his side where a young woman was hugging his biceps while pressing her breast against him. If Kaname considered Zero’s outfit too revealing, then this woman was shameless. Kaname had to wonder what is left unexposed in her body instead of what she did not reveal yet. The pureblood regretted the distraction when he could not find the silverette anywhere after getting rid of the female vampire. He started to panic when he lost sight of the target as well.

 

Meanwhile, Zero found a quiet corner out of habit and started staking the big hall in search for his prey, whom surprising came forward to seek him out instead. The man screamed of shadiness with all the chains and bracelets strapped on his body, ruining the elegance of his suit. He offered Zero… or rather female Zero a glass of champagne…

After a bit of flirting, the hunter managed to get him to suggest going somewhere private… Just as he was about to go through the door that the target kept open for him, a bout of dizziness took him over and he soon lost control over his limbs “Ooppa! That took longer time to work, you sure are a resilient one, vampire.” Zero’s dazed brain could not catch up properly, the only conclusion he could get is that he was drugged and the worst part was that the man, human he may be, somehow figured out that he was a vampire. _Kaname!_

 

Not sure for how long had he remained unconscious, Zero finally opened his eyes slowly. He cringed when the light of the enormous chandelier greeted him. His head felt heavy and pounding. Upon inspection, he figured that he was in a spacious room, on a velvet red sofa, but that was not what bothered him the most. He started to panic when he could not feel his hands and legs. In fact, the only part he managed to move was his sore neck, he felt paralyzed. It did not take long for some company to come. The door creaked open to reveal the man who was supposed to be his prey, a smug look on his face as he approached the hunter, with four huge bodyguards behind.

Feeling the pounding of his head subsiding, Zero licked his dried lips in attempt to form a coherent sentence before the chatterbox interrupted him. “Oh, my! Already awake? That dose should have knocked you out for the whole night, or at least until transported elsewhere.”

Zero glared at him as fiercely as he could.

“But it is surprising to see them sending a vampire this time… Well, it is lucky for me for I hope you can hold out for much longer than the others could… I have to say that you are quite exquisite, even for a vampire…” The man whispered as he brought his face closer to the numb hunter, intending to lick it. Zero anticipated it but could not push him off, so he resigned to spitting on the ugly mug.

*Smack* He gritted his teeth at the stinging feeling on the side of his face where the human punched him. He cursed again upon realizing that not only his movement were affected but also his healing ability. “HOW DARE YOU DISCRACE THE FACE OF A CHOSEN! YOU FILTHY WHORE!!” The enraged man snarled as he strangled him with both hands. Although struggling to breath, Zero’s glare never faded which ignited the man’s wrath even more.

Just like he did with the other female hunter who showed a petulant attitude, the man let go of the neck and started ripping the stockings before pushing Zero’s dress up. His frenzy halted when his sight landed on what he did not expect to find. He gave Zero a dumbfounded look, making the hunter smirked and spoke without disguising his voice, “Like what you see?”

The human’s face contorted in anger. He pulled the hair until wig came off and ripped the collar of the dress until the flat chest of the hunter was exposed along with his tattoo. _Silver haired vampire, tattooed neck, hunter aura… Kiryuu Zero!_ “Another surprise! Never did I expect to be hunted down by the infamous Kiryuu Zero”

“Hmm~ I see that you are well informed.” Zero taunted. _Good thing that Kaname opted to sew that wiretap into the fake breast! This would go down the drain if this scum found it too quickly._

“You have to know your enemy in order to dodge their attack after all.” The man announced proudly as he hovered over the incapacitated hunter.

“I assume you also know the reason as to why we are hunting you?”

“Let’s see…” he fumbled around, placing a small container on the coffee table nearby, then took out a clear plastic bag containing a good amount of pills. “The reason should be this, you are having quite the hard time pinpointing the ringleader smuggling these right under your stupid noses.”

Zero glared at the insult, in a futile attempt to latch at the man, he felt his fingers twitching. Since the effect of the drug seemed to be wearing off, he chose not to strike until he was sure that he could take down all five men at once before they can drug him again.

“That may have been the case before, but we hit the jackpot now it seems.”

“Quite brave of you to say that, when you can’t even pull your own weight.”

“Do you really think that I came by myself?” Zero scoffed, _what is taking him so long anyways, that damn idiot!_

“If I had known of your identity, I would have suspected it since you are famous for doing your missions solo. However, the predictable pattern of your people proved that you move in packs. Who do you thing tattled on you in the first place?” an evil laugh resonated, sending a chill down Zero’s spine at the thought of his comrades. A flashing image of the old hunter singing his praise popped and vanished the next moment.

“You scumbag! What did you do to them?”

“Ooh… Worried? Have no fear, you will be soon joining them in the dumpster. Oh wait! you can’t because you are turning to dust…” the dramatic way he said it made Zero roll his eyes in annoyance more than in fear for his own life, even with the man pulling a dagger from his inner pocket and placing it on the table. “but before that, I have to pay you back for the deception, hunter-san. I hear you are quite the prideful creature, makes me want to crush it so badly.”

Zero threw his head back, scowling at the smirking bodyguards looking at him. _Vampires… that is how he figured that I was one as well._

He let out an exasperated breath as he spoke without looking at the man, “You really need to do your homework properly before talking big like that, boy!”

Another hilarious laugh scratched at his sensitive ears, making his aching head pound more. Amethyst eyes widened as his head snapped back down to see the smirking face of the one who was supposed to be his prey. Zero gritted his teeth to suppress any sound leaving him as the human probed him with lubed digits.

“Aw snap! looks like it is not a first for you… Well, enjoy your last supper before dying hunter-san” The man taunted as he curved his finger, looking to the spot to get a reaction out of the hunter. He felt the body jolt but Zero’s murderous expression never changed neither did he let out any sound. Little did the man know what was going into the silverette brain. _Oh fuck my life! Can everybody stop fingering my fucking ass already…_

“Hmm… You’re quite easy to stir up despite the numbing drug huh … Although I am no fan of fuckdolls, but I cannot afford giving you some pills. You might regain some strength and make things difficult… After all, I would like to savor the moment I break the strongest hunter, making an example of you for your worthless people.” He finished talking as he unbuckled his belt to free his straining erection.

A dark smile drew on Zero’s lips before looking up to the man’s eyes with a victorious air, unashamed of the way he was sprawled. “Boy, I told you that you needed to do your homework before talking big.”

The human did not have time for a smart retort since the hunter suddenly vanished from his sight and the gasp and pained cry of his bodyguards ringed through his ears. He watched the disheveled silver haired hunter standing proudly with four piles of ashes scattered around him, a dagger in his hand and an arrogant look on his face. It was at that moment that the pureblood choose to make his entrance.

“You’re fucking late, some back up you are.”

Kaname sighed in relief but tensed again after taking in Zero’s appearance. He directed a dark glare at the man trying to sneak away.

“Is he the one?” Kaname asked

“Yeah, he confessed having connection to the ringleader and he has the pills with him as incriminating evidence, we can sack him… ah! pff! He is trying to escape.”

Just when he thought that he might be able to sneak out, the human found his feet dangling in the air and a brown haired man with eyes glowing red staring at him. He shrieked in fear and flailed midair. Kaname blocked his ears and looked at Zero, “You better call them to collect this thing before I blow it to pieces, it is too loud.” Zero laughed at the way Kaname did not even bother to refer to the man as a living thing. The hunter was relieved to see the old hunter joining them along with three others to collect the captive. Kaname did a quick work on the hair and covered Zero with his caught to avoid revealing his identity. The hunter would not live it down if they discovered his cross-dressing.

After the storm subsided, Kaname glanced at the hunter and inquired about the reason for Zero’s unsteadiness. Newly awakened anger racked him after hearing what was done to him while Kaname was being held up by useless people.

“Do you have some blood pills, he said something about getting better if I had some earlier.” Zero asked while sitting back down on the sofa. Kaname handed him a metallic case containing enough supplement. Zero gratefully accepted and swallowed a handful without bothering to get some water, he wanted to chase away the numbness and get going.

Seconds later, a strangled gasp alarmed Kaname when he tried to help the hunter stand up. Zero doubled over in pain, letting out hot puffs of breath. Kaname noticed the flush on his face. “Zero?”

“Shit! shit, shit, shit… That fucking sick bastard… What numbing drug my ass… Aphrodisiac… Damn! haah” Zero uttered the words in-between heaving breath.

Kaname was lying him down on the couch again when the door opened to reveal the woman who was clinging to him earlier.

“How mean, Kaname-sama! Julia here was so eagerly seeking your comfort and you chose a lowly D instead… I am hurt…” Without looking at her, Kaname cringed inwardly at the slutty manner she was going out of her way to use for a failed attempt at seducing him. _Persistent idiotic woman!_

Zero looked from the intruder to the pureblood annoyed face and decided to intervene. “If you think this guy is doing the nasty with me, then go ahead and get hurt.”

The masculine deep voice of the hunter startled both of them as the woman did not expect him to be male and Kaname did not understand the reason for which Zero would reveal it. Red brown eyes widened at the realization, _Yuki! Of course, Zero would not allow rumors to spread about Kaname sleeping around that would make Yuki look like a fool._ He smiled at the action and stood to face the woman.

“Julia was it?... May I ask you to look after my partner here while I go report the end of our mission? Due to some complication, he is in no shape to move around right now…” The smooth order made the woman obey without uttering a word other than a ‘Yes’

Kaname walked as fast as elegantly possible to the reception desk to ask for the access key of the suite he reserved. On the way back to Zero, he dialed his car’s phone number. Due to some interference, the van that was supposed to transport the captive was set ablaze. Thus, Kaname offered his car keys to the hunters since he had no plan on leaving anytime soon. He waited for the call to pick up, impatient to get the information out of the sleazy pervert.

Kaname had a general idea about what kind of aphrodisiac was used. Not many concoctions can affect vampires, and if there is, then an antidote is always available to cancel the effects, and that is what Kaname needs to get from the man, even if they had to make a round trip and bring it back to him.

“Yes!” the end of the line finally connected

“This is Kuran Kaname, pass the phone to the man we captured. I have some urgent interrogation.” Kaname ordered sternly

“But…”

“Now!”

he heard the shuffle before a relaxed voice came through, “My, My! What might the almighty Kuran Kaname want with me?”

“Pretty relaxed for someone going on a death toll.” Kaname answered calmly, “I think you know perfectly well what I need from you. The antidote in case you are too slow to figure out.”

“Aww! Did fall for it and took the blood pills… hahahahaha”

Kaname had to put the phone away from his ear. _What is wrong with this man?_

“Sorry to say this, _your highness,_ but I do not have any antidote… You see” The amused man trailer as he played with the small container pulled from his pocket. “I do not need such a thing because I generally dispose of them after having my fun…”

“…”

“What? No answer? Ah! another thing! Drinking fake blood will only make it worse for him… The poor thing, he must be begging for it now… Oh! The same applies for your pureblood… I would be worried if he overdosed and combusted it by consuming your blood and heightened the drug effect… That would be sad seeing as I really want a taste of him before that…”

Kaname’s eyes narrowed at the last bit, “In your dreams… You are never seeing the light once you reach your destination, I can promise you that… Scum”

Another irritating laughter came through and Kaname felt a vein pop in his temple.

“I would not say so! As a matter of fact, I am enjoying a comfortable ride in your luxury car towards my freedom, _your highness._ Too bad that I could not take that pesky hunter with me as a gift for the boss. They seem to have a soft spot for exotic things, if you know what I mean. He is soo… exquisite that I am sure the bidding price of an auction would have been sky high to acquire him.”

Kaname’s last thread of sanity snapped when he understood the meaning of the man’s word. Not only is the guy closely tied to the culprit behind the case, he also managed to fool him and Zero and walk out free after doing what he did. The pureblood hang up immediately and stomped into the room where the flushed hunter was resting. He looked at the noble vampire standing besides him ad ordered her to take him up to the designated room. The woman did not bother hiding the displeasure of having to take care of the hunter.

Zero did not have the time to ask Kaname for the reason of his enraged aura for the vampire vanished as soon as he handed the key to Julia.

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞  Inside Kaname’s car∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“I guess _Lord Kaname_ is upset knowing that I escaped his clutch. hahaahah… What ar-“ *bang*

a thing trail of smoke escaped the barrel of the pistol. “What a noisy fella he _was.”_ The hunter looked at the human who was once one of the best dealer of the illegal blood pills now reduced to a mere corpse with a bullet square between his eyes.

“He should know what happens when one break the iron rule. Never reveal that you have a connection to the boss, under any circumstance. The punishment for not sticking to it is death penalty at the hand of any present ally.” The other hunter recited as he drove along the highway, smirking as he lightened a cigarette, “Still, driving a Bentley is like a dream come true, dude… This thing is a piece of heaven.”

“Oh yeah! Make sure to switch with me halfway. It is a shame that we have to dispose of it- Woah! WWWHAAAA-“

The nice time that they were enjoying was cut short by the vehicle coming to a stop as if it collided with something, but nothing could be seen in front of them. The two men freaked out when the car was elevated midair, wheels still running in one place. They looked down in horror to see Kaname glaring at them with ruby red eyes.

A squeaking sound echoed a the roof snapped and flew far away, leaving them exposed. The car flipped over, and the three occupants fell to the floor. Kaname let go of the once luxury vehicle to crash elsewhere while he eyes the dead body of the human he was seeking. He kept a tight leash on the hunter’s neck with his aura as he waited for Kain who appeared next to him, minutes later.

“Leader?”

“I want you to take these two and the body back to the association, The target was shot dead by these two men who appear to be rogue hunters who infiltrated the mission. They will know what to do with them there.”

“Understood!” Kain nodded and proceeded to grab them by the scruff of their neck, stinging them lightly as a warning of burning them to crisp if they dared do any funny business. Kaname threw the dead body in the truck and vanished again to join Zero.

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞  TBC∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**


	29. chapter29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Make sure to read chapter 28, I posted them together.
> 
>  

 

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞  Back in the hotel suite∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Unbelievable!” The woman repeated the word that she has been saying since forever. Zero rolled his eyes, even with his fogged mind, he still felt irritated.

“Here I am, a sexy desirable woman, throwing myself at him and what is the first thing that comes out of his mouth, ‘May I ask you to look after my partner here while I go report the end of our mission?’. Just… Unbelievable!”

Zero groaned again. He felt like begging her to just leave, but no she has to stick around and follow the orders of the man she is mocking. _I could never understand their concept of blind loyalty! Beside, the attribute desirable is debatable for a woman who actually carried me up to this room instead of being lady-like and ask for assistance from a bellboy or something._

“Julia-san! I believer that you are aware that your pureblood king is mated and expecting a heir soon.”

The woman looked at him and shrugged, “So what? It is not like he cannot have concubines. Most pureblood do not stick with one and only. A lot of other worthless women are flocking around him for a chance to the title.”

_I remember Kaname telling me something about this. How retarded._

Zero sighed, “Well… I do not know about others, but I am sure about one thing. Your attire and your way of carrying yourself will not get you any close to that man.” he intended for it to be a sarcastic remark, but the woman suddenly perked and sat beside him on the bed. Curiosity was written all over her face.

“Then you know a way to actually attract his attention?” She beamed

“Why the hell should I know that kind of thing?” Zero bellowed, wincing as a bout of heat coursed through his body. _Shit! this is getting worse by the minute._

“Bummer… Of course you wouldn’t, it is not like he would sleep with a D, let alone a hunter.” Zero groaned in frustration, _You don’t know what you are missing there._

“Why are you so obsessed with him anyways… Stop being a brat and look around… I am sure there are plenty of other men who are dying to have a chance with you.” Zero finally snapped, unable to take anymore whining.

“That is so rude! A brat… I am a perfectly grown up woman.” She shrieked while standing upright, lifting her chin as if to look down on Zero.

The hunter however did not fall for the act… He gave her a knowing smirk. “Only a brat would react that badly to being called a brat… Brat!” If there is one thing Zero learned well from Kaito, then that is the art of bullying.

“How dare you… Just to clear things up, I am already twenty-two years old!” The noble placed her hands on her wide hips, puffing her chest to appear confident.

“A grown up woman would hate to reveal her actual age though” Zero shrugged innocently, enjoying the distraction.

“What…I…Uhm” she stuttered

“Fine… I will believe you if you tell me the year you were born.” Zero smirked.

“Nineteen… eighty..”

“tick.tock tick tock… too long to answer, you are calculating and it should have been nineteen _ninety_ three” Zero dealt the final blow with a victorious smile. “Now out with it… How old are you! 10” he gave an exaggerated estimation to rile her up even more.

“You Jerk, I am twenty”

“Liar…”

“eighteen…”

“hard to believe…”

“seventeen…”

“Why does it sound so wrong?”

“Okay sixteen and stop doing that…” She balled her fist and stomped in frustration as Zero chuckled.

“Doing what? It is not my fault if you are a bad liar... You are too transparent to the point that I know sixteen is still not the real answer.”

The girl looked down, before glancing at Zero and muttering the shocking revelation “Fourteen!”

“Holy Crap!” Zero blinked few times in amazement at how developed the girl for her age.

“I know I am a cow…” she grumbled

“What?”

“That is what everyone call me because… I am tall and have …. this” she added pointing to her generous breast…

Zero took pity on the girl when he understood that she was bullied by those of her age…

“What are you doing here… I don’t the party allow minors…”

She paled at that but relaxed when she saw the gentle expression on Zero’s face… She somehow felt comfortable around him and decided to let her worries out.

“I am… uhm… They say that I will turn into an old hag when I grow up…. And that no one will marry me… So…”

“So you decided to find a husband while still beautiful…” Zero continued, chuckling at the simple mind of the child despite her mature appearance.

Her eyes widened and the fair skin turned scarlet “What?”

The reaction caught Zero by surprise…

“You think I am beautiful?” she asked in disbelief… It has to be the first time anyone complemented her sincerely after knowing her actual age.

Zero smiled at the innocence suddenly transparent in her big eyes “Yes, and-“

Kaname suddenly barged through the door, stopping his irritated walk when he noticed that the woman was still around. “You can leave, I will handle the rest.” he ordered.

Just as Julia was about to close the door, Zero called out, “Julia… What they told you is not true… You will become even more stunning to the point of turning head wherever you go… Just be patient and enjoy everything at the right time.”

The noble woman gave a shy smile and bid them farewell.

Kaname looked at Zero after she left, “What was that about?”

“Nothing~” Zero grinned at the puzzled expression of the pureblood, before barking at him “Anyways, what were you thinking, vanishing like that without explanation?”

Kaname sighed… He could see that Zero was not getting any better and have holding back because of the nuisance he left him. He joined him on the bed and started removing the wig and pins until the silver hair was freed in messy strands. Kaname brought a warm towel that he used to remove as much make up as he could. He then carefully helped the hunter in removing the lenses since Zero’s hands were too shaky to risk poking his eyes out. 

“I went to check if he had an antidote to calm you down.” he spoke calmly.

“And?” Zero looked at him expectantly.

“Nothing.” Kaname did not wish to see the dejected look on the hunter.

“I don’t get it… It is not getting any better… I feel so hot I might combust…” Zero complained in a strained voice, “Maybe I should take more pills…”

Kaname held his wrist as he reached for the case, “Did take more after I left?” he asked worriedly.

the pureblood almost plucked his bangs when Zero nodded because of his carelessness. “They make it worse… you are not to take any for now…”

Zero complained non-stop about it and just as he was about to go to the bathroom in order to relieve himself, he crumbled to the floor, not finding any strength left in his body.

He finally allowed Kaname to cradle him on the bed, after removing all his clothes that seemed to burn his already heated skin. Now, with his back rested against Kaname’s chest, his leg spread wide on his lap with both of them facing the same direction, Kaname started stroking him in order to relieve him of the painful sensation even a little bit. Zero’s head fell back in the crook of his neck as he shuddered from a first strong release, leaving him weaker then ever. The pureblood tried to maintain a level-head, even with the puffs of breath tickling his sensitive neck and the sweet moans escalating from the hunter’s lips.

He lost count of how many times Zero released until the still engorged flesh of the hunter started hurting judging from the sobbing of the helpless silverette. “Kaname..ugh…haaah… Please! not that…” Zero pleaded helplessly as his body refused to obey him…

“What is it Zero, tell me?” Kaname whispered as he kissed a sweaty temples.

“Inside… put it in…”

Kaname groaned for the thousands time… He knew that Zero could feel his clothed erection poking his back, but he did not want to take him this way. This was certainly not the after party he was looking forward to. Thus, he opted to use his fingers. As soon as the finger probed his entrance, a sudden release racked the hunters body, so Kaname kept going on like that. Soon enough, the silver beauty refused the digits and Kaname’s lust came to its peak.

The look Zero gave him with the teary glassy eyes, puffed lips and flushed face while pleading him caused his undoing. He chuckled at the hunter’s remark when he finally placed him on the bed and positioned himself between his parted shaky legs. “I have had my fucking share of fingering to last me a life time… Just fuck me for real already…”

Zero gulped upon seeing Kaname’s hardened flesh jutting, sexily snuggled out of his pants and boxers. Kaname could not help but let out a breathy chuckle at the hungry look that Zero was giving him. Without further ado, he lifted the calves over his shoulder and slid the lubed condom he took form his wallet before slowly entering the eager silverette. Zero whimpered at the slow torture and Kaname grunted at the sensation from the hunter clamping down on him more than ever.    

Wine met violet one more time before their frenzied debauchery started for the rest of the night.

 

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞  The next morning ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 *Sound of water trickling*

“Haaa… Some aphrodisiac that was…” Zero sighed, His eyes puffed red from crying too much and cheeks equally reddened. His lips were visibly swollen, but that was nothing compared the chafing of his inner thigh, which stung badly when Kaname lowered him into the warm bathtub. He was still feeling numb and unable to move properly let alone walk by himself, so the pureblood graciously offered to bath him. They were after all both covered in their sticky release.

Zero let out yet another sigh as Kaname brought some water on his shoulder and caressed it. “We are lucky the bath is big enough for both of us to sit comfortably…”

“Uhuh…” Kaname hummed his affirmation while leaning back on the edge after securing Zero on his lap once again.

“Are you still bothered, Kaname?” Zero asked as he relaxed and tilted his head to glance at the pureblood. Kaname cracked on eye open and shrugged while holding his temple “Not really… Just reflecting…”

Zero chuckled “Stop being such a drama queen…”

The pureblood reached a hand to mess with the wet silver locks as he exhaled, “It is not funny, I felt like I was almost breaking you back there… It was careless of me not to realize that the aphrodisiac was the topical substance he used to… you know… I should have sensed that I was affected as well.”

It was now Zero’s turn to shrug “Well, you certainly went wild back there… I can’t believe that we finished the whole pack of condom… pfff”

“Yeah and finished few more rounds without as well… Geez, this a first for me to actually feel my hips aching…” Kaname complained

“You don’t know the half of it… I can still fucking feel you inside me…” Zero commented offhandedly, they were certainly in a pinch because they cannot consume any form of blood until the drug wear off. Although Zero has it much worse.

“Ehem… You really should not say that while in this kind of position.” Kaname teased as he bend over and hugged Zero tightly, placing his chin on his shoulder. “Are you sure you will be okay… I mean, I know I made sure nothing got inside but-“

“No worries about that… Aido actually gave me a handy new pill for this kind of situation.” Kaname could not help the slight disappointment he felt hearing that.

He started shampooing the silver hair when he muttered the words, “Nah… Zero… What would you do if I accidently got you pregnant”

The hunter laughed, wanting to look at the pureblood face but he had to keep his eyes shut. “Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to take responsibility or anything… Don’t start getting paranoid on me, big guy…haahahah… I never expected this question, really.” He took a deep breath to calm his giggle “Well, if, god forbid that ever happened, I would go for an abortion like any other time… The last thing I need is a child, and it would make things worse if it was yours… What pride would I have left if word get out that the king of vampires knocked me up…” Zero did not notice the way Kaname’s hand slowed down, nor was he able to see the hurt expression on his face, so he continued talking nonchalantly, “Anyways~ you really did a great job with my outfit and make over, that man was totally fooled by it… Kaname?”

“Um… It was not that big of a deal.”

“I somehow figured you would say something like that… Ouch! damn it”

“What? The tickling? again?” Kaname asked

“It fucking feels like ants crawling under my skin… it’s the right shoulder blade.” Zero complained.

“That is an interesting way to describe it.” Kaname chuckled while placing his palm on the spot Zero confirmed, a soft red glow shone and disappeared when the hunter sighed in relief. “It is good though… the sensation… At least, the paralyzing drug is wearing off.” Zero nodded.

“Ah!” Kaname made a sound as if he remembered something.

“What?”

“Keiichi…” the pureblood surprised Zero by saying the name of a kid totally unrelated to the situation.

“What about him?”

“Since yesterday, I was thinking that you reminded me of someone in that disguise. You were like the feminine grown up image of Keiichi.” Kaname explained

Zero stiffened for a second, “You think so? I don’t really see the resemblance.”

“I can’t really pinpoint it but I just got the impression…”

“You are quite smitten by the kid, aren’t you? Going as far as providing him with your life energy.” Zero teased.

Kaname chuckled, “Well… He kind of stole it at first, every chance he got… I had to give in when faced with his cute roundabout ways of asking for it… I have to admit, that child is quite peculiar.”

“Don’t worry… The same will apply to your daughter.” Zero deadpanned

“No. I was not talking about his behavior. I was talking about his very existence.” Kaname explained.

“What do you mean?” Zero inquired

“You see… During the time I was finalizing his adoption paperwork, I was trying to dig up everything related to his birth but ended up with dead ends every time.”

“How come? Didn’t Ichiru explain the circumstance of his birth?”

“He did, but some things don’t add up. Close your eyes.” Kaname instructed as he brought the water to rinse the shampoo off the silver hair before resuming his talk “You see, the woman they pointed to as a mother was indeed an ex-human who was turned by Rido. The time of the death and everything else fits. That is why I did not give much thought to the matter back then.”

Zero adjusted himself on the pureblood lap, thinking of a way to stir the conversation in another direction, as he did not like where it was heading.

“My curiosity peaked when I looked over his medical record. First, are you aware that Keiichi is much older than he looks?”

Zero nodded, “Aido said that the slow growth was due to the absence of biological parents.”

Kaname snorted, “Typical answer but baseless…” he held Zero in his arms once again, whispering in low serious voice “You see Zero,  no matter how much of a scumbag Rido was, he would not lay hand on an ex-human unless they were really unique. He merely regards them as livestock, nothing more… Now, tell me… How did such a person end up impregnating a woman he turned when she was not even around on the academy ground when he regained his original body?”

Kaname felt Zero tense up, confirming his suspicion that the hunter was aware of the mystery shrouding the child. He continued nonetheless, “Lets assume that the information about her being someplace else that time was incorrect… Keiichi himself is too powerful of a vampire to have been conceived by an ex-human.”

Zero joined the observation, “Heeh… I thought his powers have yet to awaken… That is if he has any to begin with… How can you measure his power just like that?”

Kaname let out a breathy chuckle, confusing Zero as he grabbed his chin to make him look into his amused red-brown eyes, “I hate to brag, but I am not king of vampires for nothing… Keiichi will grow to become a level B vampire, one that might turn out as strong as Takuma and Senri.”

Zero paled at the announcement, his mouth went slack, “But that-“

“Doesn’t make sense right?” Kaname finished his sentence, “Indeed it does not make sense if the mother was a human turned vampire shortly before conceiving. As a matter of fact, it is suspicious that a newly turned vampire can carry a pureblood offspring to term, but that is not the point… Back to his growth issue, the reason behind the stunted growth have never been the parent. Many vampires grew up without parents around as long as they absorb life energy… I found the reason in his medical record after awakening. I should probably say that I stumbled upon them… You see, Zero, Keiichi has a bullet embedded right here.” Kaname informed as he pushed a certain area of Zero’s head with his finger. He resumed his hold on the hunter, “That region influence the development greatly. It seems that Hanabusa is using some vampire magic to keep the bullet in place because he is in a non-operable region.”

Zero dropped his head so that his wet bangs hide his expression. He felt as if something was squeezing his heart, he wanted to stop the discussion, but the lump in his throat prevented him from interrupting the rambling of the pureblood. “One single mistake, one careless push can lead to a fatal result. I guess that is why Aido never intervened. Now, the interesting part of the story is that bullet. I went through the various scans Aido took along the years, the flat, 3D and others, and I came to this conclusion. That bullet is unique in the shape, design, and the carving that I managed to make out. A bullet that can belong to only one weapon, Bloody Rose…” Kaname stilled his movement before asking, “Am I wrong?”

Zero felt his heart jump to his throat at the question, his lips moved before a croaky voice came out, “I don’t know…”

“Liar.” Kaname deadpanned

Zero turned and glared at him, but Kaname spoke before he retorted, “Your heartbeat just gave you away.” the pureblood pointed

Zero’s face almost turned blue from anger, he gritted his teeth, hissing, “Are a fucking lie detector now.” he tried to get out of the bath, but his body was still sluggish and not strong enough to fight off the hold of the pureblood. “Zero, wait… It is not like that… I just wanted to know… Too many assumptions that I hate to have are swirling in my head whenever I see that child… The fact that your bullet is in his head is undeniable and that just made more confused. You should have not met with him at all because you were in US during the time he was born… That is unless… I first thought that your twin might be the one who was impregnated by that scum since he was his attendant. But then I scratched the possibility because Ichiru would not have let go of him or declared an adoption if Keiichi was his” Kaname’s voice took a higher pitch as he tried to explain as fast as possible, “All I can think of is that the mother was in US at some point… The only reason I can think of that pushed your twin and Aido to change the story is that something happened that they did not want us to know about… Something involving that bullet…” Zero froze as he felt a calamity about to befall him, “Zero… Did you try to kill the mother?”

“Huh?” Zero gave him the dumbest look as a reaction.

Kaname cleared his throat “I understand if you say that you got mad at your brother for sheltering the woman carrying that man’s child… The only way to explain the confusing situation, is that the mother of Keiichi is a high ranking vampire. It might be a stretch, but I also considered the possibility of a level C or at most a level D… The reason that Ichiru hid the fact might relate to the incident in which you shot her. You probably thought she was going mad because of bloodthirst and tried to stop her right? They would not reveal that because the penalty was pretty harsh back then. They were protecting you right?” Kaname tried to soften his voice, urging the still dumbfounded hunter to answer.

His suspicion confirmed when Zero nodded, “They were protecting me… It is true.” Seeing that the heartbeat indicated no lie, Kaname finally relaxed while Zero groggily stumbled out of the bathtub.

 

  **∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

It did not take Kaname too long to emerge from the bathroom. However, that was apparently enough time for the hunter to do a half-hearted job in drying his hair and falling asleep sprawled across the bed. The scowl on his sleepy face amused Kaname to no end. The blinking of his phone from the corner of his eyes reminded him that he had put it on silent before the mission. He was surprised to see a three digits number of calls and messages, which got him extremely worried. 

The messages were recent, mostly from Takuma and Yuki asking about his whereabouts. Kain apparently informed them about the incident and Yuki was worried about the fact that Zero was drugged. He moved on the earlier that were mostly voice mail. Opening the last one, he found that it was from Cross saying to call him as soon as possible with a dark voice that almost spoke of tragedy.

He quickly dialed the number of the acting president and waited impatiently while looking over his shoulder to make sure that Zero was not disturbed.

“Kaname-kun?” The voice of Kaien Cross sounded weak over the phone, not at all like the usual boisterous chairman.

“Yes, Cross-san… I am sorry; I failed to notice that my phone was on silent.” Kaname quickly explained

 “It is okay, I am sure you had your hand full as it is. Akatsuki-kun already reported about the mission, you do not have to worry about it. More importantly, Are you still with Zero. I can’t see to reach his phone.”

Kaname glanced at the snoozing hunter, “Yes, I have been monitoring the effect of the drug.” _in a very unconventional way._

“Is he able to move around?” The worried tone spoke miles. Cross must be aware of what kind of drug was used.

“Yes, with a bit of difficulty though.” Kaname replied, as calmly as ever.

“Good I need you to bring him down here as soon as possible, the address is…” Kaname’s eyes widened when he was given the address of the hospital.

“Cross-san?”

“Truth is, Ichiru-kun needs all the support his brother is willing to give right now-“ Kaname looked at the sleeping hunter, this time with a look akin to pity as he listen to Cross filling him on the details.

After hanging up, the pureblood sat on the bed next to Zero and started to wake him up as gently as possible.

Amethyst eyes fluttered open followed by a groan, “Kaname~ really? Just when I was about to get a good rest?”

“There is no time for that Zero.” Kaname spoke with a strained tone as he picked the landline to call for room service. His tone shook Zero into full awareness, the hunter narrowed his eyes as he took in the serious demeanor of the pureblood while he talked on the phone, asking for two sets of suits.

Zero felt more perplexed when he perceived something akin to sadness in the pureblood’s eyes when they looked his way. “Zero… We need to get going now… Ichiru is in the hospital and you need to be with him now, he will need you now more than ever.” The pureblood explained, holding the hunter’s hand. He already had an idea that they have been having some difference for the past few days, although Zero never told him the reason for the fight. He just hoped that the hunter does not act stubborn. Especially not now.

Zero felt as if a cold ice bucket was poured all over him, he froze, unable to process what he just heard. _Ichiru… hospital?_

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞  At the time Zero was preparing for the mission, Kaito’s reason for not coming ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

_How the fuck did things turn out this way?_

The hazel-eyed hunter muttered profanity under his breath while a pair of angry purple eyes glared at him. He finally pushed his weight from the bench and joined the opposite one of the moving van, where a handcuffed Ichiru sat with his hands protectively resting on the unconscious head of his lover.

Kaito bumped their shoulder together and whispered so that the other hunters would not hear. “Will stop with that fucking glare already! I had no other choice.”

The glare only intensified as Ichiru hissed, “No other choices? You could have given us some heads up, instead of barging and knocking him out like some sort of sick criminal.”

Kaito sighed, “It is not that simple. If I told you and you chose to run, it would have been a hunt, not a fucking arrest. You get it? they would have gone for your man’s head, whether innocent or not.” He gritted pointing to the blond head.

Ichiru’s eyes settled on his sleeping lover, “How long will he be like this.”

Kaito exhaled, feeling like shit about doing this to them, “He will start to wake up after we reach, but he won’t regain his strength anytime soon, so he will probably be drowsy the whole time.”

“Fucking great!” Ichiru drawled.

“Tell me about it… Man, Zero is going to chew me out if he learns that you got locked up as well, on my watch. Why did you have and act like an ass. You know the beef Jinmu has with you and you gave him the opportunity on a golden platter… I can’t believe that Aido trusted me and let himself get arrested and you had to go and play the hero.”

“Did you expect me to sit and cross finger while god knows what you might be doing to him. Hell to the no!” Ichiru snapped, not bother about the murmurs from the other hunters.

Kaito groaned, _this is going to be a long fucking night._

It all started when Kaito went to the association in order to collect the fake ID and outfit for the mission he was supposed to lead with Zero. That was when he came across the arrest warrant with the name of Hanabusa Aido in it. He cursed every single force of nature when he saw the task assigned to none other than Jinmu. As competent as the old hunter might be, Kaito was aware of the incident that happened when they gathered to see Yagari off. It took him some ass-kissing with Jinmu and some rule bending with Cross and Shouto to be allowed to switch at the last minute. He could not afford their encounter to run wild and anyone of them getting hurt.

He somehow managed to convince the old coot to leave the arrest to him, acting smug in saying that they will have their guard down around him.

he was grateful enough when Aido caught up with his signal when Kaito showed him the tranquilizer syringe and mouthed ‘trust me’ to the vampire. If Aido had any doubt about the situation, he would have long frozen them solid before Kaito could sink the needle into his wrist. The problem lied with Ichiru who wen into a fit of rage when they informed about the reason for the arrest. Kaito sighed again when he remembered the incrimination that made no sense to him at all.

_‘The bodies of the missing hunters were found in XXXX location. According to the report from the scene. It is stated that the heart of the victims were gouged out and locked in supernatural ice at the time of death. The encased hearts were placed next to the rotting bodies. This lead us to assume that the criminal is an ice-wielder with insider information about the activities of the victims… The list of suspect to be brought for interrogation and DNA testing is the following:-‘_

The fact that there were other suspect lightened the shock on Kaito, but he was still feeling apprehensive because the reason for arresting Aido was the absence of alibi. That irritated him even more, because it seemed that the hunters were ignoring Ichiru’s testament that he was with him on purpose. They had to rub salt to the wound by saying that the silverette already betrayed his family once, so his words cannot be taken into account.

His anger flared again when he remembered how Jinmu dragged Ichiru into custody with the accusation that he is an accomplice by covering for a criminal. It was as if he had everything set in stone. There a lot of fishy details swarming around that were putting Kaito on the edge.

“Did you try calling him.” The hesitant whisper snapped Kaito back to the present time.

“What?” he asked the now calmer Ichiru.

“Did you call Zero?”

“Yeah, I have been trying but he does not answer…”

Ichiru fell silent; a grim expression haunted his face.

Once they reached the headquarter, Kaito guided Ichiru with another two hunter dragging Aido’s limp form to their cells. Never in his life did Ichiru considered visiting such a place. The underground murky smell caused his nostrils to flare. The air of death surrounding the place gave him the chills. Kaito squeezed his arms to reassure him, but the silverette still trembled like a leaf. He was not scared for his life, but for Hanabusa. Especially when he caught sight of the torture tools hang on the walls.

Ichiru was guided inside a cell where he was chained to the bars and locked inside. He watched as Kaito joined the others who were chaining his lover to the wall. He heart stop when Jinmu joined them and pushed Kaito aside when the young hunter was waking Aido up, gently. The old blond hunter did not hesitate to pack a punch and another until the vampire groaned. “Finally awake, princess.”

Dim electric blue eyes opened and followed the source of the voice. Jinmu grabbed his bangs, completely ignoring Kaito’s plea to take it easy. “Now then, let’s get down to business. I want you to pop a ball of your ice if you want me to keep you alive for a little longer, not that it would matter anyway… As soon as the result return a confirmation that it corresponds to yours, I will be delighted to give you the most painful death like the one you inflicted on my comrades you piece of shit.”

Aido glared and was about to retort, but Kaito cut him off with a pat on the shoulder, “The tests are highly accurate and will clear your name in no time, Hanabusa. Just do it! If not for yourself, do it for Ichiru”. Aido complied upon seeing the frightened expression of his teary lover across from him. Ichiru could not hear them properly because of the other guards chattering nearby but he picked on the testing part and his heart jumped when he met the drugged eyes of his lover who glanced at him before producing an ice ball that dropped into the bag in Kaito’s hands.

The groggy blonde-haired vampire was again cruelly chained to the wall and Jinmu made sure to personally lock the door and install a charm that will drain Aido of all his power. Hanabusa gasped at the feeling of his energy seeping away. His body felt too heavy, dangling from the chains holding his cuffed wrists that barely kept his form up straight. He would give anything for him to lie down on a comfortable bed hugging the love of his life right now.

“A vampire dating a human and a hunter trying to protect a vampire, what a disgusting sight” Jinmu spat on the floor as he glared at Aido, Kaito and Ichiru “I will be back to personally put you out of your misery, vampire and to purge some pus out of this rotting organization. New order association, my ass!” the old man cursed as he left the detention area to bring the sample to the lab.

Kaito glanced at Aido and then squatted near Ichiru’s cell where the silver haired man crumbled on his knees clutching the bar with unblinking eyes staring at his lover. Kaito cringed upon seeing the silent tears rolling down the face of the man he considered as important as a little brother would have been. He reached out and wiped one cheek, pinching it to get his attention, “Hey stop crying and make sure to keep him calm and silent so that they do not get anything against him until I go inform Cross of what is going on down here. Once the tests are out, I will come collect the both of you and drive you back home, don’t worry…. Ah! Sorry for the rough handling, that old coot took the mission before I came to know about it and I had to beg him to allow me to be the one to arrest him. If not, your lover would have been turned to dust the minute Jinmu got into the apartment”

Ichiru scoffed but his eyes never left the form of his slumping lover who was still dizzy from the tranquilizer “how long will that shit keep him out” …. “No more than another five minutes, but he will still be weak because of the restrain and the draining spell that shithead put, that I won’t be able to cancel either unfortunately.”…

“Go do whatever it is you have to do and get us out of here, please!” Ichiru said and finally met Kaito with a pleading desperate look. Kaito nodded before ruffling the silver hair and leaving in direction of the president’s office. The two guards at the door snickered after the hunter left which unsettled Ichiru greatly. Few minute later, the silver haired human jumped when he heard the hoarse voice of his lover calling out his name, slightly smiling at the effort Aido made to make his tone as loving as possible “Ichiru, are you there?’

“Yes love, I am right in front of you,” he answered with a voice laced with worry as he was staring right into unfocused electric blue eyes

“Sorry! *cough* my eyes are blurry, everything is swimming”

“Don’t worry about it, listen, I want you to stay calm and do not use your powers at all, that spell will only make things painful if you struggle. Okay baby?”

“Umm” Aido nodded weakly “I did not do it, believe me I –“

“Hana, stop! You don’t need to tell me, I was with you, remember. It is true that you were of the premises of Cross Academy during the estimated time of death of most of them, but you were with me each and every single time.”

“Yeah, but- “ Aido trailed weakly

“No buts! Besides I know you would not hurt anyone, if nothing else, you are working hard to save so many already” Ichiru talked softly as if cooing at his lover to calm him down. He knew how much Aido hated to be falsely accused, and if it was any other day, he would be throwing a huge tantrum about it.

“Okay then, stop crying! You know I like seeing your tears only when they fall after laughing too hard,“ Aido answered with a weak smile meant to be a teasing smirk

Ichiru chuckled as he wiped his face and taking a deep breath to stop his sniffling “I love you, now be quiet and let us patiently wait for that jerk to come get us out”

“I love you too and you should not be calling him a jerk at a time like this,” Aido scolded.

“Whatever” Ichiru scoffed. _He will be a jerk until we are out of here._

The both settled in the quiet, with Ichiru speaking sometime to dispel the eerie feeling the place was giving him. The couple of hours felt like eternity for the two prisoner.

*click clang* *heavy door opening* Ichiru stood up and peered at whoever is going through the door, almost certain that it was Kaito coming to release them. _Took him long enough, then again, it is still fast for forensics if he was waiting for the results._ The happy smile on his face quickly dropped when he met Jinmu’s smug look.

“The results are out shitty vamp and they are goddamn positive”. Aido’s eyes widened at the announcement, and from Ichiru’s voice as he screamed bloody murder at the hunter. Jinmu paid the silver-haired twin no attention and proceeded to opening the vampire’s cell, approaching the restrained noble with a syringe filled with a brownish substance.

Aido’s tired brain could not pinpoint what it was but the elated look on the hunter’s face told him that it was bad news. With no strength to fight back, he winced as the needle pierced the artery on his neck. He felt the burning liquid seep into his blood. He gasped as his hold body flushed hot then turned ice cold in retaliation against the invading substance.

“For killing my comrade and deceiving people with that fake faith of yours in ending the war between races, you deserve a slow and painful death instead of having your heart pierced or your head simply cut off, that would be too merciful for an abomination like you.” Jinmu spat on Aido’s face, ignoring Ichiru’s scream that turned into a plea for a moment before turning back into murderous threat, despite that the silver head did not see the syringe or what the man did to his lover because of the annoying broad back of the hunter hindering his vision.

Jinmu leaned closer to Aido’s ear and whispered, “I injected you with a special venom made by our renowned hunter scientist, I don’t really know the specifics but I do know that it will destroy you inside out really… really slowly. In your weak state, the torture would last one to two hours, give or take until you to finally turn into a dried out mummy then blast into dust. hhhhhh, I will make sure to come swipe it off and throw it into the flammable garbage. NO better place for you to rest buddy!” he gave a sarcastic laugh when the golden haired vampire let out a whimper of pain while glaring at him as the hunter stood up and closed the cell.

Jinmu turned to face Ichiru who snarled at him “I swear I will kill you even if it the last thing I do before I die!”… The old hunter made a comically surprised face “woohoo… I am so scared! The failure of the Kiryuu is threatening me… I should probably stat watching my back huh?....” he paused

“Except *bang*” he hit Ichiru’s head with the blunt back of his gun making blood trickle on his forehead “you probably won’t make it out of here alive either seeing as you covered up for his crime and will be considered an accomplice and traitor, like usual…” Ichiru’s vision reddened from the blood trickling on his eye, he was peeved and the murmur, snicker and shuffling of the other guard did little to calm his fury.

“He did not do anything, he did not kill anyone!” Ichiru screamed again, refusing to accept the truth under any circumstance. Jinmu was wedging his rifle to hit him again when the clattering of chain stopped him. He looked around to see a red-eyed Aido with his fangs bared, oozing a powerful killing intent that made the old hunter shudder but he tried not to show it.

“Showing your true form beast, we will see how long you can keep that intimidating strike of yours. I will be back for the final show, cannot miss the death of one of the big thorns in the hunters’ sides” he snorted and made his way out of the prison. Aido’s eyes returned to their electric blue color and his fangs retracted, his whole body slumped forward, dangling from the chains keeping both his wrist up. Ichiru’s heart was bleeding more than his forehead at the sight of his proud lover down on his knees, breathing with difficulty and looking down in defeat.

“Hana! Hana! Look at me! you will be fine… I am sure Kaito will find proof of your innocence soon… and if it makes you feel better, after death sentence is announced, the accused gets three days grace before getting executed. That will leave plenty of time for everyone to find a way to get you out… please raise your head baby… let me see your face…” _don’t give up hope so soon_

Aido was silent for a while before he let out a breathy chuckle and shook his head, still looking down. Ichiru perked at the action thinking that his lover’s mood was better “lucky them”

“Huh?...”

“Those who get the three days I mean…”

“What do you mean?” Ichiru was confused

“Nothing, I love you Ichiru. I always will, you know that, right?”

“I love you too” Ichiru nodded, starting to get puzzled by his lover’s words.

“I am sorry I did not put too much thought in the fertility issue” Aido continued with a sad smile as he looked at the pained expression across from him.

“huh?...” now Ichiru was stupefied… is this any time to talk about his fantasy of having their biological child

“I mean, I should have at least put some more effort into looking for a way that would allow us to conceive a child of our own, the baby would have been the most beautiful thing you would ever see. I would have loved for them to be a girl, but a boy is also a blessing.” Aido chuckled as he imagined them fussing over a bundle of joy and how happy they would have been to witness his first word, first walk, first day of school…

Ichiru smiled “Well, you might want to start thinking about it again as soon as we are out of here, genius scientist-“ Ichiru tried to go along with the merry mood he thought Aido was awkwardly trying to set before he was cut off by the sorrowful look of his lover. Aido had raised his head properly, that is when the now obvious sad smile set all Ichiru’s alarms off.

“Sorry love! I kind of understand now… Why you wanted it so badly… Leaving a part of you behind to be a proof and constant reminder of the love we shared” a single tear rolled on Aido’s cheek and Ichiru gripped the bars of his cell, shaking the rusty but strong metal.

“What the hell are you talking about Hana! Stop it! it’s like… Like… as if you are saying goodbye… Stop talking like that” Ichiru’s voice came out strained and loud before his eyes widened in understanding as he took in the strained feature of his lover and the glossy sweating forehead and clenched fist  “what did that fucker do to you what did he say, Hana!”

Aido screwed his eyes shut and let out a pained groaned as a burning jolt of pain shot through the back of his head to his spine and racked every  corner of his body. His was throat parched and his brain was starting to get foggy, his answer came out slurred “Brown liquid… one hour… desiccate…”

Ichiru covered his mouth in shock and his whole body trembled in disbelief as he fell on his knees in shock. The words sunk in with a sense of doom. _It can’t be…the poison they used to deliver slow death to the worst vampire criminal, it is potent enough to incapacitate a pureblood in a matter of 24 hours, 24 hours of hell._ Ichiru’s head snapped back up when he heard the clattering of the chains. He could not help the tears from flowing down and could not make a sound as he choked on the sight of his lover writhing in pain and clawing in the air while screaming out for help…

Everything happened quickly, in a matter of minutes, Aido lost all sense of coherence and was unable to respond when Ichiru tried to keep him grounded. Ichiru tried calling out his name repeatedly, tried to distract him from the pain, but nothing worked. _Oh god! This is happening too fast! Someone help!_ Ichiru prayed internally as he watched his lover going paler, eyes blazing red, claws and fangs erected… even in his most bestial form, he still loved him. Even when Aido snarled whenever he called him, he was not scared. Instead he was hurting knowing that Aido is losing himself to the pain and torture, which he could not begin to imagine the amount of. If the poison can affect a pureblood. Ichiru could not imagine what it does to lower ranks. _Agony_

The physical torture and mental torture of the prisoners went on for a good hour or so.

“Gaaaaaaaaaaah… Ack… ah” one last piecing cry came out of the vampire mouth before he slumped and went completely still. Ichiru broke in cold blood, dreading the worst.

“No no no no no… Hana! Hana! Baby raise your head… baby do you hear me! Hana say something, Move… stay with me… No please… don’t… leave… me” the silver haired man trembled and sobbed loudly when he got no response from his lover. _No! This can’t be happening, it was supposed to be me who would go first… it was never supposed to be like this. He does not deserve this… oh God! Please! If you truly exist, hear out the one and only prayer I will ever make… Please save him! Please save him!..._ He chanted the prayers like a mantra in his head, trying his best not to sink into despair.

The door creaked open again and the disgusting old hunter came in with a delighted look. “Well! Well! What do we have here…? I guess it worked faster that I thought. I did give a generous dose after all” He smirked glancing at a broken Ichiru who did not bother looking back at him “lost your spunk already! Future widow, I will make sure to bring a lasagna for the mourning” he let out a noisy laugh, but got no reaction as Ichiru kept his hands clasped together, eyes closed, sitting on his knees praying non-stop. The action got on the hunter’s nerve, so he signaled to the other guards to do what he agreed with them previously.

Aido skin started to turn ashen pale and his cheeks sinking in as his blood combusted, destroying his insides at a fast pace. His nervous system was completely wrecked, allowing him to feel no pain on his last moments. His brain could still somehow process his surrounding, the warm presence of his lover not faraway soothing him a little and agonized him at the same time. He reacted slightly when the broken scream of his lover reached him, but he dismissed it as an illusion of his slipping consciousness. Little did he know the kind of hell Ichiru was being subjected to.

In the other cell, Jinmu smirked watching the three hunter beating Ichiru to pulp. Having the same face as Zero was a curse for the twin. “If you are to blame anyone, blame your brother. Quite a few of us have some score to settle with that freak… Especially those gentlemen.”

Ichiru spit the blood from the cut on his lips and laughed bitterly, “What gentlemen? Cowards are way more brave than hussies like you… Just because you do not have the guts to fight nii-san… Then again, you would not be able to even touch him even if you tried.”

He gagged when one of them punched his guts.

“What the heck are you getting hard for?” One of the hunters pointed to another fellow, who smirked. “Shut up!” The aroused man stammered. He made the mistake of imagining how the silverette would be under his lover when he saw the delectable skin and nipple through the ripped shirt. Jinmu smirked at that and taunted, “I did say that you can do whatever you want… Better not leave any regret since he will be a dead man soon.”

Realizing the wicked intention, Ichiru gathered his strength to send a flying kick into the pervert’s face. To his unfortunate fate, the man intercepted and twisted his leg harshly, causing him to scream in pain as he felt the bone twist and crack. As if what is about to happen was not humiliating enough, Jinmu had to deal the final blow by removing his wedding band and breaking his ring finger as well. Violet eyes dimmed as any light of hope gradually left them, leaving a shell of a man behind who just stared at the still form of his husband.

 

Meanwhile, Aido sank into his own world as his senses dulled to the point of being unable to process his surroundings. He did not wish for Ichiru to witness such an ugly demise. The little bit of consciousness finally left him and he relaxed waiting to see the other side. _I wonder who I am going to find there… Not like it matter anyways. I will just bid my time waiting for him to reunite again I guess. Smiled Aido internally before that smile faded, but I do wish I didn’t have to die so soon. I don’t want to leave him alone just yet, I promised I would be by his side until the end after all._ The blond vampire was in a comatose state, so he could not hear the commotion that happened shortly after he lost consciousness.

The sturdy heavy metal door of the prison entrance was sent flying across the corridor, making the eyes of the present hunters bulge out. Ichiru tilted his head weakly toward the stream of light where he could make out the familiar figure of a man that he would usually feel like punching, but not today. A pissed off Cross Kaien barged inside followed by a peeved Isaya Shouto and a worried Takamiya Kaito. The latter did not waste time to clobber the guards assaulting the silver-haired man and pulling Ichiru over his shoulder.

Ichiru’s face lit up a little as hope started to dissipate the dark despair he plunged in. Isaya was the fasted to reach Aido’s cell and he had a petrified look on his face. Kaien paled and whispered “are we too late?”. An instant of pregnant silence passed as Shouto focused his senses. His eyes suddenly shot open with a gleeful smile looking back at Cross “ He is still there… it is very weak, but he reacted to my aura.” the pureblood winced as he tried to wrench the cell door open, his hands scalded from spell burning him.

“Allow me” Cross jumped in as he knew how to dispel it only to freeze When the barrel of a rifle stuck to his temple. “What the fuck do you think you are doing, Cross. This bloodsucker is already dying; you saw the results stating that he is the criminal, and you still trying to save him. Are you planning on becoming a traitor. In that case, I have all right to kill you right here right now for helping him escape”… Cross glanced sideway to look at his old colleague while raising a hand to stop both Shouto and Kaito from interfering “traitor? Culprit? … To hell with that”

“What?” the old hunter had hard time hearing the muttering

“Ne? Isaya-san, Kaito-chan? Having a barrel stuck to your temple can be considered a life threating situation right?”

Both addressed people were confused at first and then it clicked, they smirked looking at each other and nodded a yes.

“You both are witnesses for it and Ichiru of course”

“yes” “yup” answered instantly Kaito and Shouto. Before Jinmu could process the meaning of the ‘pointless question’. His jaw dropped as he saw his rifle bending like a piece of paper by the simple twist of Cross’s fingers while the ex-hunter was leisurely removing his glasses and tucking them into his pocket.

“Now Jinmu, threatening to kill the president with so many witnesses is not a smart at all. In fact, you just gave me a reason to call what I am about to do legitimate self-defense,” the old hunter let go of his weapon and jumped back grabbing a dagger before lunging at Cross again, aiming for the kill. The latter did not move until the last second, he grabbed the wrist holding the dagger and squeezed it. A sickening cry followed the sound of breaking bones, making all conscious witness cringe. “ _This_ is for forging the forensics documents,” Cross hissed

The next bone to break was the forearm “ _This_ is for taking the liberty and poisoning a prisoner before the end of the three days grace if he was truly the culprit”

The next thing cross did was grab the pained man’s shoulders and twisted, leading to a chocked cry as he dislocated both shoulders at the same time. Jinmu was about to lose consciousness from the pain when cross slapped him across the face and grabbed his head.

“ _That was_ for hurting my precious protégé and the one holding humanity’s hopes in his hands. _What is coming next_ will be for making my adorable son cry in despair you piece of shit” Cross warned darkly, making the short-haired hunter shake and whimper in fear under the deadly glare.

“Please spare me… No…ugh… more”… Cross’s eyes softened for a moment and a genuine gentle smile showed on his face, making Jinmu relax before tensing again at the next words.

“Don’t wanna” Cross spoke in a childish tone titling his head to the side before tightening his grip on the head and throwing the man like a baseball pitcher, impaling his head into the furthest wall at the end of the corridor from the impact. He turned around and walked toward Aido’s cell clapping his hands as if dusting some dirt off, he took a deep breath and spoke while dispelling the spell “As soon as the door open you will get in and inject his artery with the antidote. Isaya-san will provide him with his blood for faster recovery. Kaito snapped out of his shock and muttered a yes while helping Ichiru rest against a wall.

The young hunter was terrified at the display of power he just witnessed. Isaya gave a wicked smile “Happy to see that you have not lost your touch. I guess the vampire blood in you is not for show, though your sword earned you the fame you once had” Cross smiled as he flung the door open and motioned for them to go in “anything for my children” he winked.

Aido state was worse than expected, even with the antidote and pureblood, the vampire was stuck in a mummified state, Ichiru tried giving him his blood but to no avail. A frustrated Kaito stormed out of the cell toward the groaning Jinmu who started to wake up. He grabbed his collar and talked close to his face in a menacing tone, “what the fuck did you give him”.

The older hunter smirked “why should I tell vampire boy toy” he spit on Kaito. The hazel eyed hunter gave him a look of contempt before whispering “Then maybe I will have Cross come and get you to spit it out, how is that?” he trailed the last part in a mocking tone, satisfied to feel the old coot tremble. “Vampire blood won’t cure him, if he reached the last stage, the antidote will only stop the process for few hours. Only non-vampire blood associated with the antidote can reverse it.”

Kaito was about lash out on the man for lying because Ichiru already gave his blood but halted. He remembered that Ichiru drank a lot of Shizuka’s, and he recently learned that he also drank from Aido regularly. His system was not entirely deprived of vampire blood.

Looking at Jinmu’s victorious expression pissed him off. He had to think deeper because the man was not telling the whole truth. _He said non-vampire blood, I have to rush to the hospital and get some human blood from the bank, will there be enough ti-_

His trained of thoughts stopped when all the pieces of the puzzle came together. _Wait! It is a method of torture and execution! Those mad scientist would not make such a blunder._ A victorious grin plastered on Kaito’s face that served to wipe the smug look on the one of the older hunter. “Well… Well… Well… Isn’t this fantastic… Injecting vampires with a concoction that will destroy them inside out and, in case they manage to flee, they will not recover by drinking the blood from another vampire. However, they will also not get better by dinking human blood for this specific drug. After all, hunters cannot afford to have their prey regain strength when they are hunting it.”

Jinmu paled when he realized that Kaito figured it out.

Back in the cell, Ichiru was sitting awkwardly next to the mummified Aido that they laid on the cold floor. He held his hand tightly waiting for any sign of recovery. Kaien was rubbing his back in attempt to comfort him while Isaya was pouring his own blood down the noble’s throat. The three were startled to hear groans and grunts coming from outside, but did not bother checking. They could easily guess what was happening. _Kaito finally snapped._

 The young hunter’s bloodied form made its way across the cell. Cross looked at him with a grin, “How is the damage?”.

An out of breath Kaito looked back with a satisfied smirk “Couple of broken rib, twisted spine, broken nose and missing teeth. Nothing that would kill a hunter I guess.” He shrugged earning a chuckle from the acting president. Cross smile disappeared and was replaced with a surprised expression he shared with Isaya and Ichiru when Kaito pushed the pureblood’s hand out of the vampire mouth, sliced his own wrist deeply and let the red rich hunter blood slide down the throat of the blond vampire.

He sat on the floor crossing his legs and cradled the blond head to make sure not a drop was wasted “You better wake up soon!” Kaito’s voice was strained. _I thought that keeping him arrested until I cleared his name would be better than getting him to escape and be hunted down. Never thought it would fucking backfire and lead to this._

He tilted the head a little when the ruby liquid overflowed. “Come on…” He urged

Kaito realized the cue behind Jinmu’s words. He prayed that his assumption was right because he would be able to save the blond vampire it was the case. _By non-vampire blood, he meant hunter’s blood, not human. He probably did not expect that there would be a hunter willing to slice his fucking wrist to save a vampire, lucky for Aido that there was one, who never bothered consuming his lover’s blood._

A trembling hand snapped him out of his thoughts when it tried to get his bleeding wrist away. Amethyst eyes met hazel one and Ichiru nudged the unmoving hand of his childhood friend “It is enough, we have to stop your bleeding, I don’t want lose another important person the same day, Kaito please!” Kaito ignored the tears streaming down the pained face and took Ichiru’s hand away, stubbornly letting his blood flow out.

“No, I am fine, my blood will he- AAAA! FUCK THAT HURTS!” all eyes snapped to the bleeding wrist were a pair of fangs were embedded and the Adam apple of a certain blond vampire was bobbing up and down his throat at a crazy pace. Ichiru moved fast and cupped his lover face after failing to wrench his death grip over Kaito’s arm “Hana stop! Hana, you are taking too much… STOP IR NOW!” Red eyes morphed back into electric blue and fangs retracting upon hearing his lover’s terrified voice. He covered the hands cupping his face with his own and gave his lover a puzzled look “Ichiru? When did you have three arms?”

A minute silence passed by before “pfffff” “hahahahahah” “ oh dear! That is a unique thing to say after coming back from the dead” Ichiru and Kaien burst laughing and wiping happy tears while Isaya contented himself with the sarcastic remark as he leaned against the wall. Aido wore a confused expression until a groggy voice resounded above his head “It was my fucking wrist you were munching on, you shithead! Now better let go before I pass out, ugh… feeling dizzy” *thud*.

All laughter quieted down when Kaito finally passed out from blood loss. Isaya was the first to move into action by taking the hunter to the infirmary at a lightening vampire speed to get him on IV drip while the doctor stitched his bleeding wrist, safely closing the vein. Cross called for back up to transport Aido and Ichiru to the nearest hospital. He finally let a heartfelt smile slip when he saw Ichiru’s form curled up on Aido’s side, both fast asleep from exhaustion.

They thought that the storm had subsided, so no one was ready for what came after when Ichiru was admitted in ICU.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews!
> 
>  
> 
> The tension is going to start rising and other twists are coming up to spice up the mundane pace the story fell into.
> 
> *a little rambling for those asking about the pregnancy
> 
> I am personally dying to get Zero pregnant as soon as possible but it will just mess up the storyline, However, for those who are reading the story solely because I wrote MPREG in the summary, do not worry, I was not trying to deceive you. There will be plenty of pregnancies and babies to make it up to you.
> 
> P.S: When I first started this story, I was intending for only the mention of MPREG, but the plot that followed gave me the inspiration to include actual Zero pregnancy and the drama that comes with it. That might explain why it is taking so long because his bond with Kaname needs to grow more.
> 
>  
> 
>  


	30. chapter30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, someone has to shoot me with a tranquilizer because I am in an unstoppable writing spree in favor of other important activities, mainly sleep.
> 
> Thank you for the awesome reviews, YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!
> 
> LOVE YOU ALL!!!
> 
> ENJOY
> 
> warning: sorry for the bit of violence at the end of the chapter.

 

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

*Hurried Footsteps.”

“Sir… You can’t just barge in…”

“Shut up! My brother is in there!!” Zero barked as he dragged his feet as fast as he could. Had he been in a better shape, he would have sprinted to the room in a fraction of a second.

“It is okay nurse, he is family…” Cross calmed down the fuming nurse, although he had to wonder how she could miss the resemblance.

*Door slide open*

Zero’s heart stopped for a moment in shock of what he was seeing. He had no idea how he managed to come here, but all he could think about was Ichiru until he came face to face with the form of his brother lying in the hospital bed. His twin was almost unrecognizable with all the bandage and plaster wrapped around his body. Zero approached the bed to look at his face, covered by the oxygen mask. He felt slightly relieved when he saw the mist of his breath against the translucent plastic. Cross’s voice echoed behind him.

“We are lucky he is breathing on his own right now. The surgeon said that it was a miracle he survived. Ichirun is truly a warrior, isn’t he?”

Zero gave his sleeping brother a wistful smile, “Tell me about it. It is a lie that I am the stronger of the twin. Ichiru has always been superior in term of mental strength, strong-willed, level-headed and full of life against all odds.” He brushed a stray strand that was sticking out of the bandaged head.

“He is going to throw a fit about that bit of shaved hair in his head though.” Cross pondered.

Zero smiled, “Its fine… As long as he lives… everything is fine…*sniff*”

Cross did not bother to comment on Zero’s tears as he hugged the trembling shoulder of his adoptive son. He only muttered the words ‘I am sorry’, feeling his own tear flowing.

Kaname leaned against the wall, outside the ICU room, replaying the details Cross told him, “After everything settled and Aido-kun woke up for a brief moment. We assumed that it was over with nothing to worry about. I should have noticed how fast Ichiru slept on that cold floor in his battered form… It was only when we reached the hospital that the doctor noticed his vitals dwindling, on the verge of passing away. Many surgeon were immobilized to perform multiple procedures at the same time… Concussion, punctured lungs, fractured bones and internal bleeding in several places. Add to it a failing kidney due to a bad blow… It really is a miracle that he regained the strength to breath shortly after the operation.” 

Back in the room, a darker shade of violet orbs fluttered open to meet the glassy one of Zero. Ichiru’s finger twitched in effort to reached his brother, Zero noticed and held his hand quickly while wiping his tears. Cross immediately left the room. The hunter frowned at the ring fingers wrapped in plaster as he made sure not to put pressure on it. Meanwhile, Ichiru reached the other shaky hand to remove the oxygen mask.

“Nii-san…” his voice croaky.

“I am sorry Ichiru… I am sorry did not-“ Zero started to apologize but Ichiru interrupted him by clearing his throat. He quickly filled a glass of water and helped him drink it.

“I must look like shit.” Ichiru complained with a tired chuckle

“You look fine… Black and blue with swelling, but fine…” Zero teased.

“Hana?”

“Cross said that he is recovering well, and will be up and about in no time.”

“Thank goodness.”

“Ichiru… I am sorry for being inconsiderate before…” Zero wanted his forgiveness. The idea of losing Ichiru while they were fighting haunted him. He never wanted to feel that way ever again.

“Ehem… okay… I am used to your sulking… no biggie.”

“Oi…”

They both laughed, before Ichiru groaned in pain. Zero called the nurse who gave him another dose of painkiller. Seeing that he was getting drowsy, Zero decided to let him rest, but before that he wanted to know one last thing… “Ne… Ichiru,” he pause until he got his twin’s attention, “Do you think that you will heal faster if you drank Hanabusa’s blood.”

Ichiru was silent for a moment, before meeting his brother’s eyes, “Are you saying that you will not have any more problems with it?”

Zero nodded.

A faint smile traced the human twin, “It does not hurt to try… Thank you, nii-san.” on that note, Ichiru put the oxygen mask back and waived at his brother.

Outside the hospital room, Zero found Cross and Kaname conversing about the happenings of last night. He marched in their direction, “Chairman… About the scums who did this-“

“Before you finish” Cross raised a hand “It has been taken care of, they will get the proper punishment. I will see to it and you are not to go near any of them.”

Zero gritted his teeth but remained calm as he continued, “Pray telling me why in the world are those concoctions still at work. Since I am not senile, I believe that I personally destroyed the laboratory that was producing them under the order of that sick bastard who used to be the president. Why did we have to be done in by substances that I personally banned after taking over. Not only me but also Aido and look what happened to Ichiru consequently. WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON, CROSS?” The commanding voice made the hunter with wheat colored hair flinch.

He sighed, rubbing his temple “It seems that the scientists who used to work in that lab are a little too ambitious. We caught one of them working as a mole. He is the one who forged the DNA test for Aido and gave the substance to Jinmu. They are being interrogated as we speak. We believe that they have a connection with the target, supplying him with several drugs that affect vampires. Of course, that is just an assumption, but it is the most probable.”

A growl came through Zero’s throat at the mention of the pervert, “I will be the one handling the interrogation of that scumbag.”

Cross gave him a confused look, and then tilted his head in direction of the pureblood who was watching the interaction.

“Kiryuu-kun” he decided to take over the explanation, “The target was shot dead last night by the hunters who drove him out after we captured him...” Kaname filled Zero in with the detail of what happened while they were engaging in the heats of passion. The pureblood kept a passive deadpan expression as he spoke while Zero’s face contorted in a myriad of expressions, ranging from anger, sadness, shock, fury…

Zero insisted in accompanying them back to the association but Cross prevented him from doing so. He sternly ordered him to go rest after checking in on Hanabusa, informing him that they kept Ichiru’s condition from him as not to worsen his health.

Zero’s anguish raised when he entered the room where Aido was currently sitting on the bed. He was still pale but not as bad as Zero imagined. He observed the interaction between the cousins, Aido was trying to doge a spoon that Ruka is trying to force feed him saying that it was some tasty fresh worms. Kaien was backing his wife up by sounding disgusted. The sight would have been funny if it did not confirm the fact that Aido was indeed unable to see anything.

The blond head stopped for a moment and turned in the direction of the door where Zero was standing.

He smiled brightly and called out to him.

Zero took a deep breath and joined the trio, “You can tell by the smell that it is a soup, what are you acting squeamish for?”

“But… I do smell it, but I can’t see what is in there… I swear… You’re so gonna pay for this Ruka, just you wait…” Aido warned, not staring at anyone in particular with his blank gaze.

“How long is this going to last?”

“Hmm… Depends, it seems that eyesight is the last one to recover…. At this pace, I would say couple of days.” Aido explained.

“Great… now you are into self-diagnosis…” Zero teased

“Anything wrong with that? Never mind… Did you see Ichiru…?” The blond vampire asked earnestly like he asked anyone who came through the door, “They told me that he broke in fever due to the stress of the situation and sleeping because of the treatment to get it down.”

Zero glanced at the worried expression of Kaien and noticed the way Ruka was looking down with pursed lips.

He sighed, “I was with him just now… He is sleeping still… like a baby.” All three cousin relaxed for different reasons.

Zero excused himself after making sure that Aido did not need him for anything. He joined Kaname and Cross in the car where he found Sayori sitting in the back seat. He greeted her before his eyes landed on the Band-Aid on her arm. He later learned that Yuki called her out because her blood was of the same type as Ichiru and there was a shortage at the hospital. Zero could not thank her enough for making the trip in such a short notice as they drove her back to her company. Zero reluctantly exited the car with Kaname, watching Cross drive off before the pureblood pulled him toward the house.

Inside the chairman’s home. Kaito was lying on the sofa with his head on Takuma’s lap. The noble’s face turned bright red when he could not manage to escape the position in time for Zero and Kaname not to witness the intimacy, as innocent as it may seem. After a few exchanges, Kaname and his right-hand man left to take care of other matters, leaving Zero with Kaito. Gin joined shortly after, fussing over Zero after hearing a vague explanation about what happened.

“Here…” Kaito dropped a ring in Zero’s hand. “I found it in the cell where Ichiru was held, when I went back to check on them… They were taken to the hospital by then”

“Did you go see them?” Gin asked Zero, who nodded. “How are they doing?”

“Ichiru is past the danger zone, and Hanabusa is recovering steadily… They will be fine” Zero gave a short and concise explanation.

“Like hell they will be fine…” Kaito’s incensed tone cut through their conversation. “Those fucker dared cross every fucking boundary and fuck up everything, when I was trying to settle it as fucking smoothly as possible.”

Zero looked at him, frowning. Gin tried to understand what he meant, “Takamiya-kun? How about letting go of the ‘F’ word for a minute and elaborate.”

He ran a hand through his light-brown hair, “There is no Fu- There is nothing to explain.”

Zero had a hunch about what was eating him up, “Kaito, whatever happened was not your fault-“

“Like hell it wasn’t! It would have been so much better to fucking let them run while we cleared things up. Ichiru was fucking right all the way… I fucking gave them to that sick fuck of Jinmu on a gold platter to kill them had we not intervened at the last moment…” Kaito grumbled, his fist clenched as his elbow rested on his knees. He finally wiped his face and stood up, “I need to get out of here, See ya…”

Gin was about to go after his distressed friend when Zero pulled his arm, shaking his head. “Don’t! He is probably gone to find his own sanctuary… He will be fine by the end of the day.” Zero explained, without bothering to reveal that his fellow hunter is looking for the ash-blond noble vampire that left few minutes ago… Kaito never liked to be alone when feeling bothered after all.

Noticing that Zero was equally exhausted, Gin took the liberty to bring a pillow and a cover for him to sleep on the couch after Zero declined any suggestion of moving an inch further than his spot.

Gin remained by his side until Zero’s breath steadied, indicating that he was finally asleep. Hesitant fingers ran through silver hair, twitching slightly when Zero shuffled to turn on his back. Grey eyes drank in the sight of the sleeping beauty. He felt silly for feeling excited at the thought of seeing him after a while, especially in these circumstances, but he could not help the longing he felt towards him… His body moved on its accord, lowered his lips to touch the slightly parted one of the hunter. In the brief touch, memories of the fleeting passion they shared flashed through Gin’s head, followed by all those funny, emotional moments they shared under the roof of the Chairman’s house. _How I wish your duty as stand in never ended! I miss seeing you at the start of every day…_ With one last caress on smooth cheek, the teacher took off before he did anything more reckless.

**∞8∞∞8∞  Meanwhile in the moon dorms ∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Takuma was silent all the way to Kaname’s office, which unsettled the pureblood a bit. He knew that his chatterbox of a childhood friend quieted down only when he was about to lash out about something. He had a vague idea that he will be lectured about not answering again. He had to wonder sometime if Takuma took on the role of the wife without his knowledge.

He opened the window and stared at the scenery, not bothering by the harsh ray of suns burning his eyes.

“Are you that worried?” Takuma finally spoke

“hmm?” Kaname hummed as he focused in the direction of the headmaster’s quarter where he left the dejected hunter.

“Are you that worried about Zero Kiryuu?” Takuma rephrased his question.

“A little,” Kaname confessed, “It was because of my blunder that he ended up in such a bad shape, after all. I should not have lost sight of him in the first place.” He explained as he paced to his wine cabinet.

“Is that the reason for which you spent the whole night nursing him back to health” Takuma bit with sarcasm

“Is there something I am missing?” Kaname finally had enough beating around the bush, He sat on his lounging sofa, unbuttoning his shirt and resting his arm on the velvety fabric. He sipped on his wine while watching the noble vampire pick up a file from the top of the desk.

Takuma took out the papers and threw them on the coffee table in front of the pureblood. “Care to explain?”

There in front of him, Kaname saw a few pictures amongst the scattered papers. He put down the glass and examined them. He found one where Kaname was caging Zero against the locker room, another showing him carrying the hunter with Zero hiding his face in the crook of his neck. Another one showed Kaname kissing Zero just before the elevator closed. He examined the reports and found logs of the hotel bookings along with footage of the time they sneaked to meet outside the Academy… Hardened wine orbs met forest green accusing one.

“I did not know that you changed your hobby to paparazzi.” Kaname was the first to break the silence as he threw the paper he was holding on the pile of others. He stood to pace around before stopping and facing his companion. The room temperature dropped as the two powerful vampires stood facing each other, unreadable expressions, communicating their irritation through the seething aura and storming glares.

Seeing the petulant attitude of his lifelong friend, standing there without a hint of remorse or frustration over getting caught, Takuma let out an exasperated sigh, “I thought we talked about this and you assure me that nothing would happen… I prayed that my digging would turn up empty after I saw how you were acting around him in the kitchen that day, but… What is the meaning of this Kaname?”

The noble’s words confirmed the suspicion of Kaname that Takuma indeed saw a glimpse when Kaname stole a peck from Zero in Cross’s kitchen to irritate the hunter that day.

“What I do is none of your concern.” The firm voice and dominant stance did nothing to impress the noble who simply took out his hands from the pocket of the pants to make a gesture of ‘are you an idiot’ for Kaname.

“It is so my concern Kaname… It seems that you do not realize what you are getting yourself into…” He added as he approached the brunet.

It was now Kaname’s turn to sigh, “Takuma… How is it any of your concern whomever I sleep with or what I do with my private time? It is my freedom to-“

Still keeping a calm tone, Takuma interrupted “I would not have minded and never have interfered has it been anyone other than him.”

Kaname glared at the interruption, a voice dripping with sarcasm carried his answer, “Well, so sorry to ruffle your feather the wrong way… Save your breath for I have no intention to consider whatever advice you are planning on giving.”

“Kaname… Do you not care at all? Do you not realize that you are getting dangerously close to a forbidden path? Do you realize that you left one of your trusted men to the dead to run back and fool around with him… What in the world is wrong with you?” Takuma hissed

“Aido is fine-“

“I was talking about Kain damnit!!” Takuma finally snapped, startling the pureblood, “Oh right! You must not be aware yet since you were unreachable when I was busting my head trying to reach your goddamn phone.” He took a deep breath after making sure he got his attention, “You left Akatsuki with the captives to drive them back right? Well, they were attacked… Nothing is clear yet, but it was the same culprit, who killed the hunters probably.”

Kaname raised a thin eyebrow, “Did he manage to catch him or identify him?”

Takuma scoffed, “Now you care enough to ask? He didn’t, as a matter of fact he was not able to make it to the car after you left because he was instantly knocked out, only to wake up to a burning car and beheaded corpses with the hearts caged in an ice boxes, neatly placed near the bodies. Wait!... That is not all! Akatsuki was left impaled to a tree, with wooden sharpened sticks… If Ruka did not alarm us about the fact that he was not responding to her call and taking too long to report, he would have been an easy prey for anyone wanting his head, weak as he was from blood loss. His tablets were taken from him while unconscious. Now tell me! Whose fault do you think this is… We have always moved in a two men cells when on a mission for a reason Kaname.” Takuma grabbed the collar of the speechless pureblood and slammed him against the wall, “To watch out for each other when an enemy sneaks up on us. What did you do? You just waltzed out, leaving him to clean the mess like some kind of lackey… Wake up! You lost that privilege long… long time ago… And even if you don’t give much thought about it, I do… I do not accept the fact that you were fucking someone while I almost lost two of my best friends and could not find you to stand by me and Yuki-chan…”

Kaname could do nothing but stare at the hurt expression on Takuma’s face; he did not know what to say or how to react. Therefore, kept a blank mask, refusing to give in because he knew that he does not regret going back to Zero, but still felt guilty about what happened with Kain.

Seeing that he will get no reaction from the stubborn pureblood, Takuma decided to drop it since he was too strung up to handle the stone headed Kaname, “Fine…” He muttered while letting go of the clutched fabric, “Since this won’t lead us anywhere, I will just need to have a talk with Kiryuu-kun, and he might be more mature about it than you…”

Red-brown eyes widened at the words and a hand gripped the arm of the noble in a bruising fashion, “Don’t you dare do that!” Kaname gritted.

A shocked Takuma recovered with a crease on his forehead, “Or what?”

“Just don’t, this is between Zero and me…” Kaname answered, trying to hide his agitation at the memory of the deal that he made with Zero, _The moment I suspect that there is a third party aware of what is going on between us, consider the deal off._

“Zero?” Kaname jolted as Takuma caught him off guard. Takuma tried yanking his hand while letting out his accumulated frustration, “Enough is enough Kaname! This has gone way too far already… What are you getting obsessed with him for… This has to end.”

The green-eyed vampire groaned in pain as he was slammed against the wall with a forearm pressing against his windpipe, Kaname’s eyes met him and he recognized a hint of red in them, “If you dare go near him, I won’t guarantee what I might end up doing Takuma. It is better to have me obsessed than insane… Think of the safety of your little man, for example” Kaname brought his lips close to Takuma’s ear, “I am pretty sure he would be the first to get targeted.”

Kaname let go of the noble when he stilled at his words, thinking that his threat affected him. Little did he expect him to direct his hand to a vase and blast it to dust with his eyes glowing red, “Don’t get over your head Kaname, going as far as threatening to hurt what is precious to me is going too far. You should never cross me that way…” Takuma’s tame aura blasted for a second before he regained control. He had to keep a level-head as not to direct the hit to Kaname instead of the vase.

“Then keep away from my business.” Kaname deadpanned.

Once he calmed down, Takuma’s eyes bulged out. He could not believe how blind he was for not realizing it sooner. “Kaname…” He whispered, looking at his friend hesitantly, “Are you… perhaps… serious about him?” he finally asked, praying that he was wrong.

The question led to a different reaction he expected. Kaname froze for some time, a blank expression on his face. Takuma watched intently as the brown-haired man moved to lean on a wall, as if a realization too heavy hit him. Sliding down, he covered his mouth with one hand as the other rested on folded knee.

Takuma figured that he got the answer to his question from the brunet’s expression, and judging from Kaname’s face, the pureblood was just realizing it as well.

“Kaname?” Takuma nudged his shoulder as he joined him on the floor. “You can talk to me, you know… I can’t help you if I am just assuming things on my own… It is not like us to talk that way… Ne?” the blond haired vampire shoulder bumped the stiff pureblood, referring to the threatening.

Takuma waited for a while before Kaname snapped out of his trance and muttered, “It should not have come to this…”

“Hmm?”

“I…” Kaname started but stopped, covering his face with his palms and groaned in frustration.

“Feel like talking?” Takuma probed more, trying to get his friend to open up. It always took a lot of effort to get him to share the burden. After all, Kaname was well known for shouldering everything that comes his way by himself. However, Takuma knew that his oddball of a childhood friend has not yet matured in the emotional department, despite being older than most of them, by few millennia.

After more pushing and pulling, Takuma managed to get the whole story out of the pureblood down to the minute details. It simply left him speechless, similar to Kaname who felt as if he opened the gate to something he was not confident could win against, love. The pureblood knew that the realization would only bring him distress. After all, he is falling for a man who was vehemently shutting such emotion, as well as those who dared displaying it.

“Kaname…” Takuma groaned his name, “Why do always get caught in stuff out of a soap opera… I don’t have to say it out loud but,”

“I know,” Kaname interrupted with a heavy sigh.

“No you don’t… He is to take the position of hunter’s king as soon as the monarchy gets established to mirror that of the vampires, it will happen in about five years give or take… He is given free pass until then if you were not aware of it… Getting involved with a hunter is not a walk in the park, Kaname, let alone the future king of hunters… I don’t wish to see you suffer anymore than you already have.”

“Um…” Kaname could not deny that he was already aware of what Takuma was telling him, and he was trying to keep himself in check.

“And there is Yuki, and Ai…” Takuma whispered, stopping when Kaname ran fingers through his hair. As smooth as the gesture might look, it was a sign Takuma knew indicating that the pureblood was at the maximum level of frustration. It was never good for Kaname to lose his control over the flow of his life, and Zero was doing just that, messing it up.

Takuma banged his head against the wall slightly before standing and reaching out a hand to Kaname, “Now that I have an idea about what is going on, I really don’t feel like pushing you to cut it off by going cold turkey… Just don’t get in too deep emotionally and respect his wish to end it as soon as Ai is born… He might have set that rule for his own protection, but that is what will save you this time.” Kaname took the hand offered and stood up, half listening to the noble until he punched his shoulder, “I am saying some serious things here Kaname! I hate to do it, but I will help you keeping this secret under wrap for now, on one condition…” Kaname just looked at him without uttering a word, “Play it safe! If you really care about him, you won’t risk anything foolish like impregnating him…”

Kaname let out a long breath, “I get it… I get it, you don’t need to rub it…”

With hands on his hips as if he were scolding a child, “No I need to… Confused as you are, I dread the worst… Don’t screw it up when you don’t even know where things stand with either of them… Besides, I am not worrying about you as much as I worry about Kiryuu-kun if you ever get him pregnant… Heck! I am not even sure he is aware that you can make it possible even though he is a male… Not only will it be scandalous, but you will be putting his life in danger…”

“TAKUMA!” Kaname finally snapped, stopping the rambling of the noble, “I said I get It.” he hissed

Ichijou decided to drop the topic, albeit grudgingly. He felt anxious and conflicted, unsure of how to proceed with this new development, but one thing was clear for him is that Kaname needs his support more than his reprimanding.

“Fine… Okay then, let’s go! We have plenty of demons to slay as it is. No time to dawdle around, I will get the car ready, don’t make me wait.” He announced, waving at the pureblood who remained standing in the middle of the room while staring far off through the open window.

 

  **∞8∞∞8∞  Late evening at Cross’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero stirred at the feeling of being carried. A familiar scent hit him. He blindly reached his arms to wrap them around his carrier’s neck, nuzzling his face in the crook of his neck.

“Awake?” The rich voice of the pureblood tickled his ear.

“Mmm… wanna sleep some more…” Zero moaned lazily.

“Your body is aching all over to begin with, you will not get proper rest sleeping on that sofa…” Kaname scolded softly as he went up the stairs and pushed the door to Zero’s room open.

He placed the hunter on the bed, pulling at his arm so that Zero does not crawl and hide under the covers. “Before going to sleep you need to take this…”

Kaname put the bag that was hanging from his arm on the bed and took out a water bottle. Kaname made Zero drink the not so tasty antidote and had hard time convincing him to drink the blood bag he went to great trouble procuring. In fact, the pureblood was glad to get his hands on the antidote and suspected the resistance when he learned that it has to be taken alongside human blood. He tested it out on himself before forcing the hunter to do something he despised.

Zero was wide awake by the time he finished the blood bag.

“Feeling better?” Kaname inquired,

“Uh… The crawling is not there anymore.” Zero answered as he stood to go wash his face. He came back and found Kaname checking the flask that contained the cure with a pensive look. “Something wrong?”

Kaname shook his head, and patted the bed for Zero to sit beside him which he did.

“Cross requested me to give you the report of the mission since you seemed upset about it earlier today.” Kaname explained while pulling an envelope to hand it over to Zero.

Zero scoffed as he opened the seal harshly, “I have all rights to be ‘upset’ seeing as someone was treating me like a damsel in distress.”

“What?” the puzzled pureblood could not get the hint.

Zero slammed the papers on his lap and scowled at Kaname, “Exactly what you heard. The target died because you had to run back to me and ask that chick to take me somewhere safer. If you jumped to the scene sooner, you could have prevented it. Oh! That is not all! You had to leave Akatsuki alone with the two remaining ones only for him to fail because of a sneak attack… Why are you acting surprised, Kaito filled me in earlier… Instead of carrying on the mission properly, you came back and spent the night fucking me senseless… Do you expect me to be happy about it?” He huffed and resumed the reading.

Kaname stared at him, stupefied. He had hard time finding a comeback because there was none. He had indeed let his emotions cloud his better judgement. He stood to leave the hunter alone, but a gasp from the silverette brought him back. He saw Zero’s lips tremble as tears formed in his eyes. The hunter threw the papers to the floor and paced the room to calm himself, hugging his form tightly. When he noticed that Kaname did not leave, he stood in front of him and rested his head on the broad chest. The confused pureblood wrapped an arm around his shoulder, trying to sooth his sudden distress. “They really died…” Zero mumbled, a memory of the old hunter bragging about him flashed, “I thought that fucker was lying when he said that…” _have no fear, you will be soon joining them in the dumpster._ “It was as he said, Damnit.”

Kaname kept holding him while Zero poured it all out. He understood that the hunter was feeling guilty of their death although it was not his fault, typical of him. As soon as he calmed down, Kaname ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead before proceeding to leave. That is when Zero realized that the pureblood kept his right hand in his pocket and kept using his left one all the time. He quickly jumped in front of him and pulled the hand forcefully, surprising the unsuspecting vampire.

Kaname winced at the pained look he caused the hunter to have when he saw his injured hand, without fingers. Zero let out a chocked noise but Kaname beat him in speaking, “Don’t worry, it is regenerating, quite fast after drinking a similar blood bag?” he explained pointing to the red strings twirling around his knuckles.

“But, how?”

“Oh! A little incident at the site where we confiscated the evidence.” Kaname cupped Zero’s face with his good hand, rubbing his cheek softly. He was surprised to see Zero take his injured hand and kissing it. His chest tightened as those soft lips touched his skin, he immediately pulled Zero in his embrace again. The hunter complied without resistance. He kissed the top of the silver head, internally swearing to protect him even if it costs him the hunter’s wrath. A surge of anger filled him when he remembered the pieces of memory he uncovered when interrogating Jinmu and the lab analyst behind Aido’s incident. They failed to grab the tail of the lizard, but one piece of information shared by both culprits bothered him a lot. _End the lineage of the original hunter’s family, and your ambition shall be fulfilled._ The soft lips that met his all of a sudden chased away any distracting thoughts and he melted into the touch.

Seeing that Kaname was the one facing the open door, his brown eyes were the one who met grey ones of the man standing at the top of the stairs a little distance away from the room. Without breaking eye contact, he hugged Zero tighter who already had his arms around his midsection. He kissed the top of Zero’s head while carefully moving the open door until it was ajar. He figured that the ethic teacher saw the earlier kiss judging from his surprised expression. Their eye contact broke when the door finally hid them from view.

The oblivious hunter sighed and pushed against the pureblood to loosen his hold on him. Feeling drained, he went back to his bed in hope of getting some decent sleep. Kaname assured him that everything will be all right and received a slurred dismissal. He closed the door and looked to his side to see Gin leaning against the wall as if waiting for him to leave. Kaname stared at him with an air of indifference as if to communicate that he does not care about what the man think about what happened, with a hint of intimidation that Gin picked on just fine. The reaction was opposite to the flustered one that Kaname expected. In fact, Gin approached him, standing close and eyed him for a moment with a stance equally intimidating, before snorting and knocking on Zero’s door. When the hunter called for whoever knocked to come in, Gin brazenly pushed Kaname’s shoulder to make space for himself (more than he needed) to pass through the door. Kaname flinched when the door was slammed closed in his face. Kaname had hard time wrapping his mind around what just happened. He merely narrowed his eyes on the innocent door, but he was sure of one thing. Moriya Gin was interested in Zero and did not like what he witnessed, thus views Kaname as a hindrance. That feeling at least is mutual between the two males.

 

Inside the room, Gin joined Zero on the bed.

“Hey there… I came to check on you and did not find you on the couch…” Gin spoke first.

“Hey… Um… It was not that comfortable after all… Uhm… When did you come in?” Zero stuttered, he was worried that Gin might have heard or seen something he should not have.

Grey eyes softened when they noticed the trepidation of the silverette. He pointed to the door, “I reached just as Kuran was leaving… Is everything okay? He did not do anything to bother you?”

Zero shook his head furiously, “No, nothing. He just came to report on the mess that happened. You know, since Cross was too busy and did not allow me to go to the headquarter.”

Gin nodded, acting oblivious to the pink hue that dusted Zero’s cheek, “He probably wanted to prevent you from going on a shooting spree over there…” The teasing remark earned him a heartfelt chuckle from the hunter who was nodding at the truth of the statement.

Zero stopped his laughter when Gin cupped his face with one hand, his eyes reflecting the smile showing on his handsome face, “You should laugh more often… It suits you better than the sullen look you wear.” He tucked one silver strand behind a pierced earlobe before retracting his hand. Zero scowled at him, “Are you saying that I am too dark and gloomy that I need to lighten up?”

Gin immediately raised both hands up in surrender, “Nothing of that sort!” He smirked, “I personally find you cute either way” he teased the now blushing and flustered hunter, “Although I prefer when those dimples on your cheeks are showing.” He gave him a tongue out.

“What… That… Are you an idiot? Calling a grown man cute… Anyways,” Zero stuttered, not used to the kind of blunt and straightforward complimenting, “What did you come here for?”

“Oh! I made some food, and wondered if you were hungry. It has been a while since we had a meal together.” Gin announced eagerly,

Zero smiled wistfully, “Thanks but I really have no appetite right now.”

“Hmm?” The tall teacher flopped on the bed next to Zero, making them bounce with the mattress from his weight.

“Worried about Ichiru?” He glanced at Zero

“Um… I know that he will be fine and… but still… Nothing would have happened if I didn’t ignore his calls, or answered Kaito instead of sulking like a brat about everything.” Zero complained while squeezing the pillow on his lap.

Gin hummed for a moment, “You guy really have a knacks for self-deprecation. You and Takamiya-kun are quite good in blaming yourself and brooding. Well… I agree with the sulking like a brat part though…oomph!” Gin failed to finish his teasing as Zero suffocated him with the pillow, when he finally let go of the panting blue haired man, Gin smirked, “See? A reaction fit of a cute brat…” He anticipated the hit this time and put his hands to guard himself.

After a bit of struggle, and some feather flying around, Gin managed to pin Zero under him, both out of breath staring at each other before bursting in laughter.

He resumed laying besides the hunter, and enjoyed the moment of silence as they both stared at the ceiling.

“Gin?”

“What?”

“I remember when you first came to work here; you told me that we should leave whatever happened between us behind and start a new chapter as friends and coworker. Am I wrong?” Zero inquired

“Nope… I did say it, and you agree instead of beating me to the pulp.” Gin chuckled remembering the rocky introduction with the acting chair.

“Good, I thought I heard it wrong, especially when Ichiru appeared to know about that night.” Zero met the grey eyes with a knowing smirk.

Gin mouth formed an ‘oh’ shape before groaning, “Shoot!”

“What is this about really, the bromance with Ichiru and the talk about liking me…” Zero talked in a flat tone

Gin’s cheeks tinted pink, _that Ichiru, I thought he said that he won’t intervene._

When he got no answer, Zero got into a sitting position, his back to the other man before he spoke again, “In any case, I do care about you and I feel comfortable around you, which by the way, does not apply to many people. Therefore, I would like us to remain like this, if possible.”

Faced with an obvious rejection before even confessing, Gin stared at the back of the hunter while remembering the discussion he had with his twin. He was surprised to see Ichiru at his doorstep coming to apologize for Zero’s lashing out on him, although Gin did not think much of it. What surprised him more is that Ichiru decided to have a ‘good talk’ about Gin declaration that he had feelings for Zero… He had to admit that the little chat opened his eyes about many details he would have missed if not for Ichiru bringing them to light. He was still not sure if the human twin was actually helping him win the silverette’s heart or trying to discourage him. Either way, the discussion did nothing but strengthen the resolve of the Ethic teacher.

“What if I refuse?” He answered while crossing his arms behind his head.

“That’s too bad because I won’t anything to do with you, from now on.” Zero deadpanned

“Are you that scared, of being loved?” Gin inquired.

Zero scoffed, “Is that what you thought I felt… Quite funny… It is for your own good actually, nothing good will come out from associating with me while you have such ‘feelings’ for me, if they are even there.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing~”

“Zero? Do you think I was joking? Let me say it clearly,” he grabbed Zero’s arm to make him look his way, “I like you, and I am dead serious about it. I have been trying to drop hints whenever you were around but you were oblivious to it. Because I am serious about you, I am not backing down. I anything else, I will be more pushy about it now that you know.”

the honesty shining through the grey eyes surprised Zero, but refused to accept it.

 “Is that so? Okay, you went ahead and said it, what are you expecting? A relationship, dating, romance, love… Give a break Gin. I am not into stuff like that, I already tried once and will never make the same mistake again.”

“Oh! Are you referring to your ex that you cheated on?”

 Amethyst eyes widened then scowled at the man propped on his elbow. “How much did Ichiru run his mouth about my past?”

Gin smiled slyly, “Enough for me to conclude that you are a big coward when it comes to love.”

Zero snorted, “Quite the self-satisfying observation.” Zero flipped and climbed on top of Gin with a dark look, he pushed him on the bed and hovered over his face, talking close, “Let me make a correction. It is not cowardly, I simply don’t believe in love, I only believe in fucking” His breath tickled Gin’s face, trying to get any kind of reaction from the level-headed human. “Besides, love and dating are just an ugly disguise to be given free permission to do whatever you want with your partner, in the stupid name of love.”

Gin interrupted then, “Is that what he made you go through?”

Zero chuckled, “Oh please! Don’t act like you are not the same, every one of you are after one thing… I admit I liked it better when you approached me at the bar with your real intention compared to this cheap roundabout way to get into my pants again. Was it that good to make you so desperate and go as far as win my brother over to pressure me? That is just low, Gin.” Zero finished as he straightened up, still straddling the man nonchalantly.

Gin laughed, surprising Zero who raised an eyebrow. He ran his finger through dark blue hair, as he shook his head in disbelief. Looking at the hunter again, “You really don’t get it do you… I am not just after your body Zero… It is true that I like it when I held you but- ugh…” He grunted suddenly when Zero grinded his rear against his nether regions.

The silverette gave him a victorious smirk, grinding nonstop after placing his palm over the chiseled clothed chest. “Oh really? You are saying that your love transcends the physical boundaries. I doubt anyone can ever overcome that…”

Zero grabbed Gin’s hands when the clutched his hips to take him off his lap. He locked them on either side of the human’s head with his super strength. “It is quite easy for me to pin you down, don’t ever think that I am the same as that docile princess you had fun with that night. Also, stop making yourself into a fucking saint when we both know what you want by the end of the day. It would have been easier if you came out and said, that you wanted to fuck me” He did not stop his ministration, never broke eye contact.

Zero knew that he would not be able to react seeing that his body was totally spent from his tryst with Kaname and just wanted to drive his point across to make Gin give up. However, the motion and the rubbing against his inner thigh reminded him of how Kaname got rid of the chafing that bothered him that morning. The effect of the drug coupled by the hot tongue of the pureblood did wonder to his worried mind.

A chuckling coming from the man he was stirring interrupted his thoughts; he looked at the smirking face with a frown. “What are you doing getting worked up by yourself Zero?”   

“Huh?” The hunter glanced down only to realize that his plan on riling Gin up and leave him high and dry after backfired. He ended up being the only one with a bulge in his pants, making a fool out of himself.

Gin took that chance and flipped their position and grabbing Zero’s chin to make sure he does not avert his gaze. “Never and I say never put word in my mouth…” He spoke smoothly, “I may not know everything about you but that does not deny the fact that I found the different sides of you that I discovered endearing. I could not help it if I am attracted to the grumpy Zero who was always bickering about Yuki visiting him everyday when He was obviously grateful for the company. I cannot help but admire the way you go out of your way to make it see like you don’t care but still pay attention to the well being of those around you. I won’t deny that I liked the uninhibited you in bed. However, I despise it when someone assume that I am only thinking with my lower half. You should try harder if you are that keen on having me give up on you.” He let go of Zero’s face and got up to leave.

He paused when Zero spoke, hesitantly, “It is true that you might be amongst the few people who witnessed the two sides of my life and still decided to stick around. However, I am no good for you Gin. You deserve someone better.” Zero rolled to his side, having his back facing the tall man.

“That is for me to decide…” Gin answered, “Does this mean that you are okay with the idea of me liking you?”

“Suit yourself” Zero grumbled, “Don’t get your hopes up though, cause it is hopeless.”

Gin laughed at that and left.

Zero sighed in the pillow he was hugging, “Never thought he was this persistent. Ugh!”

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

About an hour later, Zero’s phone rang.

“Yes?”

“Kiryuu-kun, I hope I am not disturbing you.” Isaya Shouto spoke, making Zero jump off the bed.

“No! Something is wrong with Ichiru?” He voiced his worry

“No! Nothing is wrong with him, I am not at the hospital actually.”

“Oh!” Zero relaxed.

“In fact, I am on my way to pick you up. Cross-kun told me that you did not have a car, so I offered to give you a ride.”

“To where?” Zero scowled, he was sure that he had no plans to go anywhere.

“You see… Since you took the antidote and feeling better now, I thought you might want to let off some steam, and I happened to have two punching bags that you will enjoy dealing with. What do you say?”

A huge evil grin appeared on Zero’s face, “With pleasure, I will be ready in five minutes, max.” A dark laugh escaped as he cracked his knuckles. _I never thought I would say this, but I fucking like this fella._ There was a reason why Zero asked Isaya Shoto to take the position of the co-president, the two of them got along surprisingly well. He was sure that Isaya figured the frustration Zero was feeling at being unable to do something about the one who assaulted his brother.

 

**∞8∞∞8∞ At the headquarter ∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero followed Isaya to the first detention room where Jinmu was kept. “I would have handed them all over, but Takamiya-kun did quite the number on most of them. I managed to keep this one for you.” The pureblood spoke in a tone that Zero didn’t know if it was sarcasm or humor, either way, he sure seemed happy to open the door for Zero.

Once inside, he closed the door and locked it from outside. He leaned against the wall humming while some pained cry resonated from the cell shortly after the hunter went in. Isaya chuckled at the memory of the horrified Cross Kaien when he brought Zero in. He shared a different opinion with his friend when it came to his children. Instead of sheltering them, Isaya preferred letting the hunter run wild because that is when Zero was at his best. That is how he gained the respect of the pureblood.

**∞8∞∞8∞ Inside the cell ∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

   Jinmu was chained on chair. His physical wound got better. Although he did not understand the reason why the pureblood had them treated after Kuran came to interrogate him. Little did he know that his real punishment has yet to be inflicted.

The door opened and his breath halted at the sight of the last person he wished to see that day. Zero Kiryuu glanced at the door as Isaya locked it from outside. He nodded at him from the small window before sliding it shut. Glinting violet eyes landed on him and felt his blood run cold with every step Zero took towards him.

Without saying a word, Zero unchained him and took few steps back. Jinmu stood from the chair and put more distance from the eerily calm hunter. Zero took off his jacket and popped a few buttons after rolling up his sleeves.

“It has been a while, Jinmu-san. Since Yagari-sensei took off if I am not wrong?” The casual voice of the hunter confused the man even more.

“What are you doing here, coming to avenge your little brother? Did he finally kick the bucket?” Jinmu spat, confident that the hunter would not kill him even if he wanted to. The capital punishment would be too biased.

“Too bad for you… He is alive and kicking, same with his husband.” Zero answered as he pulled the now empty chair and leaned on it, “Now, Jinmu-san. I would like you to answer a simple question. Are you a retard?”

“What?”

“Yes or No” Zero added, his head down as he examined the random scratches on the chair. His bangs hiding his expression from the old hunter’s view.

Jinmu snorted, “Who’s the retard here? Did you come for a pop quiz, idiot.” He scoffed but froze when the chair came flying his way and slammed to piece against the wall inches away from his right side.

Seeing the silver hunter coming his way with a murderous aura, Jinmu grabbed a broken stick and lashed at him to defend himself. Zero grabbed the wrist hard enough without breaking it, and punch the man square on his guts. The old hunter doubled over, coughing hard.

Zero put some distance again and gave him time to stand up. Irritated, Jinmu started chanting his next attack, aiming to blast the ex-human. Zero waited patiently for the few second until the spell launched his way. Jinmu smirked, “That was dumb of you to release me from those restraining shackles, serves you right, vampire.”

“You said something?” Jinmu froze when the voice of the silverette came from behind, his eyes as huge as a saucer when he verified that the spell he launched dispelled against the reinforced walls of the room.

He has no time to react before Zero tackled him to the floor. Just before his face connected with the concrete, he was kicked from midair to the roof. He let out a strangled cry as his spine was the first thing that cracked from the impact. Gravity has to play its role into pulling him to a worse landing. But Zero did not allow it as he grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. Blood trickled from his mouth, and the sight of Zero’s ruby red eyes did little to calm his panicked brain. All he could think about is that he was going to die if no one came to stop the beast here present with him.

Zero let go of him and looked down on him with disgust as he crawled into the far corner. “You know… Ichiru… He has a broken leg. I should do the same for you… BUT~” the evil smirk was back, showing protruding fangs, “I like taking my revenge slowly and tenfold… Would you not agree, Jinmu?”

“Hiiii” Zero’s prey shrieked as he stepped on a leg hard enough to shatter the ankle. He did the same with the other leg before crouching and snapping calves like crackers. The pleas of the old fell deaf to his ear as Zero’s expression darkened more and more.

Barely thirty minutes later, every bone that could be broken without killing the person shattered in Jinmu’s body, except for his hands. Zero opened the small window and asked Isaya for another chair along with a specific item. Shortly after, the limp body of the still conscious hunter was sitting on the chair, reducing to a crying mess with the odor of pee and excrement bothering the hunter’s nostrils.

Zero kneeled in front of him until they made eye contact, and took his left hand. he held the ring finger between his fingers and looked at the man while removing the wedding band. Jinmu’s eyes widened as he realized what Zero was about to do, he whimpered weakly. “Last payback, I told you, tenfold.” Isaya winced at the intensity of the last scream. Although he knew that, it won’t end there.

“Time for your sentence, motherfucker.” Zero announced as he came back in front of the prisoner, Jinmu’s eyes widened when he saw him draw a sword from a sheath with the Kiryuu emblem carved on it. He instantly recognized it as Ichiru’s sword.

“I will have to rethink about the boundaries of the capital punishment after this. It is really anti-climatic to let you out of here alive.” Zero talked as he traced the edge of the blade and then looked into the terrified eyes with now hardened an pitiless violet ones. “I know that you took out the hate you have for me on Ichiru, that is why I decided to deliver your sentence with his favorite weapon. Even if you are going to stay alive, I won’t allow you to call yourself a hunter anymore. Neither a legal one, nor a rogue. It is too prideful of a title for scum like you. As you said, I need to clear the pus to keep the organization stable… I am taking that advice and will start with you.”

“Nooooo!” Jinmu could do nothing but scream as the sword swung and sliced through his arms. Zero cleaned the blade over the chest of the unconscious man before putting it back into the sheath. Isaya opened the door before he even knocked and tapped on his shoulder. “I will take it from here, good job.”

Zero did not answer, eyes dim, drained of all energy. He found Cross at the end of the corridor who gave him a sad smile and ushered him saying, “Let’s go home.”

 

  **∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REVIEWS!!!
> 
> More twists are coming up,
> 
> I will dedicate the next chapter to My Hopes and Dreams & miketsukami13  Because their requests and suggestions helped me make chapter 31 more interesting than it originally looked. I will posting it soon probably, since no one would knock me out to sleep.
> 
> Thank you for reading.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow!!! I am so happy to see so many reviews showing you enjoyed last chapter.
> 
> Buckets of love to all of you *kisses*
> 
> WARNINGS WARNINGS WARNINGS
> 
> R18+ content, explicit
> 
> This chapter is huge, really long so grab a coffee and have a seat. You might want tissues as well
> 
> I am utterly disturbed by my own writing. I think my smutty muse dug deeper than in any other smut I attempted before. I had to literally take breaks so that I don’t get affected by my not so clean scenes and too vivid of an imagination.
> 
> If you are to sue anyone for any eventual nosebleed, go after My Hopes and Dreams who inspired me to write this smexy scene, which was not supposed to be there in the first place, but her request fit this chapter like a glove, so I personally cannot thank you enough for it.
> 
> Also, Gin is turning into a major OC in this story thanks to miketsukami13. I am also sure that he will get some haters and some other fans.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the chapter.
> 
>  

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞TIME SKIP∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Today was a good day for Zero, He made the trip to Cross’s house last night and stayed over. Now, wide-awake, he made his way downstairs at the sound of chattering. In the kitchen, Kaito and Gin were talking over a lavish breakfast that Zero was sure that Kaito did not make. He glanced at the blue haired teacher and sighed. After greeting, he joined them on the table after pouring his cup of fresh coffee.

Today was a good day for Zero because Ichiru is finally getting discharged; it took more than two weeks for his brother to get clearance to leave. He was disappointed to know that drinking Aido’s blood did not mend his broken bones, but was grateful that his hunter’s blood allowed him a slightly faster recovery.

The three men joked about the hilarious face Aido made when Ichiru announced that he wanted to go back to his place first thing after discharge, the golden-haired vampire looked like a dejected puppy who did not get his treat. However, as long as he was happy, they were ready to tolerate the caprices of the silver-haired patient.

Zero remembered something and decided to inform his companions beforehand, “Guys, since the discharge won’t be until later, there is someplace I need to go before swinging by the hospital. I am sure that Hanabusa will insist on driving Ichiru so you two will come with me to leave them alone.” They nodded as he stood to get ready for his side trip.

Following the direction of his navigator, the hunter pulled his car in front of the house that gave the warm feeling of family but the aura of mourning seeped just the same. The chime rhymed when he pushed the doorbell button. Moments later, a woman answered the door, exhaustion visible on her face.

“Welcome Kiryuu-san! We were expecting you, come in please.” With a slight bow, they went through the corridor to enter a sunny room opening on a Japanese style garden. Zero refused to have the woman treat him to drinks or anything else and asked to be allowed to get on with the purpose of his visit.  

She guided him towards an adjacent room where he sat on a cushion in front of an altar. The image of the smiling old hunter sent stabbing pain through his chest. Zero respectfully lit the incense and prayed for his soul to rest in peace. A little shuffling at the corner of his eyes caught his attention as a small figure peeked at him. He beckoned the small man to come closer. Taking the child in his lap, they both remained silent for a moment staring at each other.

“You’re Kiryuu Zero?” The child asked, with a curious look in his big eyes

Zero nodded, smiling with difficulty.

“Daddy always talks about you, that you are strong…”

“Really?”

“uh… Are you really… Uhm… a vampire?” he asked hesitantly.

Zero nodded cautiously, loosening his hold on the child in case he get frightened and wants to run. However, the starry look of awe caught him by surprise.

“Amazing… There are good vampires… Daddy always says that… What was it? Ah! not all vampires are bad, so I should not say I want to kill, but I want to fight.” He talked, nodding.

“You love your daddy, don’t you?” Zero asked with a sad smile.

The shine in the boy’s eyes dimmed, dropping his head as he twirled his fingers, “Ne? Mommy said that daddy went to heaven… That he won’t come anymore… But… *hic* *sniff* he promised… *sniff* that… that he will come *hic* to my play… He helped me learn…” Zero’s heart shattered at the sight of the wailing child, feeling like he had no right to console him because of his guilt.

Hearing the crying, a young girl came rushing in, “Katsumi!” When her eyes landed on Zero, the hunter unconsciously flinched at the amount of hate that dwelled in them. She flung her little brother from his arms and started screaming to the point that her mother had to pull her out of the room, “What are you doing here! Leave! Leave us alone! Murderers! What are you letting him in for, I told you not to let any of these people step foot here. What are you always coming here for, you people sent my father to his death! Why did he have to go while you are prancing around… WHY DID WE HAVE TO BE DEPRIVED OF HIM! YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED INSTEAD, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED INSTEAD! GIVE ME MY FATHER BACK!” Her voice dulled as she was taken away, the last thing Zero heard, “I will never hand Katsumi over to your barbarian organization… He will never become like you…”

 

Minute later, the mother came back with a cup of lemonade, “I am sorry Kiryuu-san! My daughter is still under the shock of losing her dad… You see… My husband used to spend every spare minute he has with his children, so they are more attached to him than any other hunter’s kids would be. I will make sure that she comes to apologize some other day when she has reflected enough.”

“No! Please don’t do such a thing… She has all rights to grieve and her actions are excusable.” Zero tried to maintain a neutral expression as he talked with the woman. He then excused himself when the meeting time at the hospital drew close.

“I know this is not much, but I would like to take care of their education expenses if you don’t mind.” Zero suggested, hoping that the woman would not oppose the idea.

The surprised look and the confusion written on her face made Zero tilt his head. “I had a suspicion, but I never thought it was really from you.” She gave him the warmest smile as she pulled an envelope from her apron pocket.

“The social consultant that came this morning handed this to me. I was shocked by the content, and more when she explained that the same amount will be sent on a monthly basis. Frankly, I thought that only the orphans from the wartime got this support… I can’t begin to thank you enough.”

Zero suddenly got more confused. He asked to check the envelope without showing his curiosity through his poker face. It did not have the sender’s name, only the name of the woman, handwritten. He opened it and found a wad of cash inside with a card.

_“We are sorry for your loss… No apology or comforting words can ease the grieve of losing a loved one, but we mustn’t lose sight of the one alive and needing our help to grow. You will be receiving this amount on a monthly basis into a bank account in the name of your son. Please provide the education details to the consultant on the next visit to allow us to cover it… Material help might be the only way we can help, but we wish you all the luck and strength to keep going. Regards”_

Zero’s lips curled up slightly, he gave the card back to the woman saying that he was not the sender but he will be around in case she needed anything at all. The surprised woman asked if he knew of the sender’s identity. He gave her a charming smile while answering, “I do have a guess, but that guess tells me they rather remain anonymous.”

After bidding her goodbye, he drove in direction of the hospital, thinking of the handwriting on that card. His training as a hunter and keen brain allowed him to pay close attention to details even if he did not mean to. The curves, height of the letters and the spacing in between reminded him of a note a certain somebody left him after they fixed his car’s battery some time ago. “He beat me to it, but I can’t bring myself to get pissed. That bastard!” he grinned, pulling over at the parking lot exactly at the same time when Hanabusa and co were exiting his car.

 

After some greeting, flowers, gifts, they managed to get the silver-haired human twin out of the hospital. With his jacket over on shoulder and the tie loosened up, Zero growled at his brother who chose to piggyback Aido instead of using a wheelchair, “Did you have to flirt with every moving object in the place?”

“That’s mean nii-san! I never flirt, just being friendly. Its gets boring staying there by myself for two weeks and it is not like you guys can visit all the time.” Ichiru pouted.

“It seemed to me that they wanted to keep you there for a while longer. I can’t believe that wailing nurse, my ears are still ringing.”

Everyone laughed at the memory of the nurse in training who was strangely attached to the silverette. It seems like Ichiru helped a lot by being her guinea pig with the needles and bandages without complaining.

 “Come on~ Don’t be so jealous, Zero!” Aido teased, already used to his lover’s antics.

“How come _you_ don’t look jealous?” Gin asked the vampire.

Aido shrugged, “Why should I? He is mine and I believe in him.” The offhanded remark managed to make Ichiru blush crimson as his friends teased and whistled at it.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Ichiru’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Finally home, Ichiru made a few phone calls to invite His bartender for lunch and order the food and snack to go along with the liquor that Ryou will bring. They were set on getting smashed to celebrate his escape from the white prison. And get smashed they did. Ryou ended up calling an acquaintance of his to open and tend to the bar and spent the night, like sardines in a can, with the others in Ichiru’s living room. They were too stoned to be able to leave without causing an accident.

The next day, a Saturday morning, most of them woke up with raging hangovers, seeing that they purposely drank liquor containing silver wine, it was expected.

Ichiru was surprisingly the one with the highest tolerance. He used his walking sticks to make it to the kitchen. With the help of a tall bar stool along with the practical way he arranged the kitchen, it was easy for him to whisk a simple breakfast and blend a not so tasty hangover drink. The sound of the blender led to few pained cry and groans from the living room. Aido joined him with an amazing chicken head like hair, rubbing his eyes and holding a pack of the hangover medicine that Ichiru added to their drinks.

By the time they got sober enough, it was already evening. Kaito, who never learns a lesson, suggested another night of drinking but outside this time. Surprisingly, no one objected seeing that there was no duty the next day. Ryou was the only one who excused himself saying that the guy who helped the night before is not one who appreciate being used too much. They were getting ready to set off when Zero’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He clicked to display the message Kaname sent.

: “How about a rewind of the after party, without the spoiler?”

Zero looked from his phone to the bustling bunch in the room with him. He hesitated for a moment, looking at his brother’s happy face before finally typing the reply.

He tucked his phone again and cleared his throat to get some attention, “Sorry guys, it seems that I need to bail out on this one as well. Some important work came up.”

He received some booing from Ichiru and Kaito along with complaints from Gin and Aido but managed to escape them, as usual. 

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In front of his apartment building. ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Zero slowed down when he saw Kaname standing at the entry of the parking. The pureblood hopped in the car with a suitcase in hand.

Zero eyed the object, “You did not run away from home did you?” he joked.

Kaname chuckled, “No! This is stuff we need for the ‘roleplay’”

“So we are really doing that, huh?” Zero sighed, “Never knew you had such a fetish.” He mocked the brunet.

“Me neither, but I have some plans to make it up for that time.” The pureblood explained. Zero noticed his exceptionally good mood, but decided not to comment on it. It has been a while since they got together because of the busy time they had dealing with the aftermath of that mission, and Zero was set on making the most of this weekend.

Kaname used the key that Zero gave him after a lot of persistence to open the door. He dragged the silverette into the bedroom.

“I see that it got fixed.” Kaname pointed that the wall he crashed against before was not cracked anymore and a new full-length mirror was standing against it.

“I won’t ask you for the repair fees.” Zero teased as he grabbed his collar to get the kiss he was dying for, pouting when Kaname escaped him again to open the suitcase. The hunter let out a baffled laugh when he saw the familiar tools, wig and other things that he used for the mission, except that the wig was that of a long wavy platinum blond hair. Little did he expect Kaname to pull out an identical dress to the one he wore as well.

“Holy shit! You really are obsessed with it.” He exclaimed.

“Is that bad?”

“Please tell me there is no wiretap in there.” Zero scoffed

“Stop being silly and undress.”

Seeing the determination in the Sienna-colored eyes, Zero started removing his clothing since he figured that a refusal did not have a place in the pureblood mind right now.

Unlike the last time, Kaname was more assertive in dressing Zero himself from A to Z. Zero was not the most compliant one though, since he took every chance he got to rile the pureblood up; by rubbing against his hands as Kaname put the male ‘lingerie’ on him. Foot teasing him when sliding his leg into the stockings, as well as kissing every time Kaname’s face got close while applying the makeup. As aroused as he was by the end, Kaname was determined to carry his plan through.

With both of them facing the full-length mirror as Kaname buttoned the dress up, Zero noticed the slight alteration made. “I can see that you are no fan of big breasts.” he teased pointing to the smaller fake mounds, but did not bother pointing out the different length of the slits, which did not go as far up his thigh as the previous one. “Where did you get your hands on this anyways?”

Kaname hummed in amusement as he finished the last button, hugging the hunter while looking at him through the mirror with a mischievous glint in his eyes, “Let’s say that I have my resources.”

Zero rolled his eyes at the vague answer. Kaname, on his part, was not about to disclose that he made a certain blond noble do the deed. He chuckled softly at the memory of the disturbed face Takuma gave him when he handed over the torn dress along with the order. Of course it took some blackmailing to achieve, using the determination of his friend on keeping his affair a secret. Thus, Takuma could not afford Kaname going and ordering such an outfit. It was fine with him because he was known as the manga geek. What is a little cosplay going to do to harm his reputation; everyone would brush it off as part of his hobby if discovered.

“Now, the shoes and this.” Kaname spoke as Zero turned to face him. The hunter scowled at what the pureblood was holding. “What is this? It is not as if we are going out somewhere. Do you have to be this thorough?”

 “As a matter of fact, we are leaving in… ten minutes… I already booked a reservation a while ago.” Kaname explained to a dumbfounded Zero, who gawked at him.

“Are you saying that you want me to go somewhere looking like this? I thought you called me for the after party rewind?” Zero inquired, getting irritated the game of the pureblood.

“What is an after party without the actual a party?” Kaname explained in a suave voice.

After a lot of convincing, Zero finally slid into the kitten heels, thankful for the little height they had. He glared at the purse that the pureblood extended to him, “I am so not holding that thing!”

A brown eyebrow shot up, “Where are you planning on putting your phone, wallet and gun. Are you perhaps planning on leaving without any of them?”

Zero looked at his outfit, growled and snatched the purse from his hands.

Upon leaving, Zero received the same confused looks as last time from the receptionists who never saw such a woman pass by the lobby. Kaname just chuckled as he stirred the disguised hunter from going to the parking. “I have my car in front of the building.”

“Please don’t tell me we are going to another party to reproduce the same events minus the pervert.” Zero iterated with a long exasperated sigh.

“Not exactly. You will understand once we reach.” Kaname answered, irritating him more with yet another vague answer.

“What’s with the car?” Zero blurted out when he saw a car other than the Bentley that the brunet enjoyed driving.

“Ah! I kind of had to slice it in two…” Zero scowled at him as he fastened the seat belt of yet another luxury vehicle. “So that is the jolt I felt that time, I thought it was the drug.”

“Sorry about that, I might have overdone out of irritation.” Kaname apologized sincerely. He did not think that the use of his power would affect Zero through the seal, then again, the hunter was weakened and vulnerable to anything back then. “It is fine. It is not your fault that I was sensitive to any kind of pain. If it makes you feel better, I do not usually feel the jolt when in normal circumstances. Of course, that would not be the case if you used your full power to attack.”

Kaname nodded as he left the parking lot, into the driveway.

Zero almost fell asleep during the forty minutes long drive. The car finally stopped in front a small scale imitation of a Victorian castle, illuminated by glowing lights from every corner. The door on Zero’s side opened by a man in a black tuxedo saying, “Welcome to Paradiso, Ma’am”

Zero was about to retort, but remembered that he was indeed in female disguise, after making sure to shoot a deadly glare towards Kaname, he begrudgingly took the hand offered and got out of the car. Kaname joined him shortly after handing over the keys to the valet.

As if the hunter was not embarrassed enough, Kaname made sure that he hooked his arms around the one of the pureblood.

“What kind of prank are you pulling, bastard?” He hissed, still using a female voice so that he does not blow his cover in case there were some vampires around.

“I thought it would be fun to roleplay a romantic date.” Kaname shrugged and Zero made a gagging sound at the proposition. Kaname chuckled and added, “Well, seeing that you went through the effort of dressing up, why not play along?”

“I dressed in this with another motive in my mind.” Zero grumbled.

“Well, indulge this ‘fetish’ of mine and I will make sure to fulfill that motive of yours with _passion_ ” He whispered into Zero’s ear with the same husky voice he uses when aroused, making the hunter’s skin tingle.

“Not like you have given me a way out… What is this place anyways that is worth that long-ass trip.” Zero asked

“Watch the language, lady.” Kaname teased.

“F.. U.. C.. K.. Y.. O.. U is read as fuck you.” Zero bit back.

Kaname sighed, “It is a membership only restaurant. Its fame goes by the word of mouth and they are very selective when it comes to their clientele.”

Zero rolled his eyes, “And… How did you come to know about it?”

“The owner is a friend of mine.”

“Oh! So you do have friends apart from the little click at Cross. That is a surprising discovery.” Zero exclaimed mockingly while Kaname checked the reservation and guided him inside.

“I will go greet the friend you never thought I would have while you order us something to drink. Meanwhile, guess the reason why I brought you here.” Kaname informed as he held the seat for Zero to sit. The hunter was at his maximum irritation, to the point that he might cross his legs on top of the table just to piss the brunet off. Secluded as the table might be, it was still visible to the customers present around. However, Zero had to admire the vintage style of the place, the candlelights strategically placed in a way that it made the place look like something out of a fairytale.

The hunter was taking in the details and interaction until he caught glimpse of the pureblood coming back. He frowned for a moment and Kaname smiled because he knew that is when the hunter figured the answer to Kaname’s ‘assignment’.

He finally joined him, unfolding the napkin with flawless movement to put it on his lap, “Figured it out yet?”

Zero scowled at him, “We are the only vampires in this place.”

Kaname smirked, “And you are the only hunter.”

“How?” Zero wondered because vampires would not stay away from such a lascivious place.

“The selective clientele that I told you about.” Kaname spoke, “Vampires, hunters, political figures and other power holders are not allowed.”

Zero raised both eyebrows in surprise, “How does he keep it going then?”

Kaname smiled, “It is a getaway for the middle class who wishes for a taste of luxury and the occasional people that would like to go unnoticed.”

“Oh!” was Zero’s only response. Looking around him again, he could see that the customers around did not seem like filthy rich people, and the prices on the menu were not extravagant either.

“Meaning that no one will recognize me here, so you do not need to be on guard,” he explained, referring to the incident with Julia. Zero only nodded as the waiter brought their Chardonnay.

After a few drinks and good music, Zero relaxed and decided to enjoy it while it lasts. The tricky part was the food. The prices might be average, but the quality was ultimately high as well as the etiquette. Especially when he is disguised and in the presence of a man who was eating as if carving a piece of art. A vein popped in the hunter’s head when Kaname corrected him about the way he was holding the fork. A mischievous smirk showed on his face.

Kaname almost choked on his drink, surprised by the feel of the leg brushing against his and going up, dangerously close to his inner thigh. He kept his poker face while the waiter came to refill their glasses, looking at the quivering lips of the hunter. That certainly did not mark the end of Zero’s pranks that lasted until the dessert was ordered.

Kaname sipped on his after meal coffee while Zero played with a tooth stick sensually between his lips, waiting for his chocolate death dessert.

Zero’s phone rang suddenly, startling him from his successful attempt at seducing the pureblood. Tapping on his hips out of habit, thinking of picking the phone from a pocket earned him an amused laugh from the pureblood.

He ignored it in favor of the urgent question, “Where is the place with less sound, of the music. I need to take this.”

Kaname pointed to the gents’ area and Zero walked in that direction, slowing down when Kaname reminded him of his predicament. The smiling pureblood followed his figure until it vanished behind the decorated wall. His red-brown eye finally wandering around, admiring the intricate details of the decorations around him. After all, they had been glued on his beauty of a companion the whole time, etching every detail of this night in his memory. The smile faded slightly, until his eyes landed on the grand piano placed on the three step’s high stage. He called the waiter tending to their table for a request.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Ichiru?” Zero answered the call as he made his way to the restrooms

“Ah! Nii-san? I just called to check on you. How is work?” Ichiru asked

“Smooth sailing through it.” Zero answered with a smirk on his face at the memory of the aroused look he left in Kaname’s eyes.

“Oh great! Do you think that you will be done soon so that you can join us for the drinks?”

 _Crap, I should not have said that!_ Zero cursed at his own stupidity, he continued talking while heading toward the door with the tag WC on it. “hmm? Don’t know. I can’t promise Ichiru… I might be too tired to even move… Are you having fun there?”

“Yep, plenty! But… Can you believe those guys, they actually want to go drink in my bar…. Stingy!” Ichiru whined while Kaito was teasing him about being their cash cow when it comes to getting drunk till they drop.

“You say it as if you don’t have a tab for each one of us. You just have to remind them of the yakuza way you collect the money by the time they get their paycheck and I am sure they will suggest going somewhere else.” Zero suggested. The door opened before his hand reached the knob, a man came out and he was about to walk in when a hand grabbed his.

The man that exited pulled him back and pointed to the male only picture on the door. Not getting the hint, Zero shook his head in an interrogative manner while talking to Ichiru. Not wanting to interrupt his call, the man grabbed his shoulders slightly and guided him in front of the adjacent door, letting go with a small tap. Zero’s face went scarlet when he realized his blunder, taking few steps back when faced with the female section of the restrooms. He immediately turned around after finishing the call with Ichiru, embarrassment never leaving his face as he stomped back to their table.

His dessert was already served and he wasted no time stabbing it with the fork. He belatedly realized that the sound of the playback instrumental music was replaced by the sound of live piano. Being an average pianist himself, he could not help pausing his movement and get drawn to the talented playing. The music piece seemed like a modern one, but it was well played to the point that the place got quieter than before. His eyes scanned the room, looking for the grand piano where the sound was coming from. Little did he expect to see the back and hair he grew so familiar with. Little did he expect that Kaname was the one playing the instrument in a graceful manner that left everyone around in awe.

The waiter came right in time to snap him out of his daze with a refill, he then informed him that Kaname requested that he joins him as soon as he gets back. Zero let out a long sigh and stood, taking the champagne flute with him. _He is so keen on this roleplaying that it is starting to creep me out; I will just have to play along and take my revenge later._ Zero mused as he walked up the three steps elegantly, coming face to face with the smiling pureblood, only the piano separating them. Zero merely leaned on the side of the instrument and followed the long fingers that pushed on the keys in alternating fashion, between soft and hard, long and short.

When he finished, a round of applause echoed through the establishment. Kaname smiled at the look Zero gave him, “You made a mistake in the middle, did I distract you?” the hunter teased, since he did not miss the hardly noticeable blunder that Kaname made.

The pureblood reached a hand that rested on the small of Zero’s back and tugged him closer to his side as they went down the stairs, “Not really.” He answered. The distraction came from the heads that were turning when the disguised Zero was coming his way. The pureblood had to reign the need to pluck each and every eyeball for some reason.

The playback music was back on. Zero noticed few couples coming their way and stopping at random spots. They started swaying together at the rhythm of the waltz. He tried to run for his life before the next thing he dreaded happened. Kaname swung him around and they came face to face in the perfect positon to dance.

“Kaname!” he hissed with a warning tone.

“hmm?” Kaname played ignorant as he swayed at the rhythm, moving the stiff Zero along with him.

“What are you doing? I don’t-“

“You don’t dance? I know… Yuki told me, but that is a lie.” Kaname whispered in his ear, “Just let yourself go, you can do it.”

“No.” Zero said firmly as he tried to escape the tightening clutch on his hand, but the hand on the small of his back pulled him flush against the pureblood, bringing their lips close.

“Would you rather I kiss you? right here, right now. Hard.” Kaname teased, his breath tickling the platinum strands of the wig framing Zero’s face.

Zero growled, and then sighed in defeat, “You will pay for this.” he relaxed his tense body, finding it surprisingly easy to follow Kaname’s lead.

They swayed and turned slowly around the platform, lost in their own worlds, unaware of the eyes following them with admiration.

Somewhere along the dance, Kaname turned Zero around and brought the hunter’s back to his chest. His arms wrapped around his stomach and their cheeks caressing against each other. Zero’s hands were on top of his, eyes fluttered close as if in a trance. Kaname’s whispers felt like a lullaby to his ears, “See? I knew you could do it.” The pureblood insisted while placing a soft kiss on the jawline, and going back to the hidden earlobe, talking through the hair, “These heels are quite convenient.”

*Snap*

Zero startled at the sound of a shutter and found a man standing in front of them with those old kind of cameras that spit the picture as soon as it was taken*. The smiling man handed the picture to Kaname who tucked it into the inner pocket of his tuxedo’s jacket. He quickly resume the initial dancing position with a furiously blushing and glaring Zero. The photographer did not go far and waited for another opportunity to take another picture. Incensed, Zero did not find a way to escape the lenses than to hide his face in Kaname’s embrace. The wicked vampire signaled for the man to take one last picture that he quickly slipped in his pocket in time with the end of the dance.

Zero’s agony was finally over when Kaname asked for the check, and his revenge started.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Zero~ you have to stop doing that… ungh…” Kaname clutched the steering wheel, trying to concentrate on the road ahead through his blurry vision. After few failed attempts, Zero somehow managed to unzip his pants and stroke him to full arousal with his naughty hands.

A tease from the fake nails under the head led to Kaname skidding to the side of the road, grab the wrist of the demon and pull him into a searing kiss. He spoke through his ragged breath, “If you don’t stop I might take you here.” What meant to be a warning only aroused the hunter.

Zero whispered against the silken lips, “Do it.”

Kaname let out a breathy chuckle, shaking his head, “Do you really want that kind of scent to stick to this car?”

Zero let out a pout in response leading to Kaname trapping that lower lip between his to suck on it slightly. “Be patient, it will be worth it.”

That is how he finally calmed the horny silverette. Bored, Zero let the soft sway of the car lull him to sleep all the way to his place. He was later woken up by soft kisses on his closed eyes. Kaname waited for him to chase the daze away before they exited the car.

Zero was still sulking in the elevator as the door closed. That is until Kaname slammed him to the wall and kissed the daylight out of him. The only word that swam through the hunter’s brain was, _Finally! Finally! Finally! Finally!_

Without wasting time, his hands flew to Kaname’s pants, but the pureblood grabbed them and pinned them on top of his head, growling into the kiss, he pulled away briefly, “You did quite a few numbers on me tonight, huh?”

Without waiting for an answer, Kaname nibbled the lower lip of the moaning silverette as he parted his legs with his and grinded against him. Zero wished for the ride to never end when he felt Kaname lifting his dress. His free hands wrapped around the strong shoulders, shivering at the hand that squeezed his butt cheek while the other palmed his hardening shaft and sneaking downward to brush against the thin string hiding his entrance. His hips rolled against the touch and he moaned when the hoarse voice of the pureblood tickled his ear, “You’re so dripping wet already, how long have you been like this?”

Kaname was always amazed by Zero’s ability to self-lubricate, but he was more impressed by how needy the hunter was tonight. He shoved three fingers in Zero’s mouth and played with his tongue before pulling them. Without breaking eye contact with the gasping hunter, he pushed the string of his underwear aside and pushed the digits, one by one slowly and deeply. Zero never stopped rolling his hips to increase the friction while trying to kiss the pureblood in between his gasps. Their lips met and he nibbled on them to a point of almost drawing blood. With one hand hooked over the strong neck to keep standing and the other clumsily fumbling with a belt, he gasped the words against his lips.

“I want you to fuck… ah… fuck me,”

“I will.” Kaname answered with equally ragged breath.

“Hard.”

“I will”

“I want haah!... you to shove this” grabbing the clothed arousal “inside me… Oh! So good!”

Kaname growled in response.

“Thrust it deep and hard” he licked the parted lips and kissed them before continuing, “As soon as we get past the door.”

*DING*

“Count on it” Kaname answered in time with the elevator signaling their arrival. He pulled his fingers from the whimpering mess of a hunter and whisked him over his shoulder, with a slap to his rear that made Zero gasp in pleasure and giggle afterwards.

True to his words, Kaname put him down and bent him over the corner table next to the door. He brushed the long hair aside and attacking the nape of Zero’s neck with kisses and nibble as he grinded against the crack of his ass over the clothes, one hand gripping the hip in a bruising fashion. The other was struggling with the buttons of the back.

The kisses, licks and nibbles went on until Kaname unbuttoned the last one. He then trailed his hot moist tongue over Zero’s spine until he reached the small of his back, making the hunter shiver until he begged.

 “Take me… Oh! Goood! please, Nowhaah!”  Zero reached a hand back and clutched the brown hair in time with Kaname sneaking his hands up to tweak the already erect nipples under the fake breast.

The wicked tongue traveled up again to meet the awaiting one of the hunter for the last dance of the night. Kaname pulled and bunched the dress at the level of Zero’s waist before pulling away from the kiss. With a simple push on trembling shoulders, Zero took the hint and bend over the table once again, using the elbows he placed on the wood as support.

The sight of Zero pushing his ass up while wearing the G-string and the stockings clipped to the lacy belt made Kaname feel like he was about to combust inside his suit. He quickly removed his jacket, throwing it on the floor followed by the tie and the buttons that popped while he ripped his own suffocating shirt open.

Hearing the rustling made Zero’s skin tingle in anticipation of the hot shaft that will breach his walls, his hips rocking back and forth from the thought alone. He shuddered as nimble finger pulled on the thin fabric to expose his most intimate place for the pureblood to ravish. A deafening moan escaped him at the intrusion that he did not expect. He slammed his hands against the wood and muffled his cry when the wet hot muscle licked around his aperture and pushed inside suddenly. Looking down between his parted legs, Zero could see Kaname down on his knee behind him, one hand stroking him, the other keeping the fabric out of the way while his tongue was wreaking havoc inside of him. He pushed against the wet muscle repeatedly. Moaning when it licked the edges and gasping when it thrust inside.

They kept on it until that much stimulation was not enough for the hunter, who started begging for more again.

“Kaname… Kanammmm… Ahnn! stop… enough!” The death grip, he had over the brown hair, forced the pureblood to spare him the torture.  

 Sliding up against the trembling body, Kaname started rubbing his freed arousal against the greedy opening. The slick head slid back and forth over the slicker destination, while its owner sneaked the other hand around the chest of the silverette that got exposed thanks to his earlier writhing and the dress sliding on his arms. He reached to Zero’s neck and forced him to tilt his head back to bring his mouth close to his ear.

“Tell me…” The order came breathless

“Nnn… Fuck me.”

“Wrong.”

“Kaname, please~”

“Please what?” the rubbing motion stilled.

“Shove it inside me, I want it… please.” Zero whined as he twisted his head in attempt to kiss the brunet, but Kaname’s grip on his jaw kept it in place.

“Zero…” Kaname trailed “You are not playing fair… This is role playing, right?” he nibbled on the earlobe harshly earning a sob of frustration.

“Please~”

“hmm?”

“Fuck me! I am dying.” Zero’s vision swam as the heat of his body crashed like waves of lava, seeking release.

A breathy chuckle added to his dilemma, “We are roleplaying a romantic date, how about you ask for it in a… more loving way. hmm?” he resumed the teasing rub.

A growl echoed in Zero’s throat, but he knew that they would not get anywhere unless the pureblood got what he wanted. Thus, Zero reached up to hold the hand gripping his face gently.

“Please, Kana!”

Kaname’s heart skipped a beat at the soft tone, his hand slackened, giving Zero the chance to glance back at him with an innocent blushing face. By all means, Kaname had to praise himself for not cumming from seeing that alone.

“Make love to me… Ne? I want you… I want you Bad… AAAH! YESSSS!” Zero finally got what he wanted when Kaname last thread of control snapped and pushed his shoulder harshly before shoving himself inside him without warning.

Kaname pushed Zero’s leg apart more, and thrust deeper, making the hunter squeal. Zero had to slam one palm against the wall and another on the table, knocking the glass figurine to the floor. Neither of them bothered about the shattering glass when all they could think about was their sweet release.

The pureblood put his entire weight on the smaller frame of the silverette, his mouth making a mess out of the neck and shoulders. One of his arm rounded Zero’s chest and gripped his shoulder bone to keep the hunter from lunging forward as he increased to a piston like speed, leaving Zero gasping and chanting his name like a mantra. He interlaced the fingers of the other hand with those of Zero that he found against the wall.

Neither of them knew for how long they were rutting like dogs in heat until Zero lost all strength in his legs to support both of them. Noticing it through his lust filled mind. Kaname pulled out from the hunter who whined at the loss and turned him around, hoisted him up on the table and hooked the inside of Zero’s knees with his elbows, spreading him wide.

The hunter did not have time to feel embarrassed as the sight of the disheveled, half-clothed pureblood aroused more if that was even possible. He was unaware that his messy equally half clothed appearance had the same effect on the brunet. Kaname leaned in to kiss him softly again, eager to bury himself inside the blissful heat again, he spoke against Zero’s panting lips.

“Put it in…” The order from the pureblood came out as hoarse plea.

The hunter immediately guided his shaft in position for Kaname to thrust deep to the hilt inside the quivering walls.

“Ohnn… God… this… right there….ahhhnnn… So good… Kana…. Kaname… kissmmmnngh” he did not need to finish as the pureblood claimed his mouth in a sloppy kiss before their breath mingled in rhythm with their bestial rocking.

Kaname hissed when Zero reached his hand to where they were joined and teased his sensitive skin. The hunter was in a trance, watching the length of the pureblood slide in and out of him, until Kaname raised his knees higher for harsher thrust that almost folded him in two against the wall. Unable to form coherent thoughts anymore, Zero’s eyes rolled in their sockets as he gripped Kaname’s arms for dear life.

“Shit… Ah! can’t be… Kaname… Kaname…”

“ugh… What… squeezing… so tight…”

Frightened Violet eyes met wine orbs when Zero felt as if his body had a mind of its own, losing all control as he felt his release coiling.

“dunno~ cum… am gonna cum… soon…” he shrieked, hands flying against the wall as the pureblood kept hitting at the angle that drove him mad.

“Me too” Their hot breath mingled one last time before Zero gripped on Kaname’s shoulder blades while Kaname let go of his knees and used the table as support to pound into the hunter faster and harsher. The sound of one shoes falling from the foot swinging midair never distracted them.

They whispered in each other’s mouths as their peak neared.

“Kaname… oh!”

“Zero… You are driving… ugh… crazy…uhnn”

“uhnn soss close” Zero clutched the fabric of Kaname’s shirt, his control over his body slipping more and more.

“haah… Zero… I am… cum…” Kaname could not believe that he was about to let go so soon, but then again, the hunter’s taunting all night long left him strained to the limits. Suddenly remembering a detail, he slowed down a notch.

“Nnnh…no… don’t stop” Zero screamed into his ear, his grip tightening to the point that his claw dug through the fabric and left bloody scratches. The intoxicating scent of the pureblood knocked all rational sense out of his head.

“Zero… no…ngh… you have to…” Kaname pulled his face and head butted the hunter slightly in effort to make him listen.

“Mnn… NO! please~” Zero hooked his legs around Kaname’s rear when he felt him pull out, his claws dug deeper as he shut the pureblood by kissing him like mad.

Unable to suppress it anymore, Kaname shuddered as his hips slapped against Zero’s rear loudly. Zero let go of his mouth, “Shit! cumin….nghhh…haah” the hunter gasped and panted as his release coated their chest, abdomen and Zero’s chin. He shuddered as his convulsing walls milked Kaname’s shaft after his warm seed flooded his core.

A bang of Kaname’s knee against the wooden furniture in attempt to lean on something for support jolted Zero. He suddenly broke in a fit of laughter, not knowing what caused it or how to stop it. Kaname raised the head he was resting on Zero’s shoulder, looking at the hunter as if he had grown another head.

Once the fit subsided, Zero brought their sweaty forehead together, snuggling to the pureblood and mumbling, “That was amazing..”

Kaname sighed, hating to ruin the mood but finding it necessary for Zero to know. “Yeah… it was… and it would have been better if you listened to me.”

“hmm?” Zero closed his eyes as he rubbed their nose together.

“I was trying to tell you that I did not put a rubber back then.” Kaname whispered, bracing himself for the onslaught that never came.

“Whatever…”

“huh?”

“I would have killed you if you pulled out then, so…” Zero finally looked up into surprised sienna eyes, shrugging the matter as nothing.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At K-bar ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Ichiru noticed the dazed look Gin had an hour after they reached K-bar. He felt pity for the guy who was obviously missing his workaholic brother. He fumbled with his phone. _It has been more than an hour since I called nii-san and he said that he was smooth sailing through whatever he had to do. It does not hurt to check on him again, right?._

He dialed the number, waiting for his twin to answer. _What is taking him so long?_

Zero answered on the third time he called, “Yes?”

“Nii-san, what took you so long?”

“Got held up and could not escape.”

“Concentration is good but getting detached from the world is …. just weird… Anyways, did you eat?”

“Yeah, I did. ungh”

“huh?”

“Sorry bumped into the table… What is it Ichiru? I am kinda busy here.”

“I just wanted to check on you.”

“I am peachy, bye!”

“Nii-“ Ichiru huffed, hearing to dial tone signaling that Zero hung up on him.

“What’s wrong?” Kaito asked the disgruntled silverette.

“Zero is acting like a jerk.”

“Nothing new.” Kaito shrugged.

Ichiru’s shoulder slumped in defeat, smiling at the truth of the statement.

“Still, I am worried that he get engrossed in his work and forget to eat as usual.” Ichiru mumbled

Hanabusa joined their conversation, “I am sure he can spare a minute or two to order food and eat while working. As usual!”

Ichiru pondered, and then shrugged. “Yeah you’re probably ri- AH!” he slammed a fist on a palm as if getting a brilliant idea. He quickly dialed the number of a Korean restaurant that Zero liked to eat from, ordered his brother’s favorite to be delivered to the bar.

The action earned him three pairs of weird stares, including Gin. Kaito was the one to mock him, “Would you not normally give his address? Or is it for you?…”

Ichiru shook his head in denial.

“What are you scheming then?” Aido asked, catching on the naughty smirk.

Ichiru put a finger on his lips, “Himitsu (secret)”

An hour later, Ichiru lured Gin into the staff changing room. “Look, here is the food and this is the key to Zero’s place.”

Gin gave him a confused look.

Ichiru scoffed, “What are you looking so stupid for? I need you to take this and go eat with Zero. There is enough for two and it is his favorite. You might want to remember that for future reference.” The silverette winked at him.

Gin gave a baffled laugh, “Okay! First you tell me that you can’t help me… Then you go and push Zero to consider my feelings and now you are setting us up. Why the change of heart.”

Ichiru looked away innocently as if he didn’t know what he was talking about before grinning, “Let’s see. First I thought that you were not aware of his promiscuous lifestyle, or his unique condition. After that, you surprises me by handling him well when he was sulking and dropped the bomb that you actually slept with him. You might not think much of it but Zero gets really insecure about his peculiar aspects, that is why he tends to push others away. I cannot blame him because I witnessed some of the slander he had been put through. However, I won’t let the chance of hooking him up with a great guy like you who accept him for who he is slip without doing anything. Is that enough of an excuse to give a nudge.” Ichiru titled his head to the side, laughing at the blushing face of the older teacher.

“Alright, I will take you up the offer, let me call and tell him that I will be there soon.”

Ichiru quickly snatched the phone, “That won’t do Gin~ Did you hear anything I just said? He has the habit of pushing others away, so~ you need to push even more by being assertive with him. You go and I will tell him that you are already on the way so that he does not find an excuse to refuse. okay~”

Gin agreed hesitantly, not liking the amount of assertiveness Ichiru is pushing him to adopt, but not wanting to pass on the opportunity all the same.

Ichiru joined the remaining bunch with a grin permanently plastered on his face. Kaito was the first one to notice, “What’s that creepy look for?... Where did Gin go?”

The grin became a full-toothed smile and Aido paled at that, “Ichiru… you did not?”

Knowing that his lover was spot on, Ichiru nodded enthusiastically. Aido groaned, earning the attention of Kaito and Ryou.

“What?” Kaito demanded an explanation.

Aido looked at his lover and sighed, “He just made Gin go take the food to Zero’s place. What part of ‘Don’t even try to set them up’ did you not hear?”

“None of it.” Ichiru teased, giving him a tongue out, “Okay then, one more thing to do.” He dialed Zero’s number.

*Ring* *Ring*

“WHAT?”

“Hello to you nii-san.”

“Ichiru… Why don’t you have fun instead of pestering the helluva out of me?” Zero growled

“This will be the last call. I just wanted to let you know that Gin is on his way to your place with your favorite food. Be nice!” Ichiru warned.

“What the fuck! Ah” *whack*

“Nii-san? What was that?”

“A mosquito.”

“Is that the rustling of sheets, are you in bed.”

“Duh! I am about to sleep so have him turn back and enjoy the food together with you guys.” As usual, he hung up without waiting for an answer.

Ichiru glared at the device, which did no wrong.

“That is why I said not to interfere. He did not like it, did he?” Aido deadpanned.

“Ugh… he said he was going to sleep, this early.” Ichiru spoke in disbelief.

“Well… He did have couple of exhausting days, cannot blame him.” Kaito added nodding to himself, “What are you going to do? He can easily leave the guy stranded at the front door because he is too lazy to move.”

The grin made its comeback, “I have plan B of course. I am not his brother in name only after all.”

Ichiru looked for another number that he called, “Moshi… Moshi… Gin? I just called him. He just got in bed but still awake. Just open the door and go inside because he will be too lazy to move. Have fun!”

“Wait!!” Aido called but Ichiru had already hung up. “You gave him your key?” He asked with a horrified, slapping his own face when Ichiru nodded.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Zero’s bedroom ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Grrr! that Ichiru! He can never take a hint.” Zero sank his chin in the pillow he was clutching while lying flat on his stomach on the bed.

“What is it this time?” Kaname asked, as he laid perpendicular to the silverette kissing his back from between shoulder blade down.

“He got it in his head to send Gin over with ‘dinner’” Kaname paused for a second before resuming the kissing.

“hmm? and?”

“I told him to have him go back. Thanks to you, he heard the bedsheet and I told him that I will be sleeping soon. A big fat lie!”

Kaname chuckled, “Good! Because I want you all to myself tonight.”

Zero glanced at the naked form of the pureblood. After the first round, they went on few more times until they reached the bedroom. They took a bath together and now laying naked on the bed. A vein popped in his temple as he whacked the brunet again.

“What were you doing sucking on my freaking nipples while I was talking on the phone earlier? For how long were you planning on sucking them anyways?” Zero growled remembering that the brunet has been tormenting his buds ever since they finished bathing.

“Those fake ones were in the way and smelled bad, now that your scent is back, I want to compensate for what I missed.” Kaname got on all four hovering over the hunter and trying to roll him on his back to resume his ministration. A little wrestling was all it took but the result was anti-climactic as Zero used the pillow as a barrier to protect them.

“Knock it off! What am I going to do if they become permanently perky because of you?” Zero rolled on his stomach again.

“That would not be so bad.” Kaname teased

“NO!”

“Come to think of it, when will they… you know plump up again?” He whispered as he crushed the hunter with own weight.

“Like hell I am going to tell you when that time comes.” Zero huffed as he turned his head to glance up at the pureblood.

Kaname took the opportunity to kiss and bite the soft cheek while his hands played with the silver hair. He pulled and propped on one elbow, gazing at the violet orb with adoration, “As I thought, I like it better like this.” He sneaked a hand to hug Zero’s midsection and nuzzled his hair.

“Don’t ask for it in the first place if you are gonna say that.” Zero grumbled but sighed at the tender touch.

“nuhuh… I wanted to make it up for you as well, so…” Kaname leaned to face Zero on the pillow.

Zero chuckled, “You did, plenty…” he placed a quick peck on the pureblood’s lips before turning away from the dazzling smile… “Is this game over yet?” he asked referring to the roleplaying.

Kaname checked the bedside clock and whispered in his ear, “Let’s keep it up until midnight, shall we?”

Zero scoffed, “Is this some Cinderella story…”

Kaname smiled wistfully, knowing that the hunter could not see it, “Indulge me… Just this time.”

“hai…hai”

Zero grabbed the foil packed and teared it while shuffling to face him. He put it on, smirking at the gasp earned from the pureblood. Kaname pressed his body awkwardly against the naked silverette before rolling him again so that Zero goes back to being flat on his stomach. He slid a hand across the lean back, kissing the rose tattoo on the shoulder blade that mirrored his, and then kneading the hunter’s thigh slightly. He pushed it softly and Zero complied by hugging the pillow under him and pulling his knees towards his chest. Before he could lift his waist to get in the position he wanted, Kaname flattened him with his own weight while sliding his rod inside the relaxed core.

  “uhnn… ah..mmnn”

“Feeling good?” Kaname asked with a strong thrust, slapping against Zero’s ass. His hands traveled from a narrow waist up Zero’s sensitive sides, armpits and toned arms until they reached the hunter’s wrist. He held them and extended them in front of them as he lunged forward. Deep penetration made Zero throw his head backward, hitting Kaname’s shoulder as he moaned in pure bliss. The friction of the pureblood pounding into him increased steadily, and so did the rubbing of his arousal against the sheets under him.

Zero accidently opened his eyes to meet their reflection on the mirror standing in front of the bed. His breath caught at the sight of the brunet. The still wet brown locks rocked back and forth with Kaname’s movement, eyes full with lust and desire met his through the glass and he watched as the lascivious lips descended on the junction of his neck and traveling up to his earlobe. Zero felt as if his heart will stop any moment if it kept beating any harder from excitement.

“Zero…”

“What is it?”

“I want to try what you did to me the other time, this time on you.” Kaname whispered and waited for the answer, looking at the flushed hunter with raw wild desire.  

Zero smirked weakly as a wave of thrilling heat course through him, “Getting kinky tonight, aren’t we?”

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ few minutes later in front of Zero’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Gin stood in front of the door, anxious. He had not been to Zero’s apartment ever since the night they shared together and he did not know how to act in a place full of passionate memories. He rang the bell but no one answered. He decided to take Ichiru’s advice and use the key.

The sight that greeted him was shocking to say the least. He had to be careful of the shards of glass scattered around. Upon venturing further inside, he noticed women clothing and heels scattered around the place along with the remains of a male suit. Gin frowned, wondering when Zero started going for women. He placed the bags of food on the kitchen island before backing away when he noticed a stream of white substance trickling down the short wall. He figured that it was fresh semen and did not dwell much on it. He felt disappointed that Zero actually ditched them to have fun but did not let it get to him. He knew that is one of Zero’s vices that could not be helped.  

He regretted following Ichiru’s advice when he heard muffled sounds. His curiosity brought his misfortune when he followed the sounds to Zero’s bedroom. He froze once again by the sight that greeted him. The sweaty back of the hunter faced him, swaying up and down as his hips rolled on the rod that penetrated him. The large hands of the man embracing him spread his butt cheeks, providing Gin with an explicit view of how their bodies connected as one. The man with brown hair and sienna-colored eyes was looking at Gin with a superior sneer, just like back in Cross’s house.

A tie that Kaname laced with his magic blindfolded Zero. The pureblood put the cuff-like bracelets that Zero kept in his drawer on him, suppressing all of the hunter’s supernatural abilities. The blindfold trapped his senses in a reduced dimension that was limited to the bed. Therefore, Zero was completely oblivious to Gin’s presence, and was not able to hear the bell either.

“Kaname…Mnn, AH! Yess! Talk to me… Don’t…nnn… keep… quiet…” Zero moaned, clutching the brown hair to guide himself to Kaname’s face. He blindly looked for his mouth to kiss and nibble before a hard thrust up made him arch his back like a bow.

“Was that good?” Kaname asked, resuming the glaring war with Gin.

“Yess… so good…” Zero purred as he wrapped his arm around the brunet neck, hugging tight while Kaname kept the same pace.

“What is good, Zero?” Kaname whispered against his ear.

“Yours…” Zero mumbled, but whined when Kaname slowed down, letting him do the work again, “Kaname… please~”

Kaname whispered the words before pushing Zero down on the mattress, and kissing him. He was now hovering over the hunter, still inside him with Zero’s legs hooked around his hips. Zero clutched the strong arms on either sides of his head, whimpering when he felt the heat of Kaname’s body going away.

Gin tried to look away and leave, but he found himself glued in place, even unable to turn his head. He glared at the pureblood with glowing red eyes and a wicked smirk. Oblivious to the cold war raging under his nose, Zero bit his lips and blurted the words that shattered the human with ink blue hair, “Kana… please… Make love to me! Take me as you like… I want you so bad I can’t take it…” the hunter made sure to say it loud like the pureblood requested.

“Do you like it that much when I embrace you, Zero?” Kaname taunted as he slid in and out in slowly.

“Aaahnn… Yes, I love it… The best!” Zero gasped the words as loud as his exhausted lungs allowed while Kaname snapped his hips forward harshly.

Seeing the expression he was seeking, Kaname let go of the hold he had on Gin and focused his attention on the wanton silverette under him. He smirked in the kiss when he heard the hurried footsteps and the slamming of the front door. He took off the blindfold and waited for squinting violet orbs to focus on him, smiling dazzlingly, Kaname whispered, “As I thought, I need to see the face of the one I love when embracing him…”

Zero’s mouth gaped before “pffftt”, Kaname smiled wistfully, expecting a reaction of this kind somehow. Zero commented in between his fit of giggles, “I swear! This game of yours is hilarious… Never knew you were such a good actor… pffft! Anyone else would have fallen for it in a heartbeat, honest.”

“But not you,” Kaname finished the thought.

“DUH!” The still laughing hunter confirmed.

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Inside the elevator of Zero’s building ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Gin slammed the button and banged his head back against the wall. He felt out of breath, clutching the fabric of his shirt, as if trying to sooth the burning in his chest. His eyes blazing with anger and anguish. He slid down until crouching on the floor, holding his head as if it was going to burst. Feeling his lungs tightening unbearably.

“GGaaaaa” He let out a scream akin to a howl, trying to channel the storm of emotions wrecking him.

Once the elevator pinged, he stormed before the doors fully opened, running down the street in a blind dash, not sure where is it that he was going.

 

   **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back in Zero’s bedroom ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

They shuddered from their release, their body closely intertwined. Kaname raised his head, brushed back the silver bangs to place one last kiss, “I love you” He spoke, chanting the three words he had been like a mantra, as if praying that the hunter gets affected by the amount of feelings he put in them every single time. Although, in the back of his head, he knew that Zero was treating it as part of the roleplay he suggested himself, ‘romantic date’.

 Once a little strength came back to his spent body, he hoisted himself up and brought a pillow under Zero’s head.

*Phone beep*

Kaname looked around until he spotted his pants in a far corner of the room. He grabbed them and took the phone to check the incoming message.

“Are you being ‘summoned’?” Zero teased, finally coming down from the height of his orgasm.

“Sort of.” Kaname shrugged, he was about to continue but the buzzing alarm of his phone caught his attention, “Its midnight” he whispered while looking at the reminder he wrote.

“Aww… The fairytale is ending then… I wonder when will get my missing glass shoe back?” Zero teased more, pointing to the one shoe that managed to stick to him until they reached the bedroom.

“Let this prince of yours look for it.” Kaname teased back and left the room.

“Cheeky bastard!” Zero called out, laughing and shaking his head. He won’t deny that the pureblood’s plans turned out to be fun.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Moments later the pureblood came back with his jacket in hand, and sat beside the hunter.

Zero raised an eyebrow, “I thought you were going to get my missing shoe,” he pouted cutely.

“I changed my mind.” Kaname leaned to take his lips for a tender almost innocent kiss, keeping his face close to the silverette while pulling something out of his pocket, “Happy twenty-sixth birthday, Zero!”

Amethyst eyes widened as he followed the brunet who leaned back and brought a purple small box in his field of vision. Stupefied, Zero pulled himself up into a sitting position, dragging his spent body to lean against the headboard. Kaname took his hand and placed the small box in his palm.

“How?” Zero whispered, “How did you know that-“

“Really? Zero… are you really asking that?” Kaname interrupted with an amused look, “Did you forget that, for four years, Yuki would drag me to the celebration party thrown for the birthday of a certain sourpuss adoptive brother of her. Not only that, but she will force a gift on me and make me give it to you as if I was the one who chose it. Although, I knew that it always ended up in the garbage the very next day… How do you expect me not to remember the date of such an unforgettable day?” he explained with a hint of sarcasm and drama.

“I hope that you would not throw this gift though. After all, I did make the effort to choose one personally this time.” He pleaded.

Zero looked from the wine colored eyes to the purple box and back to the eyes boring into his. “Kaname, I…” He was confused, not knowing how to react.

Kaname noticed it and tried to make things easier for him, he scooted closer and bumped their forehead, “This not part of the game if you are wondering how to react and what to say. This is a gift from me to Zero Kiryuu wishing him another year of happiness and many, many after. We did agree that we will try to get along better, after all. right? It’s fine if you keep it in some storage box and forget this present ever existed, just promise me you won’t toss it away.” He kissed the silver head, happy to get a nod as a response.

“Thanks!” Zero muttered with a kiss on the cheek he found close before it got away. He pulled the silver ribbon that was tied in a nice bow around the box.

He carefully opened the lid under the watchful eye of the pureblood. A circular glinting metallic accessory stared back at him, snuggly sitting on shining beige satin. The small silver material was carved with tiny lilies. A couple of miniature precious stones reflected the light of the room slightly. Zero tilted the box to find that they had the exact same shade as his eyes. He looked up into Kaname’s expectant face and down again. He reached his fingers carefully and took the object as if to examine it closely. “It is beautiful. Smart choice as well if I had to admit.” Zero teased the pureblood.

 

Kaname sighed in relief, he was glad he took the time to choose the design, stones and figure out the size of the piercing he had ordered to be custom made for the hunter. He was about to throw a fit when the silversmith did not deliver it on time, he thankfully had the insight of ordering it three days prior to Zero’s birthday. He looked into the still hesitant eyes of the hunter, frowning. “Something wrong?”

 

Zero shook his head left to right, “No… It is just… The roleplay… the gift… remembering such a thing as my birthday… The effort you seemed to have put behind all of this… It feels like…uhm”

Kaname’s heart skipped a beat.

“Never mind”

Kaname grabbed the dismissing hand, “What is it tell me? You feel like what?”

“Nothing, don’t bother.”

“Come on, Zero. Shoot!”

“Gaaa…. Fine… I feel like you are misunderstanding something.”

“Huh?” Kaname was taken aback when the hunter’s answer was not what he expected, “What am I?”

“I dunno, it just feels like you enjoy it.”

“I do” Kaname confirmed, but earned a scowl to the answer that he thought would make Zero happy.

“You enjoy treating me like a woman?” The hunter hissed and it clicked instantly in Kaname’s head.

“What? No…”

“But you enjoyed staring at me in that female disguise…”

“Yes, but-“

“And you bought me jewelry as a present.” Zero trailed holding the ear piercing.

Kaname’s mouth gaped like a fish.

“And you were more excited than usual fucking me when I wore those lace, stockings and sexy lingerie.” Zero growled, “Aren’t you misunderstanding something.”

“I AM NOT!” Kaname grounded, clapping his hands on Zero’s cheek and cupping his face to stop his chain of accusation, that were true nonetheless.

“I am not treating you like a woman… Okay I enjoyed the feminine figure in that outfit… If I got more excited today is because not only did you play the role to perfection but also because you riled me up so much, and then acting sexily in those garments. How do you expect me to keep my sanity facing that?”     

 “See, I played the role right, that of a woman, to perfection. Fucking great” Zero gritted. That is when Kaname understood that the hunter’s irritation was not directly linked to him. Zero was irritated at himself for acting the way he did, going with the flow and probably liking it. Kaname sighed, _I forgot how self-conscious he was about his gender issue._

Kaname tilted Zero’s head so that he faces him, “You had it wrong Zero. I meant to convey how amazing you are in achieving something when you set your mind on it. Let’s face it, do you see many guys able to pull off that outfit the way you did. I don’t mind trying it myself to show you how I would lose miserably compared to you. You might get an eternal mental scar though, seeing a drag queen towering over you.”

Zero snorted at the image, but could not help but think that Kaname might pull the look even better than him. He was not about to tell him or make him do it though, not in a lifetime.

He looked away from amused brown eyes, embarrassed from displaying his insecurities in a childish way. Kaname kissed his forehead again, “No matter how you look, what shape your body takes I will always desire you and hold you to our heart’s content.”

Zero blushed deep crimson at that and stammered, “Idiot! Don’t you have somewhere to go?”

“hmm?” Kaname pondered, and then shrugged, “That can wait.”

“No, you don’t have to stay…” Zero insisted, wanting to get rid of him before he crawl into a hole from embarrassment.

“I need to clean you up.”

“I can do that much. Kaname~” Zero nagged, pulling at his arm while the pureblood dragged him to the bathroom.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 When they finally got out of the steamy bathroom, Zero was already in a better mood thanks to Kaname’s pampering. He was drying his hair with a towel around his waist. The movement of the pureblood caught his attention in the background of his reflection in the mirror. However, he did not dwell on it much. Kaname was just taking out a hanged bag that protected one of the suit set that he kept in Zero’s closet. An emergency measure for occasions such as the hunter ripping the shirt that he already started ripping himself. “Make sure to burn that shirt, Zero. It got stained by my blood.” Kaname spoke as Zero went past him toward the nightstand. The silver beauty hummed an affirmative answer as he picked the purple box, opening it.

“Ah! I remembered… I wanted to ask about the piece you played at Paradiso… What was the name?”

“Not telling.”

“Stingy! Fine… I will figure it out myself…” Zero huffed while taking the earing between his fingers; admiring its intricate details.

“Kaname…” he called out again, to the brunet who was fixing his tie in front of the mirror.

“Yes?”

“Can you put it on for me?” Kaname turned around to find Zero handing him the piercing. He smiled while taking it. After taking off one of the two piercings in his right ear, he clipped the new one carefully. Kaname stepped aside, allowing the hunter to check it out.

Zero turned to him with pursed lips, “It does not make me look… effeminate, does it?”

Kaname chuckled, “Trust me! Your attitude, coupled with those sharp eyes and your ever scowling face leave too little of a chance for anyone to think of you as anything close to _effeminate.”_

After some amused bickering, Kaname finally left to take care of the appointment he was supposed to go since, glancing at his watch, an hour and a half. A victorious smile graced his face as he put the seat belt.

  

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In a bar other than K-bar ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The bartender glanced toward the customer who finished his glass of dry martini and ordering a bourbon on the rocks. He nodded while proceeding to make the drink. He decided that this one would be on the house, as a comforting gesture for the man who seemed to have been stood up after waiting for more than an hour there.

He was about to tell him that it was for free, but was interrupted by another man taking the seat next to his and saying “Did you wait long?”

Seeing the recognition in the face of his customer, the bartender smiled and proceeded to prepare the same drink for the guest.

Grey eyes met amused Wine orbs.

“Took you long enough,” he mocked

“You know how it works; I simply cannot take my hands off him once I get started.” Kaname spoke nonchalantly as he sipped on his drink

“…”

“So, what is the summon about? Just so you know, I am not into bodybuilders.” Kaname glanced at the irritated blue haired ethic teacher with mirth dripping from his voice.

“Quit it with the disgusting humor.” Gin gritted, “You know quite well why I called you here.”

“I am afraid you lost me.” Kaname played dumb.

“Get away from Zero. Simple as that.” Gin stated.

“I am afraid I can’t do that.” He answered with finality.

“Are you going to choose him over Yuki and your unborn child? Or, are you greedy enough to hog both?” Gin asked with a voice dripping in sarcasm.

“I allowed you to witness what you saw for an obvious purpose, which is certainly not a preaching about things that do not concern you.” Kaname deadpanned.

“Well so sorry, but your plan backfired.” Gin looked at him, turning on his seat to face the pureblood, dangling his drink to clink the ice.

Kaname paused with his glass close to his lips, glancing sideway at the man. “I thought you were smarter than that.”

“I am, Kuran. Because I am smart, your little stunt won’t drive me away from Zero. It will only make me more persistent, and I will make him mine one of these days. Of course, that is after I snatch him away from you.” The petulant human declared without a hint of fear.

Kaname turned to face him the same way he did, “Are you sure you even have what it take to do that?”

“Oh please~ Do you think you are that great just because you made him say ‘make love to me’ during a roleplay. Did you think I am that dumb not to have it figured out? You hurt me!” Gin explained in mocking yet dramatic voice, irritating the pureblood.

“…”

“Oh! And do you think I don’t know that you were tempted to erase my memory of witnessing the kiss in Cross’s house? Except, you are aware that many others know about my feelings for Zero, so doing that will do you more harm than good because it will not make me back down from pursuing him. So, you took this opportunity to make it clear that Zero was yours. I honestly pity you for falling in the same predicament as I did. Falling in love with a man who do not even believe in such emotion. Roleplaying in order to let your feelings out without the risk of losing him, drowning in a fantasy-“

Gin lecture was interrupted by Kaname grabbing his collar, a hint of red in his eyes, “You should be smart enough to know that I have other ways to make you back off, namely your family.”

Gin brought his face closer, “Yuki would not allow any harm to befall them, and you cannot go against her.”

Kaname let out a baffled laugh, “He doesn’t even care about you after using you once, what makes you think you stand a chance.”

Grey eyes shone, “If both of us were placed on a scale, I am sure that it will tilt towards Moriya Gin.”

“Haah? That is some confidence you have.” Kaname laughed, letting go of the collar.

“I should be. After all, I am not the creature he despises the most. You might be good in bed, but that all he sees in you.” Gin struck at the worst nerve.

“And you think you can best me with that? You know that his carnal desires have a high priority for him, more than any emotion you throw at him.” Kaname struck back, putting himself down as it applied to both of them.

“That is another difference between us.” Gin pointed out

“What?”

“I am not looking towards giving him what he wants to win him over. I will be providing him with what he needs, he is oblivious to such things, but that will make him unable to live without me on the long run. Of course, that is not something you will ever be able to do because you can never care for him openly.” another nerve gets struck.

Kaname ran a hand through his hair in a graceful manner and sneered at the human, “I will advise you to back off if you know what is better for you.” the threating note did not go unnoticed.

*Splash*

Wine orb widened as a piece of ice passed close to them going down to the floor. The cold sensation of the bourbon pouring on his brown locks left him speechless, looking at the grey-eyed man who stood, holding the glass on top of his head, sneering down on him in turn.

Gin placed the empty glass on the counter with enough grace that seemed to go in a slow motion. He brought face close to Kaname’s “You do not scare me Kuran. I sincerely pity you. I will do whatever I need to do. If you want to get in my way, bring it on. I will gladly take you out for good.” He pushed his weight against the counter he was leaning on. He paid for both their drinks and left the dripping wet pureblood with one last remark, “Oh! I meant every single word I said, better keep it in mind! Good night.”

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sigh* What can I say? Gin just got promoted to a major OC with the role of being Kaname’s nemesis thanks to miketsukami13  
> 
> REVIEWS PLEASE!!!
> 
>  


	32. chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! I was surprised to see so many reviews for the last chapter XD   
> I expected the mixed feelings that will come with the new twist and I enjoyed reading how you felt about it as well as the critics, Thank you very much for taking the time to drop those reviews, as always *kiss*  
> I consider this chapter as a necessary filler, so please don’t kill me if you found it a bit boring because it is needed for the next development.   
> “Enjoy!”

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Having slept directly after Kaname left, Zero woke up at the sound of his alarm. Smashing the object, He groggily opened one lazy eye. He groaned as soon as he saw the state of the room. _Kaname was in a hurry to leave somehow!_

The hunter braced himself to find his place looking as if a hurricane blew right through it. Looking at the empty side of his bed, he found Kaname’s jacket lying next to him. He pulled it and was about to get out of bed when the pictures taken at the restaurant fell from the pocket, he picked one up, eyes narrowing at the sight. In the photograph, His eyes were shut while Kaname was kissing his jawbone. The next one was of him glaring at the smirking pureblood through his golden colored lenses. The last one captured the closeness of their faces when a blushing Zero was about to hide in the crook of Kaname’s neck. The happy look of the brunet irked him for how much fun he seemed to be having.

He grabbed his phone and typed the message,

Zero :: “You forgot the pictures.”

Kaname :: “Oh? I will take them next time I come by. Did you incinerate the shirt?”

Zero :: “I will now.”  
Kaname :: “How is your body?”

Zero :: “Fine. I am not going to give you the pictures, after all.” Zero sent the message, smirking as he looked at the photograph.

Kaname :: “NO you will! I am not letting you burn them. Coming right now.”

Laughing hard, Zero sent a reply quickly.

Zero :: “Idiot! I will keep them hidden here at my place. I won’t feel at ease having them anywhere close to your clique. Perfect as the disguise might be, my face is recognizable if seen by someone who faced me daily for years. The difference in hair and eye’s color won’t do the trick.”

Kaname :: “Fine.” The pureblood typed the answer and relaxed in his passenger seat. _Oh well! I should take it as good sign that he decided to keep them._

“You seem to be in a better mood,” Takuma asked, glancing at his friend.

“I am” Kaname answered.

“You still won’t tell me why whoever spilled their drink on your head did it?” Takuma probed, he was shocked to see his friend materialize dripping wet and reeking of alcohol when he called him back to the academy. The cold look on the pureblood eyes sent chill down Takuma’s spine because it seems as if he was about to kill someone.

“I told you that some drunk got himself knocked over and spilled his drink on me.” Kaname answered

“Right.” Takuma nodded slowly looking ahead at the road. Kaname tilted the seat back and relaxed for the long ride.

Ten minutes later, his phone rang. Seeing that the brunet had no plan on opening his eyes, Takuma took the device from the charging slot and checked the caller ID.

“Kaname… I believe Kiryuu-kun is calling.” Takuma announced, frowning at the screen showing the first name of the hunter along with a sideway picture of him. The noble sighed in exasperation, worried about the pureblood.

“Plug it in the speaker.” The sleepy vampire mumbled.

“What? What if he hears me…” Takuma was flabbergasted. _I said I will keep the secret but I have no interest in hearing you two flirting._

As if reading his mind, Kaname opened one eye, “He is not one to flirt or sweet talk over the phone, just plug it, he must have forgotten to tell me something else earlier. Make sure to keep quiet.”

“Oh!” Takuma understood then that the messages making the pureblood smile were from the silverette.

“Ah!” he gave a sheepish smile as the phone call ended before he could touch the answering button. Just when Takuma was about to apologize, it rang again. He quickly answered this time. That is when they both realized how huge of a mistake they made by relying on the booming speakers of the car.

“KANAME YOU MOTHERFUCKER! I AM SO GOING TO KILL YOU!” The pureblood quickly muffled Takuma’s surprised yelp and picked the phone to his ear.

“What is going on?”

“What is going? WHAT IS GOING ON? Thanks to whatever you did to me yesterday… Shit! Shit! this can’t be happening!” Zero frustration was clear in his voice.

“Zero?” Kaname asked cautiously.

“Fuckin Gin came into the house while we were fucking. THAT IS WHAT IS GOING ON? AND I DID NOT HEAR OR SMELL A THING.”

“Oh! How can you be so sure that he came then?” Kaname wondered if the source of his irritation told Zero that he saw them.

“There is Korean food on my kitchen counter and the key I gave Ichiru, I am sure as hell to not have order it and Ichiru is certainly not the one who came. NOW YOU TELL ME! Why the fuck did I let you dull my senses. Did you hear him coming? What the fuck were you thinking?”

Kaname rubbed his temples, inwardly cursing at his carelessness for not removing evidences of Gin coming by before he went to meet him.

“Zero… Did you ask him before you react like that?”

“Did not!” Zero growled, “I will go and meet him soon. If he saw or heard anything, you know what will happen… and don’t you dare show your face around me for a while… Un-fucking-believable!” The peeved hunter hang up right after his threat.

Kaname stared at the phone for a moment until Ichijou snapped him out of his daze, “What was that about?” Takuma wondered as he could hear Zero’s screaming over the phone.

“Rejoice my friend; your wish might come true sooner than expected.” Kaname spoke with bitter sarcasm. The last thing he needed was Zero rubbing his carelessness to his face, even indirectly. Now that his head cooled down, he realized how stupid last night’s actions were, how impulsively he acted and how downright immature his decision was. He could have approached it differently. Even without his powers, he should have been smart enough to deal with a nuisance otherwise. Not only did he fail, but he also gave Gin the opportunity to ruin his fragile connection with Zero. He could not believe that the fate of what they have lies in the words that the blue-haired teacher will blurt when Zero asks him about last night. Kaname screwed his eyes shut.

“You want to go talk to him.” Takuma whispered, noticing the angst seeping from the pureblood’s aura.

“He does not want to see my face for a while.” Kaname deadpanned.

“That is not going to be possible.” Takuma chuckled, earning the attention of his friend who gave him a look to elaborate. “Our destination right now will give you no other choice.”

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back in Zero’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Zero stood in his kitchen, staring at the food and key as if they would be blown to dust under his gaze, or disappear as a fragment of his imagination. _There is no freaking way Kaname did not hear him coming, what is he playing at? damnit, I should not have agreed to that blindfold in the first place! Gin’s voice was weird just now, but that may be because he just woke up._

Anger, worries and frustration boiled inside the hunter until the ringing of his phone gave him an outlet.

“WHAT?”

“What is what? You hung up like that and then your phone was busy. What is going on?” Ichiru asked, having a bad feeling from the previous phone call that Zero gave him.

“Ichiru… I don’t feel like talking right now.” Zero hissed.

“What happened with Gin? I assumed he stayed over when he did not come back, but you call and ask me if I gave him my key to your place…”

“Ichiru, stop it!”

“Why?”

“Because… I did not even see him or hear him when he came in. That is why!” Zero screamed.

“Were you that deep asleep?” Ichiru wondered how exhausted his brother must have been until a frustrated groan startled him.

“NO! I was just fucking somebody, which is the big deal. There you have it, happy now?”

“WHAT?!!!” Ichiru paled upon connecting the dots, _oh shit!_

“Yes Ichiru… I fucking told you to have him go back, I told you I ate a bloody dinner, I told you I was going to sleep…. but no~ you just had to be a blockhead and send him over… Well here is the deal from now on, I am not returning this key and you will never, and I say never try to set me up again. Oh! And I will never get together with Gin.”

Ichiru was speechless for a moment before mumbling, “… your phone was not off…”

“Hah?”

“You did not turn off your phone, how was I supposed to know?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Geez Nii-san! You have the habit of turning off your phone whenever you are cruising.” Ichiru face palmed himself for screwing up, it was not a first for Zero to ditch them for his own hobby, but still.

“Well so sorry I failed to follow a code you single-mindedly crafted in your little brain.” Zero spat as he hung up again, too irritated to take anymore.

He proceeded to put whatever he could find on and leave.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the hotel where Gin spent the night ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

An awkward silence stretched as they both sat at the table after picking their breakfast from the open buffet of the restaurant. Zero’s nerves were strained to the limits as Gin skillfully avoided divulging whether he saw or heard something the night before. The ethic teacher acted like his usual cheerful self, beaming about how happy he was about getting a sudden date with the hunter, making Zero’s eyes roll in annoyance.

The human finally decided to break the silence after taking a sip of his coffee, “Ichiru told me that you were about to sleep.”

Zero’s hands stilled from torturing the scrambled eggs with the fork. He looked up to Gin’s face, noticing the wistful expression he had.

“And?” Zero urged as he placed the fork softly.

Gin sighed at the look Zero gave him. “So~ I did my best to open the door as softly as I could and practically tiptoed inside. If I found you asleep, I planned to place the food in the fridge and leave.”

Zero rubbed his temples and wiped his face before giving Gin an apologetic look. The human chuckled, “You don’t have to look like that. It is my fault for not announcing myself before barging in. Still, I did not expect that you had a crossdressing hobby.”

Zero’s eyes widened, “Did you see? I mean… what I was…”

Gin reacted to the expected reaction, “No no! I did not make it to the source of the sound; I just saw the scattered clothes… It was already hard for me to hear he muffled sounds of pleasure knowing that the person I love is sleeping with another, I don’t think I would have liked seeing the actual act.” He finally eased Zero’s worry judging from the way that his shoulders slumped in relief. _Lucky for you Kuran that I did not want to ruin the good time Zero seemed to be having this time around. Judging from the restless phone call, the fidgety behavior and his worried look, it seems he internally wish that I did not see or hear a thing. haaa… I am really weak against that worried face!_ He grinned unconsciously; _besides, I won’t rely on methods as low as exposing the affair to make them break up so that I can woo him. It is more fun to have him choose me over Kuran, fair and square._

Zero blushed at the blunt statement, “Sorry for the awkward situation. I don’t know how to apologize. I should have told Ichiru to back off more sternly… Gosh! This is weird”

Gin made fun of him for a while. “Actually” he had a serious expression all of a sudden, “I talked with Kaito before. Sorry, but I am a blabbermouth when it comes to my feelings… Anyways, he kind of advised to give up on you.”

Zero nodded as he drank his juice, “You should heed his advice.”

“I won’t.” Gin pouted, “But that is not what I wanted to say. He kind of told me that there was someone you have been seeing frequently.”

Zero rolled his eyes, “Great way of making you give up!” he drawled.

“Right!” Gin snickered, “But I was wondering about it for some time… I mean… You’re pretty famous for the motto of not sleeping with the same guy twice.”

Zero quirked an eyebrow before sighing, “I would like to know about that as much as you do.”

“Are you dating?” Gin taunted.

“Hell no!” Zero snapped, surprised that he would even consider it, “I told you a million times that I don’t do relationships.”  

“So it is just physical.”

“Obviously!”

“Was he the one with you last night?”

Zero nodded, facing his plate because of the intense look Gin was giving him.

With a clap, the grey-eyed human decided to drop the topic and have breakfast in peace. Afterward, Gin excused himself saying that he needed to go somewhere after making Zero promise to meet at K-bar later that evening.

The hunter felt like a burden lifted off his shoulder, but he was not about to let it go just like that. He immediately swung by Ichiru’s to give him another lecture about his nosy habits, but ended up keeping the sulky younger twin company because Aido could not spend the entire day with him on his birthday.

                                                                                                                            

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ later that evening at Ichiru’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Unbelievable!” Kaito stared in disbelief at the two silverettes curled up with each other in bed.

“I have to admit that they look cute… Ah! They are waking up.” Gin chuckled at the sight of a frowning Zero waking up.

“You would not say that after seeing them like this your whole life. HEY! WAKE UP YOU SHITHEADS! We have been waiting for you since an hour ago and you are snoozing here.” Kaito screamed and pulled the covers.

“Shut up!” Zero groaned.

“You shut up! The birthday boys not showing up for the toast in their honor, what kind of sick joke is that.”

“No birthday~” Ichiru whined,

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Kaito growled, he felt stupid for being too eager about this. It was after all their first birthday that they will celebrate together with the hazel-eyed hunter after more than a decade of separation and reuniting in the grimmest conditions possible.  

“I don’t want to know that I am getting one year closer to becoming old and wrinkly.” Ichiru scowled as he sat on the bed with an amazing case of bed head.

“For fuck’s sake.” Kaito face palmed himself. 

Gin finally intervened and coaxed the twins into getting ready and leave. The bickering of Ichiru and Kaito in the back seat has animated the ride to K-bar, as short as it might have been.

Zero blinked few times at the way Kaito sprinted to the bar as soon as the car stopped. Dismissing it as his way of sulking, he took his time parking and leaving with his pouting brother. Ichiru was in a super sour mood about everything because he wished to spend a special day with his lover instead.

 

*chime of the door opening*

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ZERO, ICHIRU!”

Both startled as the party popper blew in their faces, making them take two steps back. Zero scowled at the action, unlike the previously sulking Ichiru who jumped up and down before jumping Aido who was holding the nefarious object called party popper.

“Baka! Baka! Baka! Here I thought you went to your lab leaving me like that. Meanie.” Ichiru scolded in the cute voice reserved only for his golden haired vampire.

“Zeroooo! Happy birthday, let papa hug you on this speci-omphh” Cross dramatic embrace was interrupted with the sole of Zero’s foot connecting with his face, leaving his hands flailing without reaching the silver hunter, “Quit that, disgusting!”

All guest chuckled at the interaction, and that is when he realized the number of people coming to celebrate. The fact that the bar was empty with a closed sign outside did not go unnoticed, neither the elaborate decoration nor the colored light. _How long have they been preparing for this_. His violet eyes landed on the night class clique, Wakaba Sayori, Yuki and lastly Kuran Kaname. Zero did not hesitate to send him the deadliest glare before looking away.

The merry atmosphere was more cheerful thanks to the presence of a great mood booster, called Keiichi, who had a knack of stealing the limelight, until he fell asleep in Zero’s arms. When the end of the party drew closer, Ichiru suggested that Zero would play some piano before opening the gifts. He wanted to have a memory of his playing since Kaien was recording the whole event.

“Are you seriously making a star of the event entertain the guests?” Gin joked, earning a dejected look from the human twin after Zero scoffed about the whole celebration being just stupid. _How old do they think we are to throw a freaking birthday party! six? I swear they jump on the tiniest excuse to party lately._

“Ah! I have a great idea.” Yuki raised a hand from her seat, eyes sparkling. When all eyes turned her way she pointed to Kaname who was enjoying a drink by the bar, conversing with Ryou. “Onii-sama is good at playing the piano as well; he can play something if you want. Ne?” She gave Kaname the puppy eyes look, making him swallow any refusal he was thinking of.

Red brown eyes met amethyst orbs for the briefest moment before he made his way to the grand piano. Everyone were expecting a birthday themed song to be played, but the pureblood surprised them with another nice piece. Zero scoffed softly as he placed Keiichi in the bed that Rima brought with her. The pureblood was apparently teasing him by playing the same piece as yesterday at Paradiso.

After hearing it for the second time, Zero was set on knowing the name. Since his brother had a vast directory when it comes to modern music, unlike the classic oriented hunter, Zero leaned close to ask him. However, Kaito nudged his shoulder, making him give up on the inquiry when Zero looked at his serious face.  

“Hey, I forgot to tell you before. Last week, someone came looking for you, a foreigner. He asked for your address, but I told him to leave his contact and that you would call him. He did not give a good vibe so I did not want him knowing your address. He said he will be back to Japan this week, today maybe.”

Zero frowned, “What was his name?”

Kaito searched inside his wallet and gave the piece of paper to his fellow hunter. Zero’s eyes widened in horror at the sight of the name ‘Marco’, the ex-boyfriend that Ichiru sent to jail previously.

Kaito cleared his throat, not noticing the reaction of the silver haired hunter. “And, about what we agreed on?”

Zero nodded, “I already arranged my schedule for that. You can go have the sweet time you need with him.”

“You’re the best.” Kaito tapped on Zero’s shoulder in appreciation.

The hunter smirked at him, “So, how did you find your masochist side?”

Kaito glanced at him, confused so he added, “The bite that you made such elaborate arrangement for.”

Kaito groaned, “Don’t remind me!”

“That bad?” Zero chuckled,

“I would not know since it did not happen.”

“Huh?”

“Before you throw a smart ass remark, I did tell him to do it. The reaction I got tells me never to dare say it again. I think he almost blasted me to pieces when I pushed him into it.”

Zero was amazed to say the least, he expected Kaito to chicken out but never Takuma to refuse the ‘meal’, the next thing Kaito said raised the esteem he already had for the vampire, “He apparently never bit a human in his whole life and not planning on doing so, even if he desired my blood really badly.” Kaito sighed looking at his lover who was helping the pregnant Yuki open Zero’s presents.

 

As much as Ichiru enjoyed opening his own presents like a five years old, Zero always left the honor to his equally childish adoptive sister who would show him the presents one by one. He had to admit liking the leather jacket that Cross got him, only for it to end up a present from Yagari-sensei. That brought a sad smile on the hunter’s face, for he was missing his master.  

 

“Oh my God! These look so cool Zero!” The hunter tilted his head to see what his sister was holding. He winced internally when he saw a set of silver earrings with a small skull pattern on them matching the one Zero usually wears. _Not another…_

“Moriya sensei, this is such a good choice. It kind of suits his image.” Zero’s eyes widened when Yuki complimented the gift coming from the smiling teacher.

“Come here; let me put them on for you. It is about time you change those high school old- “ Zero tried to push Yuki away but her monstrous pureblood strength allowed her to outrun him and lift the hair to uncover his right ear. Her big brown eyes grew bigger when she noticed the piece that was never there before. “When did you get this one, I had never seen it before?” She expressed her curiosity aloud, leading to others coming to have a closer look, including Gin.

“I just got it recently.” He answered fast, briefly glancing in direction of the gift giver. A common speech bubble came out of two heads saying ‘Kaname’s gift”. Takuma sighed at the antics of his friend while pitying the teacher who was obviously trying his best to woo the silver haired hunter.

On the other hand, Gin started to regret not telling Zero that he walked in on them out of spite because the pureblood just ruined the perfect gift he thought of. Both rivals exchanged a glare, although they were both disturbed by the fact that they thought of the same gift.

As blunt as usual, Kaito whistled and patted Gin’s shoulder, “Sorry dude, but that thing there is just awesome.”

“uhuh, for once, you managed to get something decent nii-san, about time for you to graduate from the lunatic way you dress.” Ichiru had to _pour_ oil on fire.

The party finally ended with Hanabusa offering a present to Ichiru in the form of a marriage form application according to the human law, in order for Ichiru to change his name from Kiryuu to Aido officially.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

As agreed with Kaito previously, Zero went back to Cross Academy again to take over the chairman duty for the week that Kaito is leaving with Takuma for some time away. The hazel-eyed hunter literally begged his friend to do him the favor when Takuma informed his that he was forced into taking a week-long vacation. Juggling the duties of assisting three purebloods together took a toll on him and Isaya had to step in and pull him out of the duty when he noticed how exhausted he looked during an association meeting.

The silver haired hunter resumed the job with less apprehension than when he was first wrestled into doing it by his mentor. However, somethings never change.

 

_∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8_

 

_The harsh slaps against his face left a dull pain as his consciousness started slipping away, his blurry eyes tried their best to focus on whoever trying to get his attention. Oh! How he wished he never had to when the vile smirk greeted him along with the fangs dripping with his blood. “Now… Now… hunter-san, I need you awake so that you scream for me as I enter you sweet virgin v-“_

_∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8_

 

“HAH!” Zero jumped on the bed, breaking in cold sweat like anytime his nightmare creeped on his peaceful sleep. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat, the nauseous feeling made him rush to the bathroom to empty the content of his stomach. He rose weakly from the toilet seat he was hugging to wash his mouth.

“I look like shit.” He commented on his own reflection. He felt worse when he heard Gin voice calling him for breakfast. He remembered that the teacher decided to spend the night even though his place was only a five minutes’ walk away. His persistence was starting to grate on Zero’s nerves.

“Good morning! Are you okay, I heard the retching…” Gin asked worriedly.

“I am fine.”

“Are you sure… I heard vampires don’t get-“

“I said I am fine… Do not stereotype me with the others.” Zero snapped, sitting with the coffee mug in hand. He looked at the food on the table, but ended up pushing it away.

The last straw snapped when Gin started lecturing him about eating, “Look Gin! Whatever you are trying to do, it won’t work. I will cut the chase and get to the point. I do not appreciate you hogging my private space, imposing things on me and all this… this… whatever you call it. You like me, I get it. I let it go for the sake of our friendship, but if you go on acting like this. I might have to discard even that.”

Zero felt bad for dampening the older man’s mood, but he could take no more of it after waking up on the wrong side that morning. Luckily, Gin was as understanding as usual and acted with more caution around the cranky hunter. Zero went on with his day, the routine of the time he worked here kicked fast. Everything went well except the irritation of having to work with Kaname due to the absence of the ash blond noble.

“You don’t look so good?” The brunet commented on the paler than normal skin.

“You are the last one I want to hear that from.” Zero mumbled as he signed the paper that he handed to the pureblood in a not so gentle manner. Kaname quirked an eyebrow. “Don’t ask, don’t talk, just go. I seriously don’t want to remember more irritating matters that will come up with you.”

Kaname agreed reluctantly, knowing from experience that he would not get anywhere with Zero when the hunter is in one of those foul mood.

The workload was not that much thankfully, thus, Zero packed to go back and get more than the half an hour sleep he had been surviving on all day long.

Unfortunately, the day was just getting worse for the hunter. In front of Cross’s house, Zero saw a figure he recognized too well. He was about to turn around and flee when a thick American accent reached his ear, “Isn’t it rude to turn around after seeing my face, sweetheart!”

_Fuck my life!_

The silver haired ex-human turned to face a page of his life that he wished to erase, “Marco…” he hissed.

“Happy to see me aren’t you?…” The taller man approached the hunter in a casual fashion as if they were together an hour ago.

“Yeah right!” Zero scoffed as he crossed his arms, “What is your business here?” he got right to the point.

“Aww… Not gonna offer me a drink, for old times sake?” He purred as he leaned closer to the retreating hunter.

Just when Zero was about to retort, a baritone voice echoed in time with a hand that gripped the intruder’s shoulder, “It is very obvious that you are not welcome inside, Mr!  I advise you to state your business as he requested.” Zero had hard time believing that the fluent serious English was spoken by Gin who was towering over Marco.

An irrelevant observation flashed through the hunter’s head, _Okay… Gin is seriously huge! I mean… Marco is lean and above average in height, but he looks scrawny besides him._ Zero frowned trying to picture how he actually looks next the grey-eyed man.

The sly smile on Marco’s face disappeared instantly when faced with the fierce look Gin gave him. “Relax man, I am not trying to hit on him if you are his man.” He tested

Seeing that Zero did not bother denying told Gin that the hunter wanted nothing more than to get rid of the foreigner.

“What is your business then…” He took over the conversation while Zero steeled his nerve, hugging his arm.

“I just… I just wanted to chat and… apologize for wronging him in the past… nothing more… You know getting on better terms.”

“How did you assume that I might want to have anything to do with you anymore?” Zero hissed, seeing through the bullshit of his ex-boyfriend.

“Come on… We were young and made mistakes, the both of us.” Marco empathized on the last part to remind Zero of his unfaithfulness. “ I just wanted to turn a new leaf, it is actually part of my rehab.”

Zero sighed and dropped his once crossed arms, “There is no new leaf to turn here Marco, if you came all the way here just for that, then I am sorry to tell you that your trip wasn’t worth it. Let’s both forget we ever met and go on with our life without having anything to do with each other. I hold no grudge against you, so you can take that as part of your rehab and go.” Zero explained and pointed to the way leading to the campus gate.

The offended foreigner let out a sneer akin to disgust, “Oh really! That is good to hear, but do you think I have no grudge against you ether?”

Zero stiffened at the chilling tone,

“In fact, Tiera told me an interesting story when she came to spit on my face in prison-“

“That is enough.” Gin grabbed the collar of the annoying man and pulled him up a little to frighten him, “No one here is interested in hearing your bullshit, Scram!” The threatening tone left no room for argument in the cowardly mind of the unwanted guest.

“Fine!” Marco screamed back and yanked Gin’s hand away, he pointed to Zero, showing his true colors before leaving, “This isn’t over Z.”

 _Life seriously sucks,_ Zero thought as he watched the man stomp away. Gin merely looked at him, waiting for a reaction. Dull amethyst eye met his before Zero made his way to the house, making sure that Gin does not follow, “I will not talk about it if that is what you are wondering. I will deal with my issues myself.” he paused before turning his head sideway to look at the teacher, “But thanks for coming to my rescue, there.” He was truly thankful because he was too shaken up to see Marco so soon that he had no confidence he would have handled the pushy man well.

“You’re welcome!” Gin grinned before waving and parting ways with Zero.

The rest of the day was as peaceful as it could be for Zero as long as he had some quality time with his best friend, white lily. He was grateful to the loyalty of the horse. Liking the way she would welcome him in her usual gruff attitude.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Just as he said, Marco made sure to come and pester the silverette, again. Zero expected it since he figured that the guy did not change much even after getting sacked. They finally tied any loose ends and came to the mutual agreement of butting out of each other’s life. After he left, Zero felt drained. Not only did not get enough sleep, his nightmares plagued more than before, more vivid than usual, thus, more sickening. He opened the top buttons of his shirt and ran his fingers through his hair. _How am I going to go through with this week?_

 

Zero’s anxiety started to subside by Wednesday. The fact that Marco did not call back and that neither Kaname nor Gin came his way, abiding by his request helped a lot. However, He woke up that day feeling feverish despite the cold snowy weather outside. _Great, that is just what I needed right now!_

He flung the covers and got ready to tackle yet another day of annoying paperwork swearing never to substitute again.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Wednesday evening ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Moriya-sensei!!! How come you never tell us about your wife, some rumors around say the ring is just for show~” Zero rolled his eyes upon listening to the squeal of the day class girls a distance away from where he was. Zero used every spare minute to spend time with White Lily ever since the caretaker told him how restless she was. The horse neighed as he brushed her light colored hair, “That’s a good girl, everything is going to be alright.” he patter her swollen abdomen, “I guess you share something in common with Yuki.” he chuckled, “Although she would not be happy if I were to say it.”

His mind wandered to a brown haired pureblood whom he had been pushing away for a while. He felt a pang of regret, but tried not to dwell on it by deciding to call him over as soon as he gets back to his place.

 

“Come on girls~ it is about time you go to your dorms. I will not discuss my private life with a bunch of wet behind the ears teenagers, in ten years later maybe.” Gin finally chased away the starry-eyed teenagers as soon as he caught glimpse of the silverette outside the stable. He joined him, staying behind the fences as soon as the white horse gave him a warning sound and a stomp.

“It is amazing that they kept such a wild mare in a school establishment. Wouldn’t Cross have issues with the authority since they put the safety of the students first.” Gin commented.

Zero sighed, “He probably does.” The hunter would deny such an accusation any other day before he took the Chairman position a while ago. He unconsciously smiled when he remembered the papers of reports and the penalties that the ex-hunter paid on each inspection for keeping the so-called “horse from hell”. Zero could easily figure out the reason behind paying those amounts of money and keeping it a secret all these years instead of getting rid of the horse.

 

Seeing that it was almost nighttime and that Lily has calmed down considerably, Zero joined Gin for a stroll across the forest to the lake.

“Did that man come to bother you again after that day?” Gin could not help but ask. The question was eating at him.

“You don’t have to be so nervous.” Zero chuckled, pointing to Gin’s left hand. “You tend to turn that ring with your thumb when you are.”

Gin raised both eyebrows, “Observant aren’t we.”

Zero shrugged in response, “Occupational hazard. It is fine, we settled things like the adults we are, daddy.”

Gin scoffed, “Why do I seem to doubt the ‘adult’ term when you are the one claiming it.”

“Oi! You can say that only if you were over a decade older than me, which you are not. So shut up.”

 

“Zero~! Moriya-sensei~!” The cheery voice of Yuki made both heads turn in the direction of the voice. Zero could not help the snort that escaped him when the pregnant pureblood came closer. He had to cover his mouth to muffle the chuckle that threatened to erupt into a loud laughter.

Yuki caught on the action and jabbed him with difficulty, her cheeks already puffed up and mouth pouting. “Can you be anymore insensitive, jerk!”

Zero finally burst in laughter for some time. It calmed down when Kaname joined them, but his lips were still quivering, “But… You…pfft… Nevermind.”

“Come out and say it, that I look like a whale.” Yuki scoffed.

“I was going to say a ball of fur, but that seems more fitting.” Zero teased. He really could not help it when Yuki was stuffed in multiple layers of clothes, a beanie, ear protections, gloves, and God only knows what else that made her look twice her original size, which was by no means small with her pregnant belly.

The remark earned a kick in the shin. “I would not have to go through this if not because of my pregnancy.” Yuki whined. Her body became more sensitive to the weather than when she was a human and she was greatly displeased with the fact.

“Why are you wandering outside if you cannot handle the cold then?” Gin asked curiously.

Yuki blew hot air in her covered palms and covered her nose as she answered, “I got bored with staying indoor all the time, and the doctor said that walking around might help my labor. _however,_ since onii-sama does not allow me to go out unattended, I ambushed him and had him come with me.”

“Hmm? You sure have it tough.” Yuki nodded, Gin grinned and leaned closer to her, “Actually, to speed up the labor, you can also use the method of-“ *BANG*

“Ouch!” Gin held the back of his head and looked at Zero with teary eyes.

“Zero, why did you have to hit him?” Yuki scolded him as she extended her hand to check for any bumps on the crouching man’s head.

“I will have you know that I held back, considering what this sleazy pervert was about to say.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Yuki gave them a clueless look, making Zero slap his own face for forgetting how obtuse his sister can get when it comes to dirty insinuations. The same thought flashed through the three males’ heads, _too innocent!_

“That was mean Zero~” Gin whined dramatically, making a silver eyebrow twitch in annoyance, but then he turned to look at the indifferent brunet standing next to his pregnant partner, “Then again, maybe I should have given the advice to the father instead. About the ways to ease her frustration and induce labors.” Gin drawled it to the point that even the obtuse Yuki figured out what he meant, turning beet red at the insinuation.

Kaname answered with an unaffected straight face, “I am sure that Yuki would request it if there is a way for me to help, like the walk today. You do not have to worry about how we deal with matters like this.”

The grey-eyed teacher was about to taunt the pureblood more, but was rewarded with a jab from the silverette that made his big form double over, “That seriously hurt. What is the big deal! I am just joking around, aren’t we all adults here?”

“Except that the one you are talking about is my sister, blockhead!” Zero growled, his cheek heating up while pointing in Yuki’s direction. He really did not need to hear about such things either.

Yuki’s chuckle interrupted the bickering, “You two get along surprisingly well.”

Zero frowned, “How the hell did you come to such conclusion?”

Yuki tilted her head, “Am I wrong? You seem to be enjoying yourself around Moriya-san. Not to mention that you allow him to call you on first name basis,” she noted.

Zero sighed, “This guy gets on first name with anyone five minutes after talking to them.” Gin was about to interject but Yuki beat him to it.

“But you don’t seem to mind It.” she added

Zero clammed up.

“Is it that rare?” Gin inquired curiously.

Yuki tapped a finger against her lips and nodded, pointing to Zero, “There are people who have known this guy since middle school and they still call him Kiryuu, and if they dared go to first name basis, this guy gives them that cold glare of his like this” Yuk tried to mimic the glare “ and make them regret it. I swear that look says, ‘who do you think you are acting all chummy with me, Die!’”

“You’re over exaggerating.” Zero deadpanned.

the pregnant brunette put her hands on her no longer existing hips, “Oh really? Onii-sama, how about you try it?” She winked at Kaname who gave a small mischievous smile that made Zero’s heart skip a beat. _Don’t you dare!_

“Sure. Since you are saying that she is exaggerating, you should not mind me calling you Zero from now on. Zero.” The pureblood purposely made the name roll in an overly familiar manner. Three pairs of wide eyes looked his way.

“Creepy!” Zero scrunched his face, squared his shoulders and took a step back. Kaname quirked an eyebrow at the reaction.

“That is rude Zero,” Gin teased, “I would say that it sounded a bit _unnatural.”_ Red-brown eyes sent him a murderous look.

“Umm… Sorry onii-sama, I should not have forced you into something you are not comfortable with.” Yuki patted his shoulder, “Promise me that you will keep calling him the way you did all these years. I hate to say this, but it did sound creepy.” Both Zero and Yuki nodded at the same time.

Kaname shrugged, satisfied with the reaction he received, although it irked him to be called creepy. _He won’t have to give a lecture about acting too familiar later at least._

“What are you doing out here anyway?” Yuki asked the two men.

“We are ta-“ Zero started, but Gin interrupted him.

“I am actually trying my best to court this brother of yours,” he announced pointing to Zero. A sudden silence followed with a whoosh of cold wind greeted the declaration before the shrill voice of Yuki broke in a squeal with her hands covering her mouth later.

Zero and Kaname watched as the brown-haired woman made the disturbing action that was meant to be an exciting jumping. Furious amethyst eyes met amused grey eyed orbs.

“Oh my God! Since when?” Yuki squealed more, making Zero cringe.

“He rejected me though…” Gin gave her a dejected puppy look, internally amused at the frustration that the brown haired man should be feeling right about then.

Yuki jabbed Zero to make him snap out of his murderous thoughts, “Have you even given any thoughts about it before rejecting him. I am so sure you didn’t.”

“Oi!” Zero glowered down at her, “It is none of your business, and _you_ better watch that mouth of yours.” pointing to Gin.

“What is your reason then?” Yuki insisted.

Zero remained silent, ignoring the sister.

“It is not like you have someone you love last time I checked.” She probed more while fuming, “And here I thought that you two would make such a great couple.”

Kaname failed to notice the brief glance of amethyst eyes gave him while he was trying his best not to rip the arm that Gin placed on Zero’s shoulder.

“I may not, but that does not mean I have to accept.” Zero snapped,

“Why not? What does he lack?” Yuki retorted, forgetting about the two other men standing with them as she fell into the usual bickering with her brother, “You are always like that… Give me one reason why you would not consider him… good looking, scholar, and aware of the fact that you are a vampire while being human. Aren’t you always saying that you will never settle with a vampire and a human won’t be able to bear your burden-“

“For fuck’s sake! What are you? my mother?” Zero growled, he looked at Gin, “Good job trying to get her blessing smarty pants because you lost all chances you might have had left. This is so stupid! I am outta here” He snapped at him and turned around, stomping away from the group.

“Wait Zer-“ Yuki called out, flustered by the realization that she might have said too much and made things worse. Gin tapped on her shoulder, smiling, “No worries, Yuki-chan. It is not like I will give up just from that.” he winked at her, “I am glad that you are not against it though.”

Yuki shrugged, “I can’t believe how stubborn he can get. As happy as I am, I can’t help but pity you for falling for him.”

Kaname tuned out their chattering in favor of following the hunter with his gaze, his lips curled up slightly when the moonlight reflected the glint of silver.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Later that night ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

He sensed his presence before hearing the unlocked door opening. Too tired to get up from the couch in the middle of the dark living room, he grumbles, “What brings _you_ here?”

“Have you eaten already?”

“No, and I don’t have the energy to cook anything it that is what you came for. Go ask your chef to make you something, King of vampires!” Zero bit sarcastically, curling more in his position as the sickening feeling increased.

Kaname ignored the remark and disappeared into the kitchen. The hunter’s ear twitched at the sound of the rattling utensils and the stove being turned on. Moments later, he heard the sizzling before the smell of sautéed vegetables hit his nose.

He picked his groggy form and made his way to the source of the mouthwatering smell. In the kitchen, the regal pureblood was cutting ingredients and putting them in a pot, adding spices and water according to a paper stuck on the wall in front of him. While the smell distracted the hunter standing by the door, the whistle of the kettle startled him.

Long fingers gripped the handle and poured the boiling water into Zero’s mug, adding an herbal infusion as well as one teaspoon of sugar. With the mug in hand, Kaname moved towards the hunter, took his hand and guided him to sit at the table, “Here, drink this and relax until dinner is ready, I will be right back.”

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I mentioned, this was a bit of a filler, I personally did not enjoy writing it as much as the previous chapters, but I found the transition to the next one too abrupt and confusing if I did not elaborate on few ideas in this one.   
> A little hint for future chapters, Ai’s birth will happen in the next couple of chapters. I assume you can guess what that means XD   
> I quote eboneykg’s review for this. *wink*  
> ‘OMG IT'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN’  
> Thank you all for reading XD


	33. chapter33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the previous chapter 
> 
> Warning for future chapters: For those who are sensitive to angst and drama, there will be a lot of those coming up, better be careful :p. Meanwhile enjoy the fluffiness while it last XD

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Long fingers gripped the handle and poured the boiling water into Zero’s mug, adding an herbal infusion as well as one teaspoon of sugar. With the mug in hand, Kaname moved towards the hunter, took his hand and guided him to sit at the table, “Here, drink this and relax until dinner is ready, I will be right back.”

Zero stared at the retreating figure, puzzled about what the vampire was up to. The smell of the warm drink in his hands tempted him. He took a careful sip and liked it. _“Chamomile tea, huh.”_ He started feeling warmer and more relaxed, the pain in his lower back receding a little.

About twenty minutes later, that felt like seconds to the dazed hunter, Kaname came back and started placing the silverware in place for dinner. Zero offered to help but he refused categorically. They had vegetable soup for dinner that Zero could not help but feel nostalgic about its taste. It reminded him very much of his moms. _“My hormones must be going nuts if I am being sissy about a stew, gotta check the blood tests with Hanabusa sometime soon.”_

After dinner, Kaname shooed Zero back to the living room while he cleared the table and washed the dishes. The hunter was in for another surprise, the bed section of the sofa was pulled, and a futon with pillows and covers were laid on top of it. Not to mention the heater beside it. _“What is going on here? Did that guy hit his head somewhere?”_

Despite the grumbling, he did not hate the setup, so he snuggled under the covers and made himself comfortable, enjoying the warmth. Kaname soon joined him under the covers, spooning him from behind. The action made the hunter jump in surprise and get away to the other side of the couch, “What do you think you are doing?”

Kaname gave him a quizzical look, “What does it look like? Hugging you.”

Zero’s mouth flapped like a fish before formulating words, “Wha… What has gotten into you today, you let yourself in as if you own the place, make dinner tea, prepare this this place… AND HUGGING ME?...HERE? WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?”

“So you don’t like it.” Kaname pointed.

“No!... it’s not like I hate it… it’s just that…” Zero rubbed his temple before placing an arm on the sofa, softly touching Kaname’s hand “You do realize where we are…”

Kaname chuckled slightly at the way Zero was trying to explain as if the brunet was a little kid, _is this his method of settling things peacefully?_

Zero ignored the action and continued, “I meant that anyone can come knock and there will be no time to clear anything out… I thought I told you not to-“

“Not to approach you on campus. Yes I know,” Kaname finished his sentence, “But I did not come here for _that_ , I just wanted some company and there is no one around that you should worry about.”

Zero frowned, “What do you mean?”

“Well, Yuki just left with Ruka and Rima as soon as class finished. She said that they are going to this hot spring nearby because it might help with the labor.”

Zero laughed at that, “She is really desperate to pop the girl out, isn’t she.”

“Apparently. As you know, Ichijou and Takamiya-kun are away. Aido is at your twin’s place and I saw that teacher leaving a while ago. Now, who are you worrying about?” Kaname tilted his head with one of his gentle smiles.

“So you were lonely and bored. Thus decided to come on a whim.” Zero teased as he made his way back near the brunet.

“Can’t you indulge me?” Kaname whispered in his ear while pulling him in the spooning position he intended from the start.

“Do we have to be like this?” The hunter grumbled as Kaname made him use his arm as a pillow.

“Won’t you indulge me on this whim as well, besides, I need to keep you warm.”

Out of retort, Zero relaxed into the embrace. He would never admit it out loud that he liked the snuggling and comfortable warmth that came with it.

“What’s on?” He asked when Kaname switched on the TV and started switching channels.

“Might as well watch something.” The pureblood answered as soon as he found a movie that just started.

“Kaname…”

“hmm?...”

“That soup. Where did you get the recipe from?” Zero asked hesitantly as he turned around to face the pureblood. Kaname had his chin resting on Zero’s shoulder.

“Oh! Did you like it?” Kaname let out a lazy smile when Zero nodded, “Did it remind you of the past.”

Amethyst eyes widened at that, “How did you know? Rather, how did you get your hands on it?”

“Not telling.” Kaname teased.

“Kaname~” Zero pleaded, bumping their nose together in a cute nudge.

“Fine! I got it from your brother. Ah! Before you freak out on me again, it is not what you think. When you were stubbornly avoiding anything related to Cross Academy, Yuki had this nostalgia about that soup. She said that when you started cooking, it was in effort to recreate the taste of the dish that your late mother enjoyed making. When she told Ichiru, he happened to have collected some things from the last house you lived in. He also found your mother’s recipe book. That is how I got my hands on a poorly written copy of it.”

Zero swallowed before speaking, “So that is why he gave me that book. but…” He looked into red-brown eyes, his hand played with the brown lock that it could reach, “Even with the recipe, I could not reproduce the same taste or even close. It always had something missing…. Unlike today.” He tilted his head and brushed his lips against the silken one of the pureblood in a gentle kiss before facing the TV. A soft ‘Thank you’ was mumbled against the arm he was using as a pillow.  

 

 Sleep claimed Zero barely five minutes after the movie started. Kaname smiled at the sleeping beauty in his arms and pulled him closer. He carefully caressed his cheek, frowning at the dark circles under his eyes. His eyes wandered toward his collarbone where the silver chain rested. “You looked like you were about to collapse the whole day. Yet, you never ask for help and endured the pain alone in this cold dark room.” Kaname whispered, knowing that the hunter was too deep asleep to wake up. He sighed as he nuzzled the nape of his neck while staring at the TV without really watching the movie. Memories of the other night came rushing back and a sad smile traced his lips. _How I wished that my seed found root inside you that night! How I wished that the mistake would turn into my hope of making you mine, to show you how much I love you knowing that our child is growing inside of you. I would trade anything I cherish for that moment…_ He sighed, hugging the silverette closer; _I guess a dream will be just that, a dream._

Midway through the movie, the sleepy hunter started to get cramps and stirring from the pain. Kaname noticed the strained expression on his face, so he started rubbing his lower abdomen in a soothing manner while kissing the nape of his neck to get him to relax.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next day, early morning ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Amethyst eyes fluttered open. The comfortable warmth wrapped around him made him unable to let go of his sleepiness. He snuggled closer to the pleasant heat, filling his lungs with the ambrosial smell until his blurry vision materialized the source in the form of an ethereally handsome man. It took some time for Zero to realize that, somewhere in the middle of the night, he climbed on top of Kaname and slept flat against his chest. Kaname was holding him close and Zero did not hesitate to nuzzle his collarbone and kiss the thin skin where he knew the pureblood liked it.

“Mornin’” he finally mumbled while placing his palm on firm chest and resting his chin against them to look closely into amused red-brown eyes. 

“Good morning! Feeling better?” Kaname greeted back, rubbing Zero’s lower back. He smiled at the energetic nod of the hunter. The latter stared at the relaxed brunet who did not seem to mind the extra weigh on top of him, _Why is it that I can sleep so well when he is around? It was such a good sleep to boot, no freaky dreams. I want to sleep some more like this._

Zero was feeling his eyelid getting heavier as he wished for another hour of comfortable sleep in the brunet’s arm.

“I guess it is time for some coffee to remind you that you have to go to the office in sometime.” Kaname nudged his cheek to prevent him from falling asleep again.

“Ugh! I still have two more hours, just a little more.” Zero whined.

“I would love to, but I am the one who has to leave soon, unfortunately.” Kaname had two minds about cancelling the meeting he had in half an hour after seeing Zero acting so cuddly and cute.

“No~ I want to… some more…” Zero mumbled as he snuggled in his neck.

Minutes later, the hunter startled at the aromatic smell of coffee, his head snapped up, eyes bulging out when he saw the strangest thing coming out of the kitchen. It was a black shadow in the form of a man holding two mugs of steamy fresh coffee.

“What the?” The hunter could not get his slack jaw to straighten up. The shadow came their way and placed the mugs on the coffee table before vanishing.

Kaname shrugged while he helped the stunned silver haired hunter into a sitting position, “Since you seemed too comfortable, I sent my familiar to prepare breakfast instead of waking you up.”

“Quite convenient.” Zero scoffed as he reached for the mug. A strange sensation prickled his senses when he extended his hand; he retracted it quickly and scowled at the confused pureblood. Kaname understood the reaction when he saw Zero patting his chest, “You looked uncomfortable in your sleep, so I took the liberty to unzip it. It is not like I never saw them, so no need to stifle yourself.”

Silver eyebrow rose, “Oh really?” Zero bit sarcastically while fumbling and zipping the sport bra camouflaging his swollen chest.

Kaname chuckled, “I would not take advantage of the sick and unconscious”

Zero rolled his eyes and reached to take the mug again, “Who knows about that, it would not surprise me seeing the creepy way you have been acting lately.”

Brown eyebrow twitched and full lips pursed before the mug was snatched on time. Zero protested when he saw his coffee going in the other direction and the pureblood grabbing his waist so he could not reach it. Kaname made sure to place the mug safely on the table before giving the hunter a dark look, “I have been hearing that unpleasant word quite often lately. I guess I should prevent you from saying it ever again.”

Zero gulped, knowing the look that promised quite a bit of torture before he yelped, “Woah…” Kaname flipped their position and, “Bwaahhhahahahahaah… stop…hahahhahaha…Kana..ah… ufff” Zero struggled as the pureblood tickled his sensitive sides relentlessly, “A punishment for that foul mouth of yours.” Kaname grunted, slapping Zero’s hands every time the hilariously laughing hunter tried to stop him. “Okay! Okay! I am sorry! you haahahahh… Oh God! you are not… pffff… not a creep….”

The struggle finally ended with an out of breath Zero and a smirking pureblood trapping him on his lap against the couch. Their ragged breath puffed against their close faces. The flushed cheeks and glassy violet eyes always did it for the pureblood, making him lean it to steal a kiss from the seductively parted lips.

“What am then?” Kaname whispered, amused by the helplessness of the hunter.

“Pervert.” Zero deadpanned, pointing to the hand that was crawling under his shirt, “Stop whatever you are thinking about.”

Kaname shut him up with another kiss and another warning tickle, “Just a pervert?”

Zero flinched and glared into wine orbs, “Kaname.”

“Answer and I will stop. What am I to you?”

The pleading look in those eyes told the hunter that he was not playing around, he averted the gaze, suddenly feeling trapped. “What do you mean?”

“Do you still see me as the arrogant pureblood you-“

“NO. I guess not.” Zero mumbled,

“Then what?”

“What brought this on all of a sudden?” Zero snapped, pushing on the unmoving chest of the brunet.

“Just curious.”

Zero threw his head on the back of the couch, letting out an exasperated breath, “I don’t know…”

“What is my status in the pyramid of your relationships right now?” Kaname probed in a sarcastic manner

Zero scoffed, “You should know that already.”

Kaname sighed, “Last time I checked, you considered me as a sex friend.”

“Obviously.”

“Which means that I am the same as any other man you slept with.” every word he said himself cut through him like a sharp knife.

The statement got Zero thinking, “I don’t think so… More like… special kind of sex friend… I guess”

“Hmm?” The curious tone startled the silverette, making him realize that he voiced his thoughts aloud. His face flushed more and he stammered, reluctant about saying what was on his mind but felt compelled to do so when facing the eager expression on the brunet’s face.

“I do not usually sleep with the same guy twice… With you, I just can’t bring myself to follow that rule obviously… and… I kind of feel more comfortable with you… even with you being a vampire and a pureblood to boot… even I can’t explain why is that, but … that is how things are…. Uhm… wipe that cre- silly grin off your face. Piss me off!” Zero warned before covering the pureblood’s smiling mouth with his palm.

Although Kaname wanted to hear more of how Zero felt about him, he felt like he could be satisfied with that answer for now. He decided against pushing the silverette farther and ruin the good mood they had going. His wandering hands reached the rim of the elastic fabric while the hunter was off guard. A mischievous smile traced his lips again, “Say Zero, how long do they usually stay this ‘perky’” he whispered against the hunter’s ear while brushing his fingers against the clothed small mounds.

Zero flinched and stopped the hands hidden under his shirt, “Stop doing that! They last until this thing finishes, for couple of days maximum. It should be gone by tomorrow.”

“Then, I better take the chance.” Kaname announced as he started lifting Zero’s shirt. The silver haired ex-human panicked when he realized his intentions and started pulling the fabric down, “NO! Stop! Damnit…. Don’t look, it’s disgusting!”

Kaname halted his movement and looked at the petrified hunter, “What are you saying?”

Zero snarled, “I am saying it is disgusting, why would you want to look at such a thing.” Kaname placed a finger on the hunter’s mouth, hardly keeping himself from laughing.

“Zero, do you remember when I walked in on you in that bathroom?” Kaname pointed to the door to a not so far away memory. Zero groaned and nodded, hating to remember such a thing.

“Do you know the reason I acted so impulsively, back then?” He asked and got a confused look followed by a mumble, “The scent of blood?”

Kaname shook his head, “It is true that the scent of blood worried me, but I reacted to seeing you, naked. I jumped in to prevent you from hiding. I did it because for a second, I was mesmerized by you.” He whispered and placed a kiss on the forehead of the surprised hunter, “That is simply because you were that beautiful… Alluring… I do remember telling you this before but I will repeat it… My desire for you will never cease or dwindle no matter how your body might change. I would still want to embrace you, always.”

Zero felt his heart beat faster as he blushed furiously, unexplained knots formed in his stomach “What kind of soap opera did you watch, it’s creepy”…

Kaname growled while raising an eyebrow at the violet eyes, which were looking elsewhere acting all innocent. He let it go this time knowing that it was a way for the hunter to retaliate from embarrassment. His lips attacked the exposed neck for him to ravish with kisses while his hands pulled away the reluctant ones of the hunter from his chest. Zero sighed as soft lips traced his neck and traveled up to his ear, “I am just going to look. I won’t do anything unpleasant. You trust me?”

Feeling Kaname unbutton his pajama top while asking for permission, Zero leaned back on the couch, looking away from the intense gaze of the red brown eyes.

He flinched slightly when he felt the zipper being undone, so he screwed his eyes shut, not wanting to see any hint of disgust from what Kaname was seeing. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Zero was not willing to believe that there would be anyone who could accept the changes that occurred occasionally to the body he had been so ashamed of. However, Kaname’s words got under his skin, and he could not suppress the desire of getting accepted for who he is, even if the fear was greater than the hope.

His hands clutched the covers under him when he caught the hitch in Kaname’s throat. _I knew it!_

He was about to open his eyes and cover himself from the eyes of the disgusted vampire, when a jolt like an electric shock ran through his body. His back arched away from the couch in surprise from the warm sensation that covered his nub. His eyes shot open and looking down at the mussed brown hair tickling his chest area.

“Kana.. ah! What are you doing” The flustered hunter grabbed the brown head and made him look up to face him.

Kaname licked his lips and smirked, brushing the back of his finger against the abused nipple, “What does it look like?”

“You said that you won’t do-“

“Unpleasant things. That is what I said. You don’t seem like you hate this.” He finished as he kneaded and pinched, earning a gasp from the worrying silverette. He kissed the lips of the hunter to prevent him from biting on them anymore, and then whispered, “I will try my best not to go further.”

The brown head dipped again and kissed Zero’s chest bone before going side way to torture the other nub. Zero watched as long fingers cupped the small swelling, how the tongue flicked, sending shivers through his skin, followed by the jolt of a teethed bite that was soothed by gentle sucking. A chuckle escaped the hunter, _He looks like a big child._ Kaname startled at the hands messing with his hair and caressing his back as if encouraging his action. He smiled and reveled in the taste that he loved, enjoying the musky scent while replaying the few words that probably did not mean much for the hunter, _“I feel more comfortable with you”._

The door opening and Gin calling out for Zero suddenly interrupted their intimacy. Zero’s head snapped to the direction of the voice wide-eyed. Slow footsteps were making their way inside while the hunter was panicking. He was pushing Kaname to move and whispering for him to leave as not to get caught, unaware of his own state. As much as Kaname felt like snapping the head of the human, he was not about to make the same mistake twice. In speedy blurry movements, he fixed Zero’s clothes and camouflaged the mounds that he was certain to be the only one to witness, and vanished.

Gin reached the living room to find Zero in an awkward position. His silver head dangling from the edge of the couch and his legs up as if he tripped and fell over nothing. _Damn you Kaname and your creepy powers!_

“H..Hey!” He stammered, raising a greeting hand before fixing his position.

“Good morning!” Gin answered, brows knitted at the sight, “I was passing by to my place and smelled the coffee, so I wanted to see if you wanted company for breakfast. Aren’t you up a bit early today?” Zero cleared his throat, cursing inwardly for forgetting the newly acquired habit of having breakfast with the teacher ever since he started working at the Academy.

“Speak for yourself,” Zero answered, “Isn’t a bit late to be coming back home now?”

Gin chuckled and shook his head, “I woke up early for an extra hour of running. I skipped on my routine the day before and needed to pay the penalty.” He explained. That is when Zero noticed that he was wearing a tracking suit.

“I am going to wash my face, you can help yourself to the coffee, and I will join you in a bit.” He pointed to the kitchen as he got up in direction of the bathroom.

Gin watched him until he closed the door. His eyes then scanned the room and the cozy set up, without missing the presence of two mugs of coffee on the table. He touched them to make sure that they were still warm. He bit the inside of his jaw to keep himself in check, knowing what the scene meant.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the bathroom ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Zero leaned on the sink, feeling his heart about to jump out of his place. He felt the arms circling his waist and a kiss placed on the nape of his neck. He let out a long sigh and let his hand join those of the pureblood. He craned his head to steal an awkward kiss, “It is terrifying how used I am getting to you hugging me out of nowhere.”

Kaname chuckled, and turned the hunter around for a better comforting hug, “Don’t scare me like that again.” Zero grumbled. He got the apology he needed from the pureblood along with few tender kisses that relaxed him.

Their proximity allowed Zero to notice that Kaname was excited, rubbing against his thigh. He should have been angry, but the warm feeling overwhelming him was unexplained. He teased the pureblood, offering a helping hand but Kaname refused, “I will take my fill of you when you are feeling better. I won’t be able to hold back once you get me started, you know that.”

“hmm… Why do I get the feeling that you always hold back then?” Zero inquired, earning a surprised look from the vampire. He added, “I can count the times that you seemed to give it your all on one hand.”

Kaname bit his own lips to suppress a baffled laugh, “Maybe because I want to embrace for a longer time rather than have you pass out on me in the middle.”

“Bragging much…” Zero rolled his eyes on him.

“More like care much, about your pleasure.” Kaname stated, shutting any smart comeback with a kiss.

_“I am sure that Yuki would request it if there is a way for me to help, like the walk today”_

The sight of Gin somehow reminded Zero of an unpleasant piece of information that he felt the nagging need to ask about, “Say, Kaname! That labor inducing method Gin was teasing about.” Kaname stiffened at the mention of his newest archenemy, “Are you… I mean”

Amused brown eyebrow rose, “Are you asking if I am sleeping with Yuki?”

Zero looked away, and Kaname felt his heart jumping. “I am not.” he answered his own question, “I am not sleeping with her and she never asked for such a thing. Why did you need to know such a thing? I thought you did not want to bring up my relation with Yuki when we are together.”

Zero rubbed his neck, feeling cornered again without knowing the reason for such a sensation, “It would be too weird for me to be with you while suspecting that you are sleeping with her. I don’t know, it feels stupid seeing that you two are… you know… I just don’t like it.”

Kaname smiled and was about to explain something when Gin knocked on the door. _I swear I might kill this pest one day._ Zero chuckled softly at the way Kaname uncharacteristically rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“Zero, is everything all right?”

“Yeah, sorry, I am coming out now.” he turned to whisper, “Time for _you_ to go.”

“Do you need to have breakfast with him?” Kaname was holding back from telling him to kick him out, but Zero understood the message and smirked, “It is not like you could stay and eat with me. I do appreciate some company and free food.” he gave him a tongue out before escaping from the bathroom. Kaname growled and left for his quarter to prepare his meeting.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The breakfast finished in a pleasant silence and Gin was about to go get ready for work if not for the bell ringing. Zero answered the door, knowing it was none of the Campus’ residents since most of them do not care about such etiquette for this house. A middle-aged man stood at the porch with a police badge held up, “Good morning Cross-san. Sorry to intrude on you early in the morning, I am detective Yamada from the crime division of the police department. We are here looking for a teacher that works in your establishment. He goes by the name of Moriya Gin. Would you please guide us to his residence, if you don’t mind?”

Gin was already behind the wide-eyed hunter when the detective introduced himself and the purpose of his visit. As soon as he recognized the face, handcuffs were pulled and strapped on the still stunned teacher. “Moriya-san, you are under the arrest for the murder of “Marco XXX”, you …”

Zero jumped in immediately when hearing the accusation, “Wait a minute! What is going on here?” The detective explained that the ex-boyfriend was killed two days ago in his hotel room and the investigation revealed evidence incriminating Gin. Zero would not have any of it and tried to reason with them, but Gin calmed him down saying that resistance will make it worse, and that he will go settle the false accusation at the station.

The hunter allowed it on the condition of joining them shortly after. He ran up to the room, threw whatever clothes he could find, and sprinted to his car. Halfway to the station, his phone rang.

“Nii-san!” the panicked voice of Ichiru alarmed him more,

“What?”

“I am on my way to Cross right now and I got a call from Ryou-san saying that some detective came looking for you at my bar, they wanted to take you in for testimonial. Did you know that Marco came to Japan?”

“Fuck… Yes! I know; I am on my way to the station right now. They arrested Gin as a suspect.”

“What? Why? How?”

“Beats me! Ichiru, I am hanging up, meet me up at the station.”

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At the station ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The grey-eyed teacher was dying to get back for a shower and a fresh change of clothes. The handcuffs were biting his wrists and the detective interrogating him did not seem to care when he asked to loosen them up.

He stared at the person who was taking his sweet pleasure stretching the interrogation. “So, Mr. Moriya, you are saying that this handkerchief stained with the victim’s blood that we found with your fingerprints on it was thrown after a bar fight you had with the deceased victim?” Came the same question the detective asked six times already.

“Yes!”

“The reason for the fight?”

“He insulted a friend of mine and would not stop even after I warned him. Due to the alcohol in my system, I acted impulsively. However, as I said, the man was alive and kicking when I left him. He was staggering on the main road and hired a cab.”

“Well, that part is odd, seeing that no taxi driver confirmed your statement yet. Not to forget that the hotel was right beside the bar. I don’t see why the victim would grab a cab when he would have reached by a 2 minutes walk. Not to mention that you have quite the record here Mr. I see that you were previously accused for sexually harassing a student at the previous university you worked in. It is true that you were found not guilty but ended up losing your credential as the renowned genius young professor you were. Which lead to your disappearance for a year or so, and then you reappeared with quite the buff appearance”

Gin shrugged and pointed to his nose, “First of all, the harassment case was dropped because the student was caught to be a blackmailing swindler later. Because I did not go along with his demands, he used our encounter to take his revenge on me. An encounter that happened without me knowing that he was a student in the first place. As for the reason that Marco took a cab, maybe he went to the hospital for a broken nose. My physique is due to rigorous training that helped me overcome the depression after practically losing everything after that.”

“And you did not seek him out later that night, in his hotel room?”

“I am sure that if your resource were effective, you will find no trace of me ever entering the hotel. In the first place, I did not even know which hotel he was staying in.” Gin snapped the sarcastic retort.

“Pardon my insistence with the question,” The detective replied with equal sarcasm, “The case is sensitive seeing that the victim is a tourist. One more thing I need to clarify with you. May I?”

“Go ahead!” Gin sighed, resting his head on his intertwined hands.

“The person you said that the victim insulted. They do not happen to go by the name of Kiryuu Zero, do they?” Gin head snapped up at the mention of the hunter, he swallowed and kept silent. He had been trying to avoid bringing him up so that they do not discover the connection. _What is going on here?_

The American Detective seemed to get his answer from the reaction alone and decided to elaborate, “You see, the sponsor overseeing the rehab program of the victim mentioned that Mr. Marco was quite _fond_ of this person. Upon investigating further, it showed that he is quite the influencing figure in Japan, living in your hometown and not to mention the adoptive son of your employer.”

“heeh! I see that you went to great lengths digging such detailed information. However, I do not see how it relates to my accusation seeing that I did not say that the person concerned was Zero.”

“So you confirm being close to him.”

Gin gritted his teeth. “I won’t answer another question without a lawyer.”

The tension between the men dispersed when an officer excused herself in and whispered to the detective who looked peeved afterwards. “Rejoice, Mr.Gin. Your name was cleared thanks to witnesses from the bar and the taxi driver providing you with the perfect alibi. You may leave.”

Gin rubbed his wrist, happy for being rid of the cuffs. He was making his way through the lobby when a woman bumped into him, leading to the stack of paper she held to scatter. He crouched to help her pick them up. However, the woman suddenly reached for his hand with her left and he caught a glimpse of the band on her ring finger. He let his hands dangle on his folded knees and shook his head in exasperation. “And here I was thinking something sounded fishy about this arrest. Quite the original way to summon me.” He looked into the smirking woman looking back at him.

“Care for some coffee?” she asked,

“Lead the way.” He answered while following the shorter woman walking in her tight pencil skirt and stiletto heels.

“I can understand now why a piece of cloth I discarded in a garbage that would be soon collected would conveniently fall into their hands as well as _my fingertips._ ”

“I was not planning on getting you locked up from the very beginning. This is just a warning. A way to remind you not to take unnecessary detours.” she stated while pushing the latte button.

“Hmm… I wonder which detour are we thinking of.” Gin tapped on his mouth as if wondering which coffee to choose.

“You should stop playing the fool. You know perfectly well what I am talking about. You are crossing paths with people that you would not want to deal with, not in this lifetime.” The serious female tone made his finger stop his motion.

“Those people do not scare me one bit. I am sure you know that I can back that up.”

A huff escaped the pink glossy lips, “Your persistence can be virtue and a curse all the same. I am saying this for your own good. Focus on the reason you came here for, do not let my efforts of providing you with those clues go to waste.”

Gin tilted his head and glanced at the woman who knows him like the palm of her hand. “Since you know me so well, you should know how good I am at multi-tasking.” He winked at her, took his coffee and turned to leave.

“If you persist on this. The next time we see each other might be a far worse confrontation. Do you really wish for that to happen? I would hate to take you down for certain.” She whispered as soon as she grabbed his arm.

Grey eyes looked at hers with a mix of emotion before settling for an amused glint, “That would be an interesting development. It is about time I graduate from being sheltered by you after all, Master!” Gin waved at the woman and left the building, he came face to face with an out of breath Ichiru coming out of a taxi.

She watched the silver haired twin coming up to Gin with a worried expression. Turning on her heels, she headed for the exit leading to her car, “As petulant as ever, my dear disciple. However, you are still not aware that you already graduated from my tutelage so many years ago? That is quite adorable.”

Gin glanced back to where his acquaintance stood, finding no one. A sad smile drew on his lips, _This is the real goodbye, I guess!_

“Gin?” Ichiru asked

“Hmm?”

“Everything is alright? You are sure? You seem unsettled?” Ichiru worried non stop.

“It’s fine. Witnesses provided proofs of my valid alibi and I am off the hook… Still, it is surprising how they managed to trace him back to Zero. Is he going to be alright?”

Ichiru smirked, “Nothing to worry, if worse comes to worst, we have the perfect person to rely on. She is already inside, maybe getting him out of there by now. She will also make sure their relation stays under wraps.”

Gin’s eyebrows raised, “That is quite the fearful person to be able to interfere with the police.”

Ichiru chuckled at that, but soon turned serious, “I am wondering though. How did he get out of jail so fast? Why did he come here? His murder is not a surprise seeing that a shady person like that is bound to have someone after his head.”

Gin rolled his ring, thinking, “He did say that he had something to settle with Zero. If I remember correctly, it was something a person called tira or Taira, had told him.”

“Tiera, you mean?” Ichiru looked at him, shocked.

“Exactly!”

Gin observed the tensing of the silverette with a crease on his forehead. “Did she tell him about the abortion?”

Gin was puzzled, “Abortion?”

“Um… Shortly after their break up, Zero found out that he was pregnant and had an abortion.” Ichiru explained offhandedly, “Maybe he wanted to use it as a leverage to harass Zero. He never learned until his very last moments.”

“I see,” Gin sighed but his jaw slackened shortly after, “Wait… a moment there! Are you saying that Zero can get pregnant?”

Ichiru tilted his head when faced with the flabbergasted expression of the teacher, “Okay! I assumed that you were smart enough to figure it out by yourself since you know that he is a hermaphrodite. Never thought you were this slow.”

“But… But… he is a vampire and… wait, even if he has both gender, it is not that easy even if he was not a vampire…”

Ichiru rolled his eyes at the panicked man, “Zero’s body is the ideal of his type. Having both, fully functional. Although the dominant gender is male, he can be impregnated if he is not careful. It happened quite a few times until he learned to play safe when it comes to fooling around. I swear, the abortions were no joke.”

 Ichiru stared at the flustered taller man and smirked, “I can’t decide whether you are having cold feet or excited about this new information.” he teased, assuming that it was the latter.

On the other hand, a roller-coaster was whirling in Gin’s brain as he tried to put the pieces together. Glancing back to where the woman stood, a sense of doom engulfed him all of a sudden. _I hope I am getting the wrong idea!_

He let out a nervous laughter, “No way, if anything, I feel like jumping from joy.”

Their conversation was cut short when Ichiru noticed his brother coming out with a whole fleet of suited men behind him escorting a handcuffed blindfolded foreigner.

Gin joined him with the confused look, “Okay! If I understood correctly, your friend was supposed to get Zero out after they interrogated him. How in the world did they end up with Zero escorting the arrested detective who was questioning us?”

He followed Ichiru to the young lady talking on the phone beside the men who were boarding the black van. Zero had already gotten in. Gin thought that the emblem on the vehicle seemed familiar.

“Yori-chan!” Ichiru called

Wakaba Sayori turned around to see who was calling her, her stunning hazel eyes met violet ones and Ichiru saw pure amusement in them. “What is going on?”

She covered her mouth to suppress a chuckle, “Well… I was going in with the idea that I will have to go through some channels to erase any evidence of Kiryuu-kun being related, right?”

Ichiru nodded for her to continue, “First I found all agents of the special operation department on stand by with your brother interrogating the guy, whom was supposed to be doing the work instead. They were going to report to me later that the detective was a vampire coming from abroad in order to do the background check. However, your brother seemed to recognize him. The person turned out to have been human not long ago. He paid a visit to him, and seemed to know too much. Kiryuu-kun erased his memories in order to protect him, but it seemed that he followed the wrong crowd.” Ichiru was struck speechless, but kept silent since the young woman seemed that she had something else to say. “He was apparently turned vampire by the Hanadagi who fled after the war.”

After a more detailed explanation, Sayori got into the car that her driver brought around in order to follow the van that was already making his way to the association.

Gin looked at Ichiru with an expression that told him how confused and lost he was. Ichiru grinned at him, “I think Nii-san just got his hands on a major lead. Oh by the way, that was the fearful person I told you about. She is the De-facto president of the special operation department of the police that is common with the association. It is a special unit that Nii-san set up to play as a common ground with the police and help one another.”

Gin narrowed his eyes, “You mean that the actual president is…”

“Of course, Nii-san!”

Gin’s mouth dropped once again, making Ichiru burst in laughter. “That face is hilarious. Okay since you are so invested in knowing more about him, let me tell you a nice piece of information. Since you have quite the idea of how things work in both societies, whom do you think set up the new foundation that the association is following after the war?”

Gin gave a nervous laughter, “Don’t tell me…”

“Yep! Zero is considered the co-founder of the new association alongside with Yuki who was the ruling figure of vampires at that time. Both found it too stiff to keep the positions for different reasons, thus delegated their posts to the people you know today.”

“Holy cow!” Gin was short of words, but he started to understand where the sense of doom was coming from.

Ichiru snickered, and tapped on Gin’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, man. He is not planning on getting that position back until both Yagari-sensei and Cross kick the bucket. Nii-san is always reluctant towards being in a place of power.”

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At the association headquarters ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

  “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?”

Zero was beyond furious at the moment. Not only did the lady of the Hanadagi turn Thomas into a vampire, she had the guts to send him as a detective and flung her deed to Zero’s face. As if daring him to stop her from doing so. He gritted his teeth, _if only I knew that he was curious about my nature because he wanted to turn into a vampire himself._ He looked at the brown-haired pureblood standing next to him, eyes blazing with fury, “WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED NOW KURAN!”

Isaya intervened at the right moment, “Kiryuu-kun, I believe it is not Kaname-sama’s fault. My guess is that a spell has been cast on this person to kill himself as soon as a pureblood tries to look into his head.”

“FUCK!” The frustrated hunter kicked the table to the wall and stomped out of the interrogation room. _Just when we got our hands on a lead, just when I was about to catch that bitch and the dog that trails behind her. Damnit._

At the end of the corridor, Sayori was waiting for the result of the interrogation. “Wakaba-san, I am sorry to spring this on you, but I need you to use all your resources in collaboration with Ichiru to bring me every little movement that Thomas made during the last six months along with the people he met and especially the places he visited.”

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Back in the academy, Zero made sure that Gin got off the charge scot-free and retired to Cross’s house. In his bed, the image of Thomas’ final moments haunted him. The face twisted in fear, despair as his own claws grew, and gouged out his own heart before blasting it to smithereens, truly cruel.

Zero considered it a message directed towards him, towards his efforts to make it a better place for all races. They were showing him the true nature of vampires that he long knew about it. They were proving that they will never agree to the common ground he was offering in exchange for a peaceful life after. They are leaving him no choice but to erase their existence.

The next day, an order to execute the wife of the previous head of the Hanadagi on sight was issued to all branches of the association worldwide. _This is not a personal vendetta anymore, they had done enough harm as it is. I will just have to wait for the Touma to make another careless mistake like this to take him out as well._

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“Zero! This is unreasonable; you know how hard it will be to find them since they have been looking for them for months and years now.” Kaname scolded the ragged looking silverette.

The weight of losing Thomas was greater than expected on Zero. Kaname later came to learn about the death of his ex as well. That is why he decided to check on him since Zero went back to his place by the end of the week. As expected he found him in a messy state. His obsession with finding the woman made him forfeit food and sleep, working to the bone on any clue he receives.

“Well, if I leave the matter to the people in charge, it will take another decade for them to find anything.”

“Are you resuming the president position then?”

“Hell no! I am using the resources to speed up the process.”

“But you are overshadowing the work of others, making them seem useless in the eye of their subordinates this way. Namely Cross.”

Zero paused his reading, and looked up the pureblood who was standing on the other side of the coffee table. Seeing the point, Zero dropped the papers and rubbed his temples. “Did he send you?”

“He did confess being worried about the way you were handling things. I took it upon myself to relay the worry.” Kaname explained as he pulled Zero up and guided him to the bathroom, “Go freshen up, I brought food. Sleep after eating.”

Kaname proceed to clear the papers on the table to remove any work inducing factor for the hunter. He was equally anxious to close this case of the rogue purebloods and their damned pills. However, he learned that haste and impulse will not get them anywhere. Everyone was working twice as much to be able to solve the enigma of their whereabouts and they will gear up as soon as they have a tangible lead.

Contrary to his expectations, Zero came out clad in his hunting gear and stormed out of the apartment saying that a unit was ambushed nearby and needed back up. Kaname did not bother stopping him since he knew that he would not listen. Thus, he left back to the academy to resume his own work.

As he was signing a few papers, Kaien Cross called him over to the association to look into few results of the DNA from the ice-wielder case. The pureblood was surprised to find out that the sample did not correspond to any of the ice-wielders present in Japan, which means that they had to go through few dozen of them.

“We are currently running the test in the branches oversee without any hit so far.” Kaien took off his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“The possibility of an outsider is extremely small seeing that every vampire crossing the borders has to identify himself in details. Unless, we are talking about illegal entry which requires powerful backup and stealthy method to go under our radars undetected.” Kaname observed.

“hmm… You have a point. If that theory can be supported, then I am afraid we are dealing with an enemy far greater than few rogue purebloods.” Cross sighed.

“A crime organization that managed to unite rogue hunters, rogue vampires and greedy humans in order to create chaos in the world. The one behind it probably have on simple motive driving him so far.” Kaname trailed

“Rise for supremacy.” Cross finished his sentence.

“I am afraid so.” Kaname nodded.

“Kaname-kun, could you keep this bit of information to yourself. At least until we are sure that it could be the case.” Cross requested. A sensitive conclusion like this can send unnecessary panic through the society, be it hunters, vampires or the humans aware of them.

“Understood!” Kaname affirmed. When he was about to leave, the secretary came barging in, face red and breathing with difficulty from running too fast.

“President, we have a problem!!”

Cross stood up, alarmed and asked her to elaborate, “Ten minutes ago, we received a confirmation from Kiryuu Zero that he was about to go back up a team who sent an SOS request.” Kaname froze by the door, listening, “The reference, the location and the mission itself are non-existent in our system. I believe someone hacked the connection and sent him on a wild goose chase, or…”

“A trap” both Cross and Kaname uttered the same word with the same horrified expression.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞on Zero’s side ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

_Shit! Shit! Shit! this is bad. Damn!_

Zero struggled against the restrains trapping him in vain. The gash in his side only bled more with the movement and the blade embedded in his shoulder burned like hell.

His vision blurred while trying to focus on the sorry excuse of hunters that turned their back on him. He glanced at the one who made the mistake of touching Bloody Rose. _I guess I will be joining him soon! How idiotic, to get done in by trash like this._

 

Barely ten minutes earlier, Zero saw the notification of a backup call on his work phone. Seeing how frustrated he was, he came out with the hope of letting out some steam and helping his fellow hunters.

When he reached the location, there was a swarm of E’s trapping the bleeding hunter. Zero was surprised to see such a large number and so few hunters, but proceeded to shoot the mad creatures to dust one after the other. There was three hunters, one was bleeding and two fighting. He noticed that they were not so out of breath despite being outnumbered. Despite all the signs, he did not suspect them. When they almost finished, one of them approached him while thanking him.

_*flashback*_

“You really saved us Kiryuu-san, we thought that was it for us.” Said the hunter while tapping the silverette’s shoulder.

Zero was about to answer courteously, but the rustling in the bushes alarmed him. He immediately raised his gun when sensing a noble vampire approaching. *STAB*

“Agh!” He screamed in pain while turning to see what he did not believe happened. The slight move caused his misfortune as the noble charged in and slapped the gun from his hand, slashing his side with his claws.

Zero wrestled through the pain and grounded his feet to attack. The soil suddenly moved and crawled up his legs immobilizing him. It branched out and got a hold of his hands as well. The other uninjured hunter quickly strapped a spelled cuff on his hand, making him unable to use spells either.

A sickening laugh erupted from the black haired noble vampire, “Who thought it would be this easy to lure and trap the infamous hunter, Kiryuu Zero.”

The other hunter who stabbed him plunged the blade deeper while whispering in his ear, “I always wanted a chance like this. To humiliate the abomination who thought he has the right to call himself a hunter.”

Zero spit on his face, “Because you are so convinced that you are one?- Aghghhhh! Fuck!” he twisted the hunter blade more into the wound. “Kill me already”

“Not yet~” The supposedly injured hunter rose and approached them with a foxy smile. His eyes landed on Zero’s gun and he bent to pick it up, “We need to have out sweet time torturing you at our place, have the prize and then I will personally snuff you out with your dear gun.”

“DON’T TOUCH IT!” Zero screamed with all the strength he had. It was not because he cherished his precious gun, but because of what happened afterwards. As soon as the hunter held the silver gun and pointed it towards Zero, the thorny vines erected and wrapped around the screaming hunter like a cocoon. Everyone, including Zero froze at the sight of the vines turning red as they sucked the blood of their victim until leaving him desiccated, dead. Zero looked away, unable to take the sight.

When Bloody Rose awakened after Kaname became the parent, it held a lot more power than before. Choosing Zero as its master, the weapon seemed to have a mind of its own. If a wielder, other than Zero, touched it with the malicious intention of killing its master, the weapon immediately dispose of them by sucking them dry, like a vampire.

**end of flashback**

The warmth of his blood seeped in his clothes, creating a sickening sticky sensation. His vision blurred.

“The smell is so enticing.”

He cringed when the face of the vampire came close to his. He saw the red eyes and elongated fangs about to sink into his neck. That is when the real panic surged inside him. He locked his jaw and shut his eyes as not to give them the pleasure of seeing his fears coming to life.

Bracing himself for the bite that never came, Zero flinched at the muffled groan. His amethyst eyes opened slightly and came face to face with the true beast. The horrified face of the noble upon turning to see his attacker paled compared to the true wrath Zero saw in the ruby red eyes of Kaname. As fast as the moves were, the hunter seemed to see everything in slow motion. He watched as Kaname’s hand went through the vampire’s chest, his claws long and sharp dripping with blood. The arm remained extended as the vampire turned to dust while Kaname used his power to pulverize the E’s that crawled around. From the corner of his eyes, Zero caught a glimpse of another person mobilizing the hunters to the ground and tying them up.

The last thing he remembers seeing was the way Kaname licked his bloody hand, pristine fangs shining to the moonlight, he suddenly felt his body becoming heavier than what he could take and just slumped down, not knowing that Kaname caught him in his arms at the right moment.

The sound of engines signaled the arrival of the actual back up that Cross requested. The car lights made it more painfully obvious how injured and weak Zero was. Kaname was thankful for Cross’s idea. The ex-hunter made use of him by sending him on location along with Nao, the prefect with healing powers. Isaya Shouto came along, transporting with him another hunter in case the fight was still ongoing.

A choking sensation brought the pureblood to his knees as he felt his heart being squeezed inside his body. _This is no time for the seal to act up!_

He looked at Zero, seeing his face contorted in pain made him feel worse. The formal scenario that would allow Kaname to kill any living being would be through Zero lifting the ban of the seal temporarily, Kaname doing the deed and then Zero would seal the ban again. He cursed the power of the spell that decided to manifest at the worst time. He clutched Zero’s body with all energy he could muster as not to let him bump to the floor. A shaky hand reached to the blade and took it out. The pain jolted Zero awake and wincing in pain, he watched the agonized face of the pureblood and understood his predicament without words.

The hunter muttered the words before losing consciousness yet again. Kaname let out a stifle gasp when the gripping sensation on his bleeding heart subsided, thanks to Zero lifting the ban.

As soon as he regained his strength, Kaname called out for Nao in order to tend to the hunter’s injury. To his surprise, the young prefect froze a foot away from them. Kaname’s eyes widened when he saw his reaction to Zero’s blood, unaware that he was the same. Nao, who was praised for his incredible tolerance when it comes to blood, to the point that he did not react to the rich pureblood of Kaname, had his eyes glowing red and his fangs completely aroused as soon as took a whiff of the sweet smelling blood that Zero emanated.

“Leave!” Kaname growled, startling the teenager who was sinking in an uncontrollable blood lust.

“Take some blood pills and get away from here, get in a car… Do something about that.” Kaname ordered.

The black haired student ran for the heels, a hand clutching his chest and the other covering his mouth.

“Damn it!” _I should not have let you leave like that._

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**


	34. chapter34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> smut ALERT  
> SMUT ALERT  
> SMUT alert

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation of the previous chapter ;) ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Kaname was about to bite his wrist to give blood to Zero when he felt the weak hand of the hunter stopping him. His heart leapt when the violet eyes stared at him with a scolding glare.

“Take me to my car; I have the blood pills there.” Zero mouthed

“Those won’t help you heal fast.” Kaname was surprised by the hunter’s suggestion.

“It’s fine, I don’t mind.” The weak answer contradicted the weaker shrug.

“Just drink mine, it will be faster.” Kaname ordered but was surprised by the firm rejection that came right after.

“NO!” Zero’s hoarse voice echoed in time with the clutch on his coat. “I won’t drink it, never.”

“Zero, stop being stubborn.”

“I won’t! *cough* *cough* damn, it hurts. Just take me to my car or I swear I will use whatever strength I have left to send you flying and call someone else to do it.” The hunter warned, meaning every word he said even if his voice was hoarse and scratchy.

Faced with the stubbornness of the hunter, even when he was slipping in and out of consciousness, Kaname let out an exasperated groan and hoisted him up. Isaya joined him shortly to Zero’s car.

The light-haired pureblood had the same reaction as Kaname seeing the injuries, but was less worried when he saw the hunter gulping the pills and bickering with the Kuran.

“Kaname-sama, is it okay to leave Kiryuu-kun in your care? I will report back to the association while waiting for the squad to bring the captured assailants back.”

Kaname nodded. He looked back at the hunter who was lying on his backseat, his breath coming out in shallow puffs while Kaname was wiping the blood oozing from the wounds.

“They are not healing.” He stated, his scrunched brows showing his displeasure.

Zero swallowed and licked his dried lips, “Its fine… They will… haa… it’s that fucking hunter blade.” he complained.

“The pills won’t help taking the hunter poison out of your system. It will keep preventing the wounds from closing sooner.” Kaname grounded, irritated.

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Zero drawled. “You can go away until it heals if you want.” He added with a worried tone. Zero noticed the tense shoulders of the pureblood as well as the flickering red hue in his eyes. He knew that Kaname was keeping himself in check because of his blood being all over the place. “It is not like I will die.” He joked.

“TSK!” The flick of tongue was unexpected; neither the fact that Kaname did the opposite of what Zero asked him by climbing on the seat to join him. “No other choice.”

Zero was about to reject the idea of drinking from him again but Kaname shut him up. Wine orbs glanced around to make sure that everyone left the deserted site and they were the only one left. “I will try to heal and absorb any amount of poison I can.”

“Kaname!”

“Just listen… Remember when I was helping with the crawling of your skin that day in the hotel suite?” Zero nodded, “Well, I was using little pureblood power to absorb the pain. However, for this case, I will have to use my saliva to help heal and close the wounded flesh. You know what that means?”

Zero tensed at the idea of Kaname tasting his blood. He knew that his agony will keep going until the wounds closed. The hunter poison might not affect him as badly as any other regular vampire, but it still burning through his veins as they stared into each other’s eyes.

“I need you to trust me.” Kaname insisted in a grave voice, steeling himself for when Zero agrees. Truth is that he was not confident that he will be able to control himself; it was natural to lust after the blood of the one you love. The hunger he felt, and the itching of his gum just confirmed how deeply his feelings had gone. Nonetheless, he had to keep reminding himself that a bite was the last mistake he needed to make, especially with Zero.

The hunter finally nodded. Kaname rolled his coat and used it as pillow behind Zero’s back to lift his shoulder as he made him lay on the length of the back seat. Zero could not help the whimpers that escaped him when Kaname was removing the bloodied shirt sticking to his wounds as gently and carefully as he could.

Now shirtless, Zero watched as Kaname’s lips lowered on the oozing gash on his side. His breath hitched when the hot tongue lapped on the edge from a claw wound. He clutched and scrapped on the leather of his car when he felt the flesh mending slowly, burning nerves awakening. A growl startled him and he glanced down at the brown head, panting.

Amethyst eyes widened in horror when he saw the elongated fangs getting away from his skin and the frown adorning the blazing red eyes. Zero immediately tried to pull his form away from the man hovering over him, his back hit the door and he winced at the jolt of pain increased tenfold.

“No…No… don’t… please… enough…” His eyes went blank before screwing shut, his form shaking like a leaf and his fists clenching and unclenching as if imaginary restrains were binding them, his breath turned erratic. _Seeing your eyes turning red probably awakened an old trauma causing his panic._ Aido’s words echoed through Kaname’s brain and he cursed his very being for his carelessness. He immediately pulled Zero in his embrace, making sure that he could not see his eyes and fangs before whispering.

“Zero!.... shshshhhh… it’s me… Open your eyes… It’s me Kaname… I am not that person… I won’t bite you… I will never hurt you… I promise… Sorry, I could not help the eyes and fangs… but I can control myself… I promise… Calm down… please…” he crooned while killing Shizuka a hundred times over in his mind.

The soft cooing and the gentle hands massaging his scalp somehow pulled Zero out of the dark abyss he had fallen into, he opened his eyes to find himself in his car still, he lifted his hands and stared at his palms over Kaname’s shoulder for a moment until it all sank in. The scent of the brown haired pureblood helped ease his anxiety and grounded him to this reality, he gasped repeatedly until his heartbeat settled. Shaky hands clutched the fabric of Kaname’s shirt. Tears started rolling uncontrollably, relief washing over his tired body. _He is not that person!_   

“Kaname….” The pureblood flinched at the chocked voice, _he is crying,_ but could not bring himself to face him because his face was still that of the monster that Zero despised. He kissed the silver head and rubbed his back, careful not to stir the wounds.

“Kaname…” Zero called again, with a better sounding voice,

“hmm…”

“Let me see your face.” Zero whispered in between soft whimpers, the pain of the wounds started to intensify again now that the rush subsided.

“Not yet…” Kaname covered Zero’s eyes with his palm, intending to continue his treatment of the wounds without scaring the silverette.  

“I need to…” Seeing the way the soft lips quivered, shaky hand tracing his arm until it reached his face, Kaname relaxed into the palm cupping his cheek. He understood the intention and pulled his hands away from the squinting violet orbs for their faces to meet one another.  

The pureblood stilled as Zero’s hand traced the side of his face, his eyes, the bridge of his nose, his lips until the fingers hovered close to pristine fangs without touching them. Kaname felt his heart ache when a small smile traced Zero’s lips, it leapt when the hunter softly beckoned his face to come closer, awkwardly shifting to brush his lips against Kaname’s jawbone. “Continue please… I won’t be scared, I want to look at you… I need to know that you are not that person… I trust you…”

For a second, Kaname felt like he was going to cry, as humiliating as the action might be for a pureblood. He cleared his throat and dropped his head, glancing at the wound he was treating before stopping when his beast roared for more blood instead of healing. A crease showed on his forehead and he lifted his face to look at Zero’s shoulder.

“What?” Zero wondered about the reason for the worry haunting the glowing eyes.

“The wound is opening again.” Kaname whispered before tightening his lips.

“Oh!” Zero understood the cause for the increasing pain he felt.

“I think I should treat the blade wound first, should have thought about it earlier.” Kaname self-reprimanded before leaning to treat the shoulder, holding Zero in a sideway twist while supporting him as not to put pressure on the other wound.

By the time the wounds closed, both vampires were breathing heavily, trembling for different reasons. Zero’s consciousness was slowly slipping away as the torture of feeling the wounds closing at a faster speed took a toll on his body and nerves. Kaname watched the hunter’s body slackening and violet eyes fluttering shut. The heaving of Zero chest steadied shortly after, indicating that sleep took him over. Contrary to the agitated state of the pureblood who was having a hard time coming down from the height of tasting his beloved blood. Kaname grabbed the pill’s case from his coat before covering Zero’s form with it. He closed the door softly and sprinted few miles away from the car after locking it.

Falling down on his knees, he gulped the pills one after the other until the case emptied. Hearing the sound of water streaming, he followed it to a small pound. He quickly dipped his hands and splashed his face in effort to scrub any of Zero’s blood that managed to stick to him. It took him a few long minutes for the itch at the back of his throat to subside. His beast was roaring for him to devour the hunter to the bone, to taste the sweet minty nectar to the last drop. A guttural growl echoed from his throat as he unintentionally remembered the taste on the tip of his tongue.

When he judged himself to be in perfect control again, Kaname went back to the car. He immediately burned the bloodied shirt and ripped the stained part of his coat, grateful that his own clothes were spared somehow. He smiled at the angelic face of the now sleeping hunter before turning the engine to drive away.

The pureblood chose to go in the first hotel that met him because he deemed it unsightly for the hunter to go in his building looking like that. He thanked the receptionist who handed him the key and went out again to fetch the sleeping hunter. He did not expect to find him writhing in the seat and whimpering as if seeing a bad dream.

“ro…”

“Zero…”

“Zero… wake up…” the hunter groaned from the hand patting his face softly. His face scrunched up when he felt arms collecting his sluggish form and lifting him. Reluctant to open his eyes, he mumbled, “What?”

A soft chuckle sent puffs of warm air on his face, “Nothing… Go back to sleep… I am carrying you to bed now.” Kaname sighed at the sudden change of attitude as soon as he took him in his arms. He felt the hunter inhaling his scent and relax in deep sleep again. The weird looks he got as he went through the lobby did not faze the pureblood as his top priority was putting the hunter in a comfortable place, and order clean clothes to be sent to their room.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞few hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Amethyst eyes opened slowly as Zero moved lazily before halting when he noticed the foreign feel of the sheets covering his naked form.  Bits and pieces of the previous events started filling his hazed brain. He took a moment to assess the state of his body, glad that he was able to move without pain anywhere. His eyes glanced at both sides looking for the pureblood who saved him from a certain death. He finally had to get up into a sitting position to be able to see the brown-haired man who was sipping on a glass filled with red liquid while sitting on the floor next to the glass wall.

He got lost staring at the brunet who did not seem to notice that he was awake. Kaname was clad in white flannel pants, his hair roughly dried leaving his waves dangling messily on his strong naked shoulders. A trickle of water made its way to his chest bone, its track sparking in reflection of the moonlight that bathed his creamy flawless skin. With one long leg stretched out and the other knee folded. He rested the forearm on the knee to keep the glass in his hand in eye level. Zero watched as the thick eyelashes of closed eyes casted a shadow on prominent cheek. Full perfectly traced lips moving slightly to allow the vibrations of the melody that Kaname was humming as his temple rested on the warm glass window.

_“What am I to you, Zero?”_

He remembered the question out of blue. His hands clutched the sheet covering him.

_“Last time I checked, you considered me as a sex friend.”_

He brought the sheets to his aching chest, shaking his head from left to right

_“Which means that I am the same as any other man you slept with.”_

A lump formed in his throat as the need to scream and deny it more intensely than how he did surged inside him. With swift movements, Zero tiptoed and sat down on his knees next to the pureblood, his eyes never leaving the peaceful perfectly sculpted face.

_“What are you to me? Kaname! No longer the enemy I lived to defeat, no longer my rival in love, no longer the source of my irritation, not just a sex friend… How did you grow on me so much? How did you become so…? What have you done to me?”_

Garnet orb opened upon sensing the shuffling and the air shifting from the rustling of the sheets. Kaname tilted his head quizzically when faced with a worried expression on Zero’s face. He put his drink down and crisscrossed his legs in front of him, cupping his small face at the same time.

“What’s wrong?” Kaname asked, though relieved to see that the hunter’s complexion got better. Especially after the bout of fever that lasted for a good hour due to his body fighting the poison.

Zero snuggled the big hand that was tenderly touching his cheek before shaking his head, “Nothing…” he paused  before making a pouting face, “You are still teasing me with that tune without telling me the name, meanie…”

Kaname chuckled and tugged on the pouting lip before retracting his hands and acting all innocent, “You will guess it eventually…”

“Temme~”

“No.” Kaname tried his best to sound serious and not jump the cutely acting Zero.

“Why?” Zero asked, not expecting the sullen expression on the pureblood.

“You will figure it out if it is meant to be.” Kaname gave him a sad smile that puzzled Zero more before his expression changed along with the topic, “Speaking of which, you should take a shower if you are feeling better, you worked up quite a sweat while asleep.”

Zero nodded, and stood, dragging the sheet he was wrapped in along. He placed a hand on the frame of the bathroom door and looked sideway at Kaname, “Kaname!... Thank you for coming to my rescue, today…”

“I would have never forgiven myself if I did not.” The pureblood answer brought a warm feeling in Zero’s chest. He escaped into the bathroom, leaving the pureblood stunned by the sight of his pink cheeks. _That reaction was illegal!_

Kaname knocked at the bathroom door, “Zero! I already put a fresh change of clothes there, I hope I got the size right, unlike last time.”

“You better did!” Kaname chuckled at the answer, remembering the peeved hunter when he got him a suit one size larger than his once. He went back to nursing the drink containing the last of his blood pills. This time, he was sitting on the plush armchair facing the bed instead of the floor.

_I wish I could sing it for you… but only if what is between us is meant to change someday…_

Minutes later, Zero emerged in a bathrobe, drying his hair. Kaname rested his chin on the pad of his palm, chuckling, “Are they too small that you could not wear anything?”

Zero smirked as he approached the brunet. He threw the towel and made himself comfortable on Kaname’s lap, leaning against his chest like a child. Kaname cradled him, placing a kiss on his temple.

“I don’t need them since you will take them off anyways.” Zero purred in his ear, startling the unsuspecting brunet.

A brown brow quirked, “Zero! You just escaped a near death situation and that is what you want to do next?”

“Anything wrong with that?” He asked innocently while worrying his lower lip in a way he knew would get to the pureblood.

Kaname let an amused snort leave his lips as he patted Zero’s thigh over the robe, “Stop being silly, what you need right now is to get dressed and go back to your place and REST!” emphasizing on the word.

“No, I don’t think so!” Zero protested softly as he threw his legs over the armrest, his arm caging the brunet’s neck and his lips attacking a delicious collarbone. Kaname was quick to react by prying the arm away and pushing the hunter enough for Zero not to be able to touch any skin.

“Zero, I told you I don’t pry on the sick!” Kaname grounded, having hard time believing the sudden change of attitude.

“I am not sick anymore… Come on…” Zero whined

_Where did that shy sweet little thing go after he went into the bathroom?_

“Say that to someone else who did not close your wound and did not nurse your fever not long ago.”

The fuming hunter got off his lap and stomped to the bed. Kaname thought that Zero was finally being obedient, but he should have known better.

He watched the silverette skim the hotel menu, and then pick up the phone.

Zero gave him a sharp look with a mischievous smirk as he played with the phone wire, waiting for the receptionist to answer,

“Hello… Yes… I would like to ask about your escort service.”

Kaname’s eyes narrowed at the ‘escort’ word.

“Yes… Do you happen to have the full course… uhuh… fantastic… I would like to make a booking…. preferences? let’s see…” Zero tapped on his lips, looked at Kaname and nibbled his finger before answering, “Male… tall, around 6’… lean… brown hair, wavy and shoulder length… hmmm… Ah yes! fair skinned, well endowed, with a deep voice and red brown eyes… it is okay to have as many of these attributes as possible if not all… No… Actually, do you have a private room or I can book a room other than this…. Yes the name is-“ Zero licked his lips as the sound died on the other side of the line. The reason being that a certain irked pureblood snapped the wire in two.

Kaname dipped his hands on either side of the hunter, hovering over him with a dark look on his face, “How brazen of you to call on another man while I am around.”

Zero shrugged, looking at him sideway, “You left me with no other choice, ever heard of the adrenaline rush when one comes close to dying, we kind of revert to our primal instinct.”

Kaname snorted and pulled his face back when Zero tried to steal a peck, “That primal instinct seems to be always rolling within you.”

“I did not hear you complaining before” Zero huffed, annoyed with the pureblood playing hard to get when all he wanted is to be in his embrace.

Kaname on the other hand, had a hidden agenda to punish the hunter for his prank. He sat back on the armchair. This time, instead of folding his legs, he spread and extended them. “An escort, huh?” He mused, glaring dagger at the petulant silverette sulking on the bed.

“I wonder what kind of service they could provide.” he mocked.

“Who knows? Not like I can call on one now that you wrecked the phone… Maybe I would have enjoyed a strip show.” Zero retorted, trying to annoy the pureblood more.

“A show… interesting… And you would sit there watching… Can you even keep still for five minutes?” Kaname added with mirth, keeping a finger across his lips while observing the hunter.

“Why do you care anyways, it is not like you will put on a-… holy fucking show…” Zero gulped when he turned with the intention to glare at the brunet. He unconsciously folded and sat on his knees, his hands dipping in his lap as he watched what the sinful man in front of the bed was subjecting him to.

Kaname had an elbow resting on the armrest, the palm cradling his smirking face before his lips parted slightly in a soft sigh with a finger dipping slightly between them. The other hand was lazily pulling the string to undo the knot keeping his loose pants in place. He slowly traced the edge of the fabric, enjoying the bobbing in Zero’s throat now that he caught his attention. A finger pushed under the fabric to allow the hand to slide in the confines.

Zero could clearly see the obscene movements under the white cloth. How the pureblood was palming himself and stroking lazily.

“Don’t move!” the breathy order stopped the hunter from crawling across the bed. Hungry amethyst eyes looked into lusty wine orbs before traveling down the naked chest where he could see the enticing nipples perking more and more as the hand down there increased the pace.

Kaname groaned, threw his head back and slid more on the chair to allow his hips to buck up. He tilted his head back to watch Zero’s reaction as he finally pulled his arousal in view by pushing down the fabric with his other hand.

His mouth morphed into an open mouthed smile when he caught the hitch in Zero’s breath and the lewd tongue licking those lips as if a treat was dangling in front of him. _Well it is kind of a treat in his eyes._

Despite the lazy slow strokes and the occasional teasing of his own slit, what aroused Kaname more was the desire he perceived in dilated amethyst orbs, the way Zero was slowly crawling on the bed until he was sitting on the edge, fidgeting with the need to join him.

“Liking what you see?” He took a page of the hunter’s dirty talking for once, making him whimper at the way the words rolled lewdly from his mouth.

“You could have enjoyed it, had you been good and obedient. Too bad that I have to take care of it myself now.” he teased, gasping as he picked up the pace. Zero gave him a glare and a huff and looked away. However, he was not able to keep calm as he heard the wet sounds coming from Kaname stroking his own leaking erection. The sight of the pureblood caused his undoing, he could feel his body burning with desire, his lips drying from the need, his breath growing more ragged as his own shaft hardened under the robe.

Not being the one to give up easily, Zero mirrored Kaname’s position on the bed as well as his movement with his own arousal. He added more flavor by raising one leg on the bed and letting the robe slide down his shoulders to allow the pureblood a view of his twitching entrance as well as his aroused nipples that Kaname loved to torture. The guttural growl resounding from Kaname’s throat was the sign of his small victory.

Just when he thought that the tables had turned in his favor, Kaname stopped his private show and hid the eye-candy back in his pants, resuming the chin in palm position while watching the silverette play with himself, a victorious smirk on his face.

Suddenly feeling too exposed, Zero tried to do the same, but he was too aroused to care about stopping. He looked at the brunet with pleading eyes that added to the satisfied glint in wine orbs.

Feeling a bit of pity for the erotic creature in front of him who has so little self-control, Kaname pointed to his wallet on the side table next to Zero and mouthed the words that the hunter was waiting for, “Come get what you want.”

Peeved but excited all the same, Zero wasted no time pulling the condom from the wallet and straddling the pureblood. Kaname pulled the packet from Zero’s teeth, tearing it open in the process. He pulled on the hunter’s neck to kiss him but Zero covered his, teasing him more while he put the rubber on clumsily with the other hand.

The hunter wasted no time impaling himself on the hard shaft of the brunet, throwing his head back from the abrupt penetration and gasping while squeezing Kaname’s knees that he used for support.

As for the pureblood, he gripped the hips that slammed on his thighs pushing the robe away to get a view of the place where they connected as one. He bent slightly and captured a perky nipple between his lips that he sucked on harshly while pressing on Zero’s hips to prevent him from bucking.

Zero’s back arched into the touch, but whimpered when his movements were restricted.

“Kaname…mmnnngh…”

He stopped the teasing and tweaking to look into dilated violet orbs.

“Let me move…” Zero grunted.

“Who said I want you to…”

“Stop playing around already…”

“Was it me…? The one playing around, now.” Kaname taunted, having hard time keeping a straight face when Zero’s walls were squeezing him tightly.

“Fuck!” Zero tried grinding against him but the vice grip had no mercy, he let out a frustrated sob, throwing one arm around the brunet’s neck followed by another gripping his shoulder in order for their face to come closer, “I was baiting you back there… I want you and only you…”

Kaname’s heartbeat soared at the words but he did not show it.

“No one else comes close, even if they had the look which I doubt…” Zero whispered against his lips, “I need you to embrace me… All night long… If there was something I was about to regret today… It would be all the times I pushed you away instead of drowning in you… I want you to take me like there is no tomorrow… Kaname… please!” he begged as he felt the grip slacked and the strong hands moving his hips languidly, creating a sweet torturing friction.

Their lips met briefly in a fit of nibbles and sucking before Kaname pulled away slightly, “Why did it have to be me, the one you thought about then…”

The question made Zero swallow loudly, he traced Kaname’s face softly with his fingers, gasping when the pureblood bucked his hips upwards slightly. He leaned down to kiss him before whispering the words against silken lips while dilated violet orbs met equally dark wine orbs, “Because I am addicted to you…”

In the blur of movement, screams and grunts of pleasure, neither knew when it was that any piece of clothing was discarded, when it is that their bodies became slick with sweat, or when it is that their positions shifted with Zero pinned to the chair and Kaname pounding him into it.

Kaname sat on his knees, grabbing Zero’s calves in each hands to keep them spread apart as he set a steady rhythm of sliding in and out of the writhing pale body of the hunter. The sight of the lithe body twitching and trembling as he invaded it was a slice of heaven, the hunter’s beauty was almost unreal when the moonlight filtered into the dark room and reflected on his sweat-slicked skin.

Despite warning himself to hold back, the lewd mewl Zero let out each time he dived inside him followed by the needy whimper, as he pulled out never made the task easier.

“Nnnhh… Kana…ahn… Kaname…” Glassy violet orbs looked dazedly until they found the eyes they were looking for, Zero reached his hands like a child asking for a hug… Smiling at the sight, Kaname let go of the trembling legs that rested on the armrests and wrapped his arms around the silverette pulling him closer. As the angle changed, Zero felt a jolt so strong that his thighs stiffened and trembled although Kaname was not thrusting that hard.

Noticing the reaction as well as the quivering of the warm cavern, Kaname did the same once more, leading to a strangled gasp and a surprised look from the hunter.

“Wha… AHN!” Zero gripped Kaname’s hair as his back arched from the pleasurable sensation.

“Feeling good?” Kaname asked as he kissed the base of the exposed throat, earning a rumble as a satisfying answer. He gripped the base of his own dick and placed a hand on the cushion for better support. He knew that he had been hitting his prostate for a while now, but it seemed like he just found another pleasurable spot judging from the way the kiss-swollen lips slacken every time he aimed at it. And who is Kaname to deny Zero as much pleasure as he could give him?

Zero’s back arched as his hid his face against Kaname’s collarbone, jolting with every thrust and trembling afterwards, his grip on the brown hair tightened and the clutch on the shoulder would have dislocated it long ago had it not been Kaname. He felt his toes curl each time the pureblood teased that spot deep inside, but he would whimper louder in frustration, from being so close yet unable to find release.

A sob escaped him, Kaname forbid him from touching himself as a condition for embracing him and the agony was unbearable. The steady rhythm of the pureblood was not enough either.

“Kana…mnn… please” he looked up, catching the close lips in a half kiss half bite before looking at the equally aroused face of the pureblood.

“Touch me~”

“No.” Kaname grunted as he smirked down at the pouting and panting silverette

“Can I?” Zero had to ask, but Kaname stole his lips into a searing kiss before denying him the relief once again.

“Then…UHnnn… Fuck me …. ah! Harder….” He whispered into his ear before biting it. “AAHHNN!” Zero screamed and flopped back on the seat from one sudden hard thrust.

“Stop taunting me damnit…” Kaname’s cursing made Zero smile, especially when he had a good look at the frowning brunet.

“mhnn… Fuck..me…hardmphh” Zero’s eyes widened when Kaname covered his mouth and brought his face closer, “I told you to shut up” The growl served only to turn Zero on more, leading to him pushing his hips against Kaname to stir him more. An aggressively dominating partner would usually be a big no no for the hunter, but something about a cursing; controlling and downright sadistic Kaname somehow stirred the hunter in weird way, pleasantly weird ways.

Taking a deep breath, Kaname let go the muffled mouth and grabbed Zero’s neck for a reconciling kiss, thinking that he went too far. Without stopping the rolling of his hips, he cupped the back of Zero’s head and brought his lips to a flushed ear of the panting hunter, “Sorry… I feel like I might break you if I don’t hold back.” The smart comeback he was expecting never came. Instead Zero hooked his arms around Kaname’s shoulders and mumbled against his neck, “then do it… break me… please”

All movement halted for a second a Kaname had to literally clutch  the back of the seat as not to crush Zero from the surprise, “Wha…?”

Zero leaned back on the cushion, looking up the face hovering over him while wrapping his legs around Kaname’s waist, “I want you to fuck me hard, break me all you want, give me all of you… I want it all!” Zero’s word accentuated by the bucking of his hips and the way he trailed his nails on Kaname’s hipbone.

“Don’t complain if you are unable to move later…” Kaname teased back after snapping out of the surprised state.

“Try me…” Zero drawled, challenging the pureblood to give it everything he had, and that is exactly what Kaname did.

In one swift move, he collected the silver haired hunter in his arms and stood up. Hands gripping the ass-cheeks of the surprised hunter, Kaname raised and impaled him on his ever hardening arousal earning a violent shudder as Zero gripped his neck for dear life.

“More?” Kaname taunted

“Yes! FUCK YES!.... OHH! GOOOD!” Zero vision blurred and sparkles flew everywhere with every time Kaname invaded him deeper. “How much more lewd can you get” Kaname smirked when he felt Zero tightening around him because of his dirty talking.

“Do you like it so much? When I push my dick deep inside you?”

“Yes…NGH! I love it… Don’t stop, please… more…” Zero pleaded as he felt Kaname lowering him on the bed. He wrapped around him like a koala, not ready to let go anytime soon.

Kaname worked faster than light placing a pillow right under Zero’s hips, another where he would place his head before wrenching the unwilling arms caging his neck. He laced their fingers together and pushed the pale hands on either sides of the pillow nestling the teary face of the hunter. Kaname trapped his lower lip between his own and sucked on it harshly before pulling his face away; just enough for Zero to let out a frustrated sob when he failed to follow the sinful lips, The hunter immediately tightened the grip of his legs on Kaname’s waist in fear of him pulling out as well. The action earned them a whimper and a grunt as the wet warm wall clenched unbearably on the length buried deep inside them.

Eyes filled with lust, need and desire met once again, a moment of silence stretched as their chest rose and fell heavily. Kaname was the one to break it by the last warning words, “Let me watch you lose yourself till you break apart, Zero…”

The husky voice sent a electric jolt to his very core, the hunter did not have the time to answer as Kaname pulled out until only the tip remained buried inside, Garnet eyes watched as Violet eyes widened and the hunter’s lips parted in a chocked cry when he suddenly slammed back in until his hipbone connected with Zero’s inner thighs in a painful slapping sound. Even Kaname could not hold out the loud cry of pleasure at the stimulation. He tightened the grip on Zero’s hands and scrunched his eyebrows together in an effort not to lose focus as he pounded the trembling body underneath him in the same manner repeatedly.

Zero’s expression mirrored that of Kaname, his mouth slackening with each slam. The effort he made to keep his eyes open and watch the erotic face that Kaname was making soon proved difficult as his vision blurred. His eyes finally closed tightly, making him see stars when the sensation became unbearable. The whimpers escaping his mouth soon turned into the wildest scream when Kaname shifted without warning. The pureblood slid his knees under the elevated ass of the hunter and pushed slightly to plunge downward into the awaiting blissful cavern. Zero let out a strangled squeal as pain and pleasure mixed together from the new position, the hold of his legs around Kaname’s waist tightened impossibly more, taking as much of the brunet as possible. He hissed, feeling the hard road breach his inside further than ever.

 

Kaname’s lust filled mind did not prevent him from drinking every gesture, sound, and face the silverette made. It was as if his body and mind worked separately. He watched as the narrow waist of the hunter wiggled to keep up with his bestial pace, how the silver hair swayed and stuck to the sweaty forehead each time Zero thrashed his head in each and every direction possible. He smiled at the feel and sight of the shoulders and hands tensing and relaxing with each and every little move he did. His gaze stilled on the heaving sweaty chest that hid the wildly thumping heart of the hunter. The pureblood wondered for a second if it was beating as loudly as his own heart that felt like it was about to jump out of his ribcage.

 

“Don’t…slow…do…More! Kann…AAAHH! YES! FUCK YES! MNGGHH… BREAK ME!” Zero’s begging snapped him out of the distracting thoughts to resume his ravishing with more vigor. He cursed as the hunter has gotten tighter than ever possible. Something suddenly snapped and a wave of hypnotizing heat washed over the pureblood, sending jolts of pleasures through every nerve and vein in his body. As if the last string of control finally snapped, Kaname let go of Zero’s hands, pried his legs apart and lifted one of them over his shoulder. Zero had to slam both palms against the headboard as the thrust made him slide upward so hard he almost his head. The deeper penetration made the stream of tears flow more and his saliva to drool over the corner of his mouth when he buried his face sideway into the pillow.

As Kaname continued increasing the pace steadily, Zero suddenly felt his thighs quivering, then quacking, his stomach clenching, heat coiling in his lower belly, his walls clenching on the shaft burning them with the infernal friction. It happened so fast that he started to panic, the only thing that would keep him grounded was chanting the brunet’s name like a mantra… His vision turned white for a moment as his whole body convulsed without warning, he felt lava erupting at the back of his head, coursing through his whole body until it ended in his core, bursting in a undeniably shuddering pleasure.

The shudders and violent twitching were so strong that Zero failed to notice the faltering pace of the pureblood. Kaname was alarmed for a moment when a particularly loud sob escaped the hunter before strong spasms shook his body, his eyes rolling back in his socket and soft foam formed at the edge of his mouth. He braced himself for Zero passing out on him but was surprised by feeling his insides clamping down on his shaft to the point of almost breaking it, convulsions reverberated against it and the hunter’s hips bucked few times against his as if trying to suck him in deeper. The pressure and convulsions almost drove him over the edge but he let out a loud groan and took a deep shuddering breath, determined to see the hunter’s dry orgasm to the end and have another mind-blowing finale together.

Finally, back from his trip to dream land, the panting hunter opened his glassy unfocused eyes and glanced at the equally panting but smiling pureblood who stilled his movements by then. Kaname smiled as he lowered his lips to place awkward kisses on pale shoulder, collarbone and tracing down to a nipple that he sucked on, enjoying the ripples of the skin in reaction to his ministration. The hoarse whine made him smile more, “Uhnn… What are you doing to me… Kaname…”

He brought his lips as close as he could to a pink pierces earlobe, “I am making love to you”

Zero’s hazy brain could not make out the words properly before going blank as Kaname picked up the brutal pace again. Zero whimpered when Kaname started stroking his leaking dick in time with his harsh thrusting. The hunter did not have the time to come down from the euphoria of his dry orgasm only for the pureblood to send him on another trip with the next ecstasy that only Kaname can manage to bestow upon him.

Both shuddered uncontrollably, their limbs tangled in a boneless mess as they grabbed on each other for dear life. It took them forever to regain the sliver of strength to form coherent words.

The first thing that escaped them were weak chuckles. Kaname had to shift with difficulty to pull out and drop next to the hunter. Zero placed his hands lazily across the pureblood chest that Kaname immediately interlaced with his own before bringing them up to his lips for a kiss.

“It broke…” Zero spoke with a slurred voice.

Kaname followed his gaze to his own softening shaft, only to realize what the hunter meant. Red-brown eyes met violet ones before they both broke out in a drunken laughter.

“I guess it turns useless with that kind of pounding…” Zero commented before laughing once again.

“Are there enhanced ones for vampire mating?” Kaname snorted, the hunter following by another hysterical laughter.

“Oh god! That was hilarious… Maybe we should skip it all together…” Zero added,

“Yeah, and then you will have my head for getting you pregnant…” Kaname drawled, earning a smack across the chest. Zero propped himself on one elbow and cradled his palm, looking like he was drunk on euphoria,

“Praise lord Aido and his genius of a scientist brain, I would have been knocked up since the last time you did not even bother using one in the first place.” He explained

“What if it happens this time?” Kaname taunted,

“It won’t.” Zero denied.

“What if it does?”

“It won’t.”

“What if there is a chance?”

“Why would there be.” Zero whined, getting irritated at the persistence.

“Just saying.” Kaname asked innocently, making the hunter roll his eyes.

“I have been diligent with the bloody contraceptive pills. If it proved effective the first time then I am safe. He said that I am fertile as a rabbit lately, so I could basically get knocked up at the drop of a hat if they did not work”

“Hmm?... Should we test it out then?”

“How?” Zero frowned at the idea of the exhilarated pureblood.

“Take a test in a week or two.”

“And…”

“If negative, you win. If positive, you keep it.” Kaname stated, startling Zero with his serious tone. Amethyst eyes blinked few times before he broke in another fit of laughter. Kaname sighed while removing what remained of the torn condom. He was about to get out of bed but Zero pulled him back and climbed on top of him. “Don’t go…”

“What?”

“Don’t leave me…” The desperate voice of the hunter made the pureblood frown.

“Zero, what’s wrong?” Kaname rubbed the sweaty back when the hunter hid his face in the crook of Kaname’s neck.

“Don’t go anywhere, stay close.”

“Okay.” Kaname answered cautiously.

“Um… do you think you are still able to?” Zero asked while caressing a shoulder with the tip of his finger.

“Able to do what?”

“Do me more?” He mumbled against the pulsing neck before kissing it.

“Will you be able to?” Kaname answered sarcastically, leading to the silver head to perk up in expectation, a smirk adorning the mischievous look on the hunter’s face.

“I did not pass out this time, so yeah…”

“You were pretty close to…”

“Will you do it or not.”

“Condom?”

“Who said that they wanted to knock me up, I would like to see you try, stallion.” Zero teased while squeezing the now limp member of the pureblood, earning a warning growl from the beast that was about to awaken once more. It did not take them long to drown in the passion together like there was no tomorrow.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next morning ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

*Ring*

*Ring*

*Ring*

“Uhngh!” The bothered groan of a cranky silverette broke the quiet silence of the room; He patted the nightstand where the annoyingly ringing and vibrating device hummed, “Whazzit!”

“Still alive?” The hazel eyed hunter asked in an amused tone.

“Alive. kicking. wanna sleep. bye.” Zero hung up and switched off the phone knowing that there will be no end to it once the calling starts.

“Ahn…shit!” He quickly covered his mouth when a moan threatened to erupt. He glanced around quickly to realize that Kaname was spooning him from behind, one hand acting as a pillow while the other rested on his thigh. There was nothing new there if we don’t count the fact that Zero woke up before Kaname. What alarmed the hunter was that Kaname was having a morning woody, still nothing new… Except the fact that it was deep inside the hunter.

_How can you still get it up after unloading all that shit inside me last night?_

Zero looked down between his legs,

_Then again, I am no different after all!_

He shuddered remembering the countless times that Kaname flooded his insides and how amazing it felt every single time. Zero’s face glowed red when he remembered how wanton he acted up until early morning. He had a feeling that he will not be able to walk properly for days after this. He covered his face remembering how Kaname was finally the one begging him to stop while the boneless Zero was whining for him to do more and never letting go of him. A soft smile traced his lips when he realized how powerless Kaname was against his helpless plea.

A slight shift earned him another gasp. Zero reached a hand between them and pushed on Kaname’s pelvic bone, his other hand muffling any moan or whimper that might escape him. He shivered at the feel of the pureblood leaving him slowly, his essence that filled the hunter helping the easy glide, although the rubbing only stirred the hunter more.

“Unnngh…gah! Finally!” Zero growled as he slid a bit further on the bed and turned on the other side to face Kaname. Amethyst eyes widened when they met wide awake wine orb filled with amusement.

“You bastard! Were you awake the whole time?” Zero gave a weak punch, panting softly.

“Nah! Halfway… Had two minds about making the task harder but decided against it.” Kaname teased, not showing  how hard was it for him not to thrust back inside the silverette who was clenching around him, _Best wakeup call yet!_

“What is the big idea, sleeping without pulling your dick out of me anyways?” Zero growled while he sluggishly threw his feet down the bed.

“Who knows?” Kaname shrugged, unable to stop his smirk when looking at the attempt of the shaky hunter to stand on his feet.

He did not make two steps away from the bed before his knees and waist gave out on him, leaving Kaname in a fit of laughter.

“Why bother leaving the bed anyways?” Kaname stated as he pulled the hunter up on the bed again, this time making Zero lie flat on his stomach on top of him.

The hunter groaned, “To take care of the mess you left me with.”

“Oh! this you mean?” Kaname smirked at the shivers coursing through Zero as he pushed a finger inside him and showed him the digit coated with his own release that delightfully filled the hunter.

The hunter cursed at the sight of the sexy smirk and pushed against Kaname’s chest, moaning when their erections rubbed each other. “Put it in!” He ordered, voice hoarse and scratchy from screaming all night long. He could not believe his own words, but he knew that one thing for sure, He did not want to separate from Kaname anytime soon.

“Gladly!” Kaname smile victoriously and rammed inside the awaiting silverette. They went at it once more in the shower before Zero finally admitted that he could do no more.

They lazed on the bed, talking about everything and anything. Zero explained what happened with his late ex-boyfriend, a story Kaname had an idea about from what Allen told him. He listened intently to the hunter’s talk, frowned at the mention of the prize that his assailants talked about. He did not like the idea of Zero getting targeted in the first place, let alone having a ‘prize’ on his head by whoever was pursuing him. He unconsciously pulled the silver-haired man to his side in a protective side hug that Zero welcomed with a sigh and an arm across the pureblood’s shoulder.

“Is there a ways for Yuki to keep Ai inside for much longer?” The sudden mumble caught Kaname by surprise.

“It does not look like she will pop anytime soon.” Kaname joked,

“I meant much much longer…” Zero insisted,

“Hmm?” Kaname did not want to get his hopes up.

“I don’t want to part with you yet.” the hunter whined as he nuzzled the crook of Kaname’s neck. He knew from the beginning that the taller man was a drug he should never overfeed on, but he did. However, that was not the only reason… Zero truly felt like he could never go back to how things used to be, he found it difficult to resume acting estranged with the brunet… Insecurities started floating in his brain about whether he would be able to keep away from the brunet, whether he could stay in the same room with him without feeling the need to explore every inch of his skin and feel the burning desire that sparks at the slightest touch.

Kaname had hard time processing the words he just heard, he could not believe what he heard but jumped at the golden chance nonetheless. “You don’t have to.”

Zero snorted.

“I am serious; it is just a condition you placed anyways. I would not mind you taking it back.” He suggested cautiously, “We don’t have to part at all, Zero” He kissed the silver head, feeling his heart race faster as the silence played on his nerves.

“Not that simple!”

“It is. Just say the words and I will be all yours.”

“Kaname, stop pushing it! I told you…”

“Zero! I don’t want to let you go either, I want to be with you, not just for a physical relationship but I-“   

*Ring*

*Ring*

*Ring*

Kaname cursed every existence in the universe for the worst timing of his phone. “Answer it!” Zero pointed to the device while crawling out of the bed, in attempt to dress up.

“Hello.” Kaname’s curt answer hid the venom in his voice. _Just when I was about to-_

“Kaname, are you with Kiryuu-kun right now?” Takuma’s question caught him by surprise. He looked at the half dressed hunter and made his way out of the room to talk.

“Yes. Is something the matter?”

“No… Not much! Kaito has been worried about him after he switched off his phone, it seems that he is on his way to pick him up. They need his report on the mission and some other miscellaneous tasks. I wanted to inform you in case… You know… You risk bumping into each other.” Takuma trailed, knowing that his friend would have spent the night with the hunter after hearing about what happened from his lover who took off early in the morning. “Also, it seems like Cross needed his help with a problem student.”

Kaname frowned at the last information but agreed nonetheless. He went back inside and informed the hunter that he will be checking out and leaving soon so that Zero would arrive to his place by the time Kaito reached. The pureblood decided to postpone the talk he intended to some other time. A small smile graced his lips. _There is a chance that things might play in my favor after all!_

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Few days later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

*bang* *bang* *bang* *bang*

In the shooting range, Zero was going about his usual training with Kaito slacking off beside him.

“You are an asshole and you know it! What is wrong with him being close to Kuran, they grew up together for fuck’s sake?”

Kaito growled as Zero loaded the bullets for another round.

“I can’t stand it!”

Zero rolled his eyes, “You know what? Maybe you are right… It is Ichijou’s fault for being honest with you… For telling you everything about him and allowing himself to be that vulnerable around a jerk like you. I swear, you can be so freaking blind sometime. No, scratch that, you are always blind.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Of course he is going to blow his top when you insinuate that his friends and work are more important than you. What about you, what did you sacrifice for him to make such a claim? Give me a break already.” Zero snapped, having enough dealing with the love trouble of his childhood friend. 

“When we spar together, without weapons or powers, he beats me two times out of three. He is able to juggle his family’s empire, Kuran’s business and a shitload of other stuff without complain and without mistake. That is the kind of person your lover is, not to mention that he is one hell of a badass noble standing at the top of his rank. However, how does he act around you, from what I see, he would not mind grovel to your feet if it meant your happiness? What more do you ask for, your majesty?”

“Alright! All right! I got it! Spare me…” Kaito raising both hands in defeat, frowning at the extra crankiness of the silver hunter. “Oh! You forgot to tell me how you managed to get the prefect not to drop out.”

*bang* *bang*

Zero scowled at the target and cursed Kaito for distracting him. Although, he knew that it was the slight dizziness he felt that caused him to miss.

He paused to recollect the events of the day Kaito came to pick him up. “You are talking about Nao? I did not do much; I think it was the woman who took care of him that convinced the brat to stop his stupidity.”

“You met her?”

“Yeah, I drove him back home to allow him a little break from everything. She offered me tea and we talked a bit.”

“I wonder what kind of woman is she. To be able to raise a vampire in the middle of other orphans and teach him to be that tolerant towards blood is a feat not many can accomplish.”

“um… She was quite _old,_ and weird. It seems that she was aware of us from long ago, and she apparently had a powerful vampire as a friend. She nicknamed him Makkuro.”

Kaito snorted while preparing a gun to shoot few bullets, “What a grim nickname that is, befitting of a bloodsucker.”

“Right!” Zero trailed

 

**_*flashback*_ **

Zero locked his car and followed the prefect to the gate of the orphanage he came from. The hunter could not help but feel pity and guilt toward the boy. He was obviously traumatized and ashamed by the fact that he lost control after all the years he has been careful not to hurt anyone. He felt like he could relate to the feeling himself. However, it was not an excuse for the prefect to suddenly drop out of school and wanting to vanish as not to hurt the ones he cared about. It is a mistake that Zero was grateful not to have made thanks to Yuki and he was not about to let Nao carry such a regret when he was around to help.

After all kind of discussions, bargaining, threatening, they came to the agreement of giving the kid some time off school. Zero believed that spending some time with the person that taught him the safe path he had been following would be the best way to regain his footing.

The silverette halted in his footsteps when Nao extended a hand to bar his path,

“Kiryuu-san, you might find it uncomfortable, but you have to hold my hand to pass through the gate.”

The words made sense when Zero focused and discovered a barrier surrounding the orphanage in the form of a dome. He frowned at the powerful spell cast over the place. “Who did this? You?” He looked at the black haired teen who shook his head in denial.

“It has been there for as long as I can remember. Mama smiles every time I asked about it saying that a good friend put it up to protect her.”

 “Hmm?” Zero wondered, but let it go as he grabbed the boy’s hand and made his way in. He felt shivers down his spine as he passed the barrier and the air suddenly became lighter and fragrant as the smell of lilies assaulted his senses. Nao guided him to the big building where an old woman waved at them from the patio with a big smile on her face.

Zero approached her with a slight bow and she patted his shoulder to guide toward the outdoor lounging area. Nao excused himself inside to prepare drinks for the reluctant hunter. Zero was surprised to see that the ‘Mama’ Nao talked about was an old crippled nun, walking with an apparently handmade cane and shades over her eyes. Zero made sure to hold her hand worrying about her bad sight causing a tripping incident.

“What a gentle soul you are…” She smiled at him,

“That is not true… I came to apologize for causing grieve to the child you preciously took care of…” Zero stated the reason for his visit, “However, I wanted to ask you to convince him against the decision he is adamant about. His friends were greatly saddened, seeing him leave the campus today.”

She waved a dismissing hand, “No worries, that child is overly sensitive with a heightened sense of justice. He has been hard on himself since young age, trying to act as the big brother figure for everyone to accept him. He just needs a little pampering from this old woman here and he will back to his cheerful self.”

Zero chuckled at the motherly tone the old woman used to speak fondly of her protégé. “He is lucky to have you.” 

“No such a thing! I am lucky to have him as well as all the good children who made my mundane life meaningful.” She bragged and bragged about the children and their life together, asking about the ones who had enrolled in Cross Academy one by one.

Zero had to eventually interrupt her to ask the question, “I noticed the repelling barrier outside.”

The woman suddenly quieted down.

“I don’t mean to pry. I am able to see it and Nao had to drive me through it because-“

“Because you are a vampire with hunter blood running through your veins.” The woman finished his sentence, in a different way than what Zero meant to say.

The hunter halted, looking at her quizzically.

“What is your name, child?” The suddenly serious tone of the woman puzzled him more.

“Zero… Kiryuu Zero.” his head snapped suddenly toward the window of the house when he noticed a sudden shifting inside. Moments later, Nao came out with tea and snacks before going back inside. _Was that Nao just now? Or other orphans being curious?_

“Kiryuu, huh? The hunters I presume.” she stated as she sipped her tea, oblivious to the scowl the silverette gave her, “If you were born hunter, what made you into this?”

“I was bitten by a pureblood when I was a child.”

“Oh my! Do you know their Identity?”

Zero frowned but decided to go along, “Shizuka Hio.”

“Ah! I see, that is why you are stuck at the transitioning stage.” She stated, while biting on a cookie and urging Zero to take one.

“Pardon? Are you-“

“You wanted to ask about the barrier? I have no hunter power if that is what you are wondering.” She clarified.

“I guessed that much” Zero nodded.

“A long time ago, I had a good friend that watched over my safety. Before separating, he casted this spell to make sure that certain creatures do not trespass and hurt my people.”

Zero rolled his eyes, smelling bullshit. The repelling spell is no joke. For one to be this strong, the caster had to be nearby. From what Zero could see, it has to be a powerful hunter to be able to keep it up for years. Heck! He casted one to repel Kaname and it almost caused his demise in few days. _No hunter can handle it because it was not originally a hunter’s magic, it is- can’t be!_

“This friend of yours, was he a –“

“Vampire? Yes. He is what you call today a pureblood. However, unlike the one who attacked you. I believe Makkuro was a gentle and kind pureblood. You kind of remind me of him somehow. Gentle, soft, yet sharp but full of sorrow. As if you are carrying the burden of the world on your shoulders.”

“Makkuro?” The surprised hunter whispered the name,

“That is a nickname. He always liked to keep his identity anonymous, so I came up with it.” She giggled, “Although he did not seem to like it much.”

“Do you still see him?” Zero got more curious and hesitated in fear of being inconsiderate.

“Not really. It has been a long time since we last met.” A sad smile graced her wrinkled lips.

Zero gave her a comforting look, “If it helps in anyways. The fact that this barrier is going strong would mean that he is alive and well.”

She nodded.

The hunter finally decided to leave, he appreciated the old woman walking him out. Before getting in his car, he remembered asking for her name. “Hana Murasaki”

Zero snorted, “Is that a nickname as well?”

The cheerful old woman giggled, “Who knows…”

  ** _* end of flashback*_**

Zero smiled at the memory while wiping and cleaning the gun. His hands suddenly lost all strength leading to the metal to clatter on the table.

“You okay, dude!” Kaito called out when he saw Zero clutching his wrist. Zero nodded to reassure him, but he was not sure himself.

He remembered his talk with Kaname and doubt started crawling in his mind. _It can’t be, right?_

He was sure that he had been diligent with taking his contraceptives on time. He was sure that they were effective because of his previous experience. He admit that he was careless to sleep with Kaname unprotected, but he could not help wanting to feel that sensation after tasting it once. He rubbed his eyes and informed Kaito that he is going back to his place by the end of the day.

Although they did joke around about the possibility with Kaname. Zero started to worry because of the stupid bet he made with the pureblood. He met the brunet again the next day after the mission and the topic was brought up again. Kaname somehow tricked him into keeping the child in case a pregnancy test came positive. At that time, Zero was confident that it would never happen and gave his word no to try anything that would prevent or stop the pregnancy until then. Now, he is regretting his words as his body was telling him otherwise.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry about the cliffy, but next chapter will be updated in few days  
> I am crazy busy with a new job and a lot of other changes in life, ugh! I wish I can spend my time writing fics  
> Did Zero finally get pregnant?  
> Will Kaname somehow convince him to keep it and reveal his true intention about the future?  
> What will happen when Ai is born in the next chapter?  
> Who is this Murasaki Hana?   
> Who is the pureblood nicknamed Makkuro?   
> Who is Gin exactly and the woman he called master? 
> 
> I know I am a meanie for leaving so many questions and confusion, but I will certainly answer three out of four in the next chapter *grin*  
> The real drama is starting soon folks   
> Any reviews?


	35. chapter35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> parts of this chapter might be super confusing for some because of new information that were purposely left vague for now. Please bear with it!  
> Also, it will be inevitable to find grammar, spelling mistakes, maybe some missing words because I am literally thinking and writing on the go without rereading because I am half asleep and want to get this chapter out. To spice it up, my keyboard is dying, so some letter tend to ran off somewhere. I will make sure to get a new one soon.  
> ‘Enjoy’

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Zero’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

He stared at the stick in his hand, nervously waiting while glancing at the timer on his phone.

The display finally shifted to a single bar, _negative_

Zero sighed in relief, grabbing the edge of the sink as he almost toppled to the floor. _That was nerve wrecking._

He stared at his drug cabinet for a moment. Even if the pregnancy test came out negative, Zero could not bring himself to relax just yet. After all, he has been through this few times to know better. His body was telling him otherwise, and he needed to make sure that it was not the fragment of his own worries and fears. _The fatigue and crankiness might be after-effects of the extra activities while injured._

He grabbed his phone to call Aido,

“YES!” The golden haired vampire answer with an unusually cheerful voice.

“Hey! How are you doing?” Zero answered softly, trying his best to hide his trepidation.

“Peachy! It is rare for you to call, everything alright?” Aido asked. It was rare for his brother-in-law to call him, but he did not want to ruin his good mood by thinking of the worst.

“Probably… Listen… I have a little question concerning the new addition to my drug store.” Zero breached the topic in a humorous manner, not wanting to alarm the vampire in case there was nothing to it.

“Go ahead!”

“Well… You did say that the emergency one would be effective if taken 72 hours after, right?”

“Yes~” Aido trailed, getting a bad feeling about it.

“Well… I kind of missed my chance on taking it the next day, do you think it would still work if I take it now.” Zero asked softly

“How long has it been?” Aido inquired

“This would be the fourth day,” Zero winced to himself, “Ah! But the pregnancy test came back negative… So~”

Aido sighed, “You never learn, do you? Good thing that I gave you a shorter time limit on this. Take one right away if you are having doubts. It works up to five days after intercourse. It told you three to make sure you do not wait until the last minute, which you obviously did!” Aido grumbled.

“And… What will happen after taking it?” Zero wanted to be ready for any crazy stuff that might happen to his body. He always expected some shit to come up from all the trials and failures he endured from the scientist.

“Nothing external will occur, probably! It will just prevent any potential pregnancy from happening. That is all. You can take the test again in few days to make sure.” Aido rubbed his eyes.

“Good! I will, although I think that I am just being paranoid. The symptoms might as well be caused by the injuries of the mission. Thanks anyways, bye!” Zero hung up and grabbed an orange pill before going to the kitchen for some water.

On the other hand, Aido stared at the phone helplessly, _I wish he just settles down and think of having a family instead of making my guilty burden heavier by getting rid of yet another innocent life._

Zero sat on the table, staring at the orange oval shaped object while remembering the conversation he had with Kaname.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞  flashbacks of the day after the mission ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Kaname went back to Zero’s apartment the next day to check on the hunter. He was fairly amused to see how strained the hunter’s walk looked. After some teasing and cuddling, they settled for watching a movie with some caramelized popcorn that Zero made.

The topic of the pregnancy came up when Kaname snatched the beer Zero just opened,

“What is he big deal?” The hunter grunted, pushing the soda that Kaname brought him.

“I told you right; I want you to keep the child in case the pregnancy test came back positive in a week. Until then, I need to make sure you keep a healthy diet and not take anything that might mess it up.”

“And you think a beer would stop your little soldiers from doing their work…. Since when did I agree to such bullshit anyways?” Zero snapped

“Weren’t you the one who dared me to impregnate you?” Kaname teased

Violet eyes rolled, “Yeah right! As if, you can rely on horny talk. This is not a game nor a joke! Now give me back my beer and get over the thought of me being pregnant with the devil spawn that could be yours.”

“I am actually quite serious.”

“Ugh!”

“Zero!” Kaname warned.

“You’re seriously pissing me off! Fine, let us say that I go along with your bet. What was it about exactly?”

“You do not try anything to prevent a pregnancy from happening. I am sure that Aido provided you with means to do so. I want you to give me your words not to use them.”

“You mean like the contraceptives?” Zero inquired

“Yes. I want you to stop using them.”  Kaname pointed

Zero gave him a look of disbelief and scoffed, “Are you kidding me… There is no bet if you are actually forcing it to happen. Fucking me while I am off the pill, and I am sure you will not bother with a condom. That is when the probability of knocking me up turns 100%! Screw you”

“I will not sleep with you. I am betting on the fact that you might already be pregnant.” Kaname pointed, leading to a scowl on the silverette’s face.

“What if I refuse?” Zero snapped.

“That will mark the end of your deal.” Kaname blurted, betting on the words Zero said about wanting it to last longer. He felt relief when seeing the shocked reaction of the hunter followed by the usual brooding look when he did not want to give in.

“How long?” Zero asked softly, hating the fact of not sleeping with the pureblood.

“One week.” Kaname pointed, “You will need that long to recover anyways, seeing the stiff way you are moving around even after replenishing with the blood pills”

Zero’s face glowed red at the insinuation, but could not refute when his body was screaming in pain with every move and it did not reduce much like Kaname said. He grabbed a pillow and hugged it while sinking in the couch, pondering.

“Fine…”

A happy smile graced Kaname’s face made him scoff again, “What is that goofy look for? You will be losing the bet anyways…”

“What if I win?” Kaname teased, pulling the hunter in his arms.

“It does not mean that I will obediently to keep the child.” Zero grumbled against the arm wrapped around his shoulders.

Kaname gave him a squeeze, “Oh I will make sure that you cannot abort it.”

“Right! You will be watching me like a hawk and monitor anything that might go into my mouth, sheesh!”

“You think that I can’t?” Kaname teased.

Zero tilted to scowl at the amused pureblood, “Why are you so adamant on having a child with me?”

“To bind you to me…” Kaname kissed the crease on the forehead, “Forever without leaving you an escape route.”

 A silver eyebrow quirked, “So this is all about the condition of the time limit… Gosh! You are far more desperate than I thought… pffft… It is usually the one getting pregnant doing so to bind the man to them. How the tables have turned!” Zero could not help the chuckle at the comparison.

“It is not just about that…” Kaname whispered while kissing a tasty earlobe. _A week might be too long for me though!_

“Okay! Let’s talk hypothetically…” Zero chirped while getting away from Kaname’s embrace and facing him, amused by the conversation for some reason.

Kaname sighed, knowing that the hunter was not taking him seriously at all.

“Let’s say, I am pregnant, and by some miracle, you managed to convince me to keep it. How were you planning to proceed afterwards?”

Kaname tilted his head at the challenging look Zero gave him. Violet eyes rolled again, “I mean… How are you planning to raise the child in secret? Duh!”

“Why does it have to be a secret?” Kaname threw the first argument.

“Well, are you going to announce that we have been sleeping together behind Yuki’s back and cause chaos? That is quite smart.”

“First of all! I will end things with Yuki properly, announce that we are together and then announce that we are expecting.” Kaname deadpanned, making Zero’s eyes bulge out.

“No fucking way! Thank you for making half of the world hate me in the process.”

“No one would hate you when they realize how serious the matter is.” Kaname bit the inside of his mouth, no liking where the conversation was going. He did not want to confess his feelings in a fickle talk like this.

“And Yuki is supposed to obediently nod and clap for our happiness?”

“She will certainly understand. Our relation is not the one everyone are making it out to be.” Kaname added.

“Fine! How about this. What if I do give birth to the baby and decide to abandon it.” Zero pointed the second scenario.

“That would not happen. You would not abandon a child of your own.” Kaname smiled, not adding the fact that Zero was too caring to do such a cruel thing.

Zero gave a sarcastic laugh, “You still have a lot to learn about what I am capable of. Come on! Indulge me, what would happen if I abandoned the child and wanted nothing to do with either of you?”

Kaname sighed, not wanting to play along but feeling obliged to, “Of course I would take care of my child while trying my best to get you back.”

“Hmmm… Interesting.” Zero tapped his finger on his lips. “Well! All these are scenarios out of some fairytale. If we try to look at it realistically without your over the top decisions and expectation of everyone to nod and follow your craziness, here is what might happen. I get pregnant with your child, go away to give birth out of sight and then leave the child in your doorsteps since you were the one who wanted to have them and not me. Being a bastard child born out of an affair, the kid will be shunned and mistreated by the society. Yuki might turn into the evil stepmother and show him no affection and you will be too busy dealing with the ‘kingdom’ to notice anything. As for me, I would be going on with my life like nothing happened.”

“That is one hell of a grim future you weaved for the innocent soul.”

“Just trying to be realistic and think according to what is happening now.”

Kaname pondered a bit, “Well, that theory has too many flaws. First of all, I would never allow a child of mine to be shunned or mistreated. I am capable of showering them with all love, affection and attention they need to grow happy because they would be my top priority, above anything else. As for Yuki, do you really see her becoming an evil step mom? She was raised by Cross Kaien. It would be a miracle if she did not force the child to call her mama and pushed me aside to take care of them with as much attention as she would provide Ai.” Kaname explained, getting tired of the negative scenarios Zero was throwing at him. “Can we stop with these now, until we confirm the pregnancy at least?”

Zero decided to drop the other crazy plot he was cooking up in his brain when he noticed that Kaname was getting bored. “Okay! The negativity aside, what would be the name of the child? Since you seem to have everything planned in that head of yours.” Zero mocked.

Kaname quirked an eyebrow and decided to put the hunter on the spot, “It depends if it is a boy or a girl, but I would choose a name with relation to the moon, or the moon light.”

“Hmm? Why is that?” Zero asked while flopping his head on Kaname’s lap, looking up to meet red brown eyes.

Kaname smiled as he traced the hunter’s hairline, “Because of how breathtakingly beautiful you were when the child was conceived, I guess.” Kaname shrugged, “You put the beauty of the moon to shame.” He bent to put a kiss on the forehead of the blushing silverette, chuckling at the cute reaction, “You really are bad with compliments.”

Zero looked away, fuming, “Your sappiness is really something. Don’t just spring that up like that, idiot!” The sudden bout of affection always left him flustered because he never knew how to react.

“Can’t help my romantic side when I am with you…” Kaname added, knowing how uncomfortable the hunter gets with sweet-talking. 

“Ugh! stop being so-“

“If you dare say the word starting with cre… there will be hell to pay!” Kaname warned, making Zero swallow whatever he has to say.

“You might become one hell of an authoritarian father one day.” Zero teased and then mumbled, “But a good one nonetheless…”

Kaname laughed at the unexpected conclusion, but then remembered something he wanted to ask Zero about, “I heard there was a certain problem student that you had to deal with today?”

Zero paused then flicked his finger, “Oh yeah! It is Nao, the prefect. He could not get over the fact that he failed to control his thirst around me and was about to drop out.” he complained on and on about how irritating it was to fix the issue. He cursed at Kaito and Cross for dumping the task on him saying that he was the root cause of the child’s trauma to begin with.

“How is the scent of my blood my fault? It is not as if I asked for it to be that appealing. I sure would have appreciated it more if it was closer to that of a rotten fish. Less hassle!” 

Kaname’s nose crinkled spontaneously at the mention of the foul smell, before asking, “Did Nao say that about your blood?”

Zero did not miss the displeased tone of the question and nodded, “Something about it being peculiar and the fact that he was never exposed to such an enticing smell wavered his self-control. I spent a couple of hours with him in an insulated room so that I cut myself from shallow to deep progressively.”

Kaname gave him a questioning look, “It somehow helped him regain a bit of confidence when he did not get too stirred up by the end. Sort of shock treatment to prove that he can still be in control. Although I had to drive him back home to take a break and relax, later. Speaking of which…”

Kaname listened intently as Zero told him about the woman who raised Nao. He felt intrigued by so many details that Zero insisted on and other that he just brushed off.

“That is quite the interesting story. I wonder what kind of vampire would invest that much in protecting a human. He must care about her a great deal.”

Zero nodded, “Probably! Although I don’t get the reason for not seeing her for so long. He should know that human’s lifespan is far shorter if not a blink of an eye compared to his. He should have cherished every second with her if he cared that much.”

Kaname could not agree more,

“Well, judging from the nickname she gave him. He might have been a depressing man to be with. Might have been for her best that he left.”

“Nickname?”

“um… Makkuro!” Zero snorted.

“hmm?”

“What?”

“What was her name again?”

“Hana Murasaki. Although I am suspecting that, it was not her real name. She might have thought about it on the spot since there were purple flowers around the place.”

Kaname chuckled at the remark and teased the overly doubtful nature of the hunter.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞  End flash back of the day after the mission ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The hunter filled the glass with water and popped the pill out of its wrapping. He hesitated for a second before putting it in his mouth and chugging the water in a hurry.

He slammed on hand on the table and clenched it in a fist that he used to tap on his forehead. _I am sorry, Kaname! We are not in some fairytale to allow any hazard to happen and expect things to work out somehow._

He stood and threw the empty package along with the negative test in the bin, inhaling deeply before relaxing on his couch. A pang of guilty creeped inside him for not keeping his promise but he soon crushed it in favor of doing it for good reasons. _Whatever delusions filling his head will probably vanish as soon as this is over. I was never one to last anyways._

A sad smile traced his lips as he retired for a good night sleep.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

He adjusted the sunglasses over his sensitive eyes. It was still early in the morning but he had to take extra precautions for this trip. He exited his car that he parked in the external parking of the building. After adjusting his black cashmere trench coat, his formal shoes click clacked against the rough concrete that led to the gate.

His lips curled up in a non-visible smile when he read the banner at the side of the gate. “Orphanage, Slice of Heaven…”

Using his power, he safely unlocked the door and allowed it to slide open for him to enter the premises. A melodious chime ringed when he went through the distorted air before his lungs filled up on the aromatic smell of purple lilies.

Knowing that the mistress of the house must be aware of his intrusion already, Kaname took off his glasses and tucked his hands in the pocket of his coat as he stood few feet away from the porch of the building. It did not take long for the door to open, revealing an old lady in her dark cotton night gown and a woolen scarf over her shoulders. Her white hair tied in a bun with few messy strands sticking out. The only out of place detail would be the shades covering her eyes.

Kaname smirked at the sight of the hunched woman who was carefully walking his way, using the cane to support her seemingly weak knees.

“It was surprising to see the circle that we planted turn into such a magnificent flowerbed. A sight truly befitting of a refined princess, wouldn’t you say so? You did a great job taking care of it this long.” He commented offhandedly, the smile growing by the second as his hands left the pockets to spread his arms in a welcoming hug.

Her breath caught in her throat. The wooden cane rattled on the steps it fell on. He tilted his head, observing her wrinkly hands covering the quivering dried lips. She took one-step after another, the slouch of her back straightening leading to her shoulder stretching gracefully and her chin held high. The skin on wrinkled hands stretched and tightened just like her face, leaving a well defined heart shape with porcelain skin. The lips uncovered by the now soft hands turned full and lustrous with a hint of a pout to them. As her careful footsteps turned to a mad dash, her hair loosened and grew as quickly as her run, shifting its color and length until below her thighs.

“Makkuro!!!”, She screamed her lungs out as soon as she jumped into awaiting arms. Kaname almost toppled over from the strength of the impact. He squeezed her slender frame before putting her down on her feet. She latched on his mid-section, rubbing her face against his chest like a kitten. He noticed that she was slightly taller than Yuki as he patted her head so that she looks up to him.

He reveled in the softness of the fine straight strands of silver hair before her heart shaped face came into view now that the oversized shades were gone. His garnet eyes finally met the dazzlingly big almond shaped eyes that sparkled with the sharpest glint of amethyst.

“Long time no see-ouch!” He winced when she stomped on his foot, hard.

He gave her a pitiful look, barely able to stifle the chuckle seeing her sparkly dazed look, “You’re really Makkuro, aren’t you?”

“Oh! I see… You must have grown senile.” Kaname teased, earning a jab in the stomach.

“I am getting some tea and cookies.” She announced before disappearing inside the house while whipping tears that threatened to fall.

Kaname shook his head while sitting on a wooden chair. He took in the scenery that seemed familiar yet so foreign.

She came back with the fragrant drink that she poured and pushed toward the regal pureblood. As usual, she started nibbling on her cookie while looking at the brunet sipping the drink. Kaname paused for a second before raising an eyebrow, “Rose jam tea! really? Hanae?”

She almost choked on the last bite when hearing her old name, “Makkuro~ You might be the one growing senile.”

“Hmm?...” Kaname acted innocent, knowing what she meant.

“My name!” She pouted.

“I might remember if you drop that nickname.” A mischievous look adorned his face that she recognized very well.

She smirked, “Fair trade, Kana-chan~”

Kaname snorted, “Thank you for the delicious tea, Princess Rosa!” She finally beamed with happiness and nodded rapidly.

“Nonna drilled it in my head when I spent some time with her.” She informed him.

“Nonna? I see~” Kaname nodded in approval of an idea that popped in his head.

“She is always fun to be with, although she can be Spartan when it comes to her passion. I pity the kids under her care sometime.” Rosa chuckled.

“So, the orphanage was her idea?” Kaname received an affirmative nod, “And Nao-kun?”

Rosa shook his head and winked, “Intrigued?”

“Can you blame me? Those powers are practically non-existent in this age.” Kaname shrugged.

“I found him when I was traveling through Europe. He was abandoned because he was not fit to be the heir. They were power-hungry and demanded to only keep the children that manifested great potential. To their stupidity, they failed to identify his element.”

“And you did?”

“No… I took him under my care out of pity at first and then discovered the truth. That is the reason I brought him back and sent him to Cross Academy.”

“To keep him safe from any form of exploitation. No wonder Cross-san never sent him to the Moon Dorm.”

“Does his element seem familiar to you Kaname?” She asked in a serious tone, but sighed when Kaname shook his head.

“As a matter of fact, too many things are escaping me. Especially the fact that I only managed to remember you recently.”

She sipped her tea and looked into his scrutinizing eyes. “That is because I did not approach you sooner. More like I could not approach sooner.”

“Did she temper with my head?” Kaname got right to the point.

“Yes.” she pursed her lips.

“To what extent?”

“I am sure you are aware of it. If you remember her, this place, me, the barrier but not the one with similar powers as Nao, I believe the extent is too great to pinpoint.” Her shoulder slumped; _it should not have been this way Rika-ma._

Kaname noticed her frustration, “The reason I remembered you?”

She chuckled before a sad smile graced her lips. “I knew that you can remember me if I sent the trigger, _Makkuro._ However, I did not know that you awakened. I came back sometime after the war and was shocked to see the barrier gone. That is when I realized that the Kaname Kuran I suspected to be you is really Kana-chan. I was beside myself with grieve when I realized that I lost you before taking the chance to reconnect. Imagine my surprise when the barrier erected again barely couple of years later?”

Kaname could not blame her since he had been posing as the son of Haruka and Juri Kuran all this time. The fact that he was an ancestor is still known by a handful of people only. “It must have weakened to the limit before restoring itself when I was brought back to life.” He clarified.

“Why did you decide to send the trigger with him?” he meant Zero.

She sighed, “You would never allow any of the kids I sent to the academy near you. Even Nao could not manage a casual conversation to bring it up. I was lucky that the boy paid me a visit that day.” She wiggled her eyebrows in a disturbing manner.

Kaname let out an exasperated sigh, knowing that nothing would escape her, “Rosa… I don’t need to say it openly, but…”

“Sorry but I have to butt into your business on this one, Kana-chan!” This successfully made Kaname lock his jaw. “I am sure that you are not stupid not to notice that the child have been targeted. So, I will cut the chase and give it to you straight. Keeping him close and staking your claim on him the way you are doing will never work in his favor.” She placed her cup and folded her hands gracefully on her lap, waiting.

“I am sure I can handle whatever may come _our way.”_ Kaname deadpanned, while sliding his finger on the edge of the saucer.

“Says the man who cannot remember half of his past. This is why I told Rika-ma that it was a bad idea.” She huffed.

“She must have told you about the way to undo it, right?” Kaname inquired, he was irritated enough to know that the reason for his fogged memory was not the long slumber he thought might have caused it. As much as he respected the old friend, he cannot forgive her for tempering with his head.

Rosa sighed again, and gave him a sheepish look, “She did not. The only way is for the triggers to cross you path. That is how you have been recollecting the details unknowingly. I am sorry; I wish I had the power to help speed up the process. Patience is the only way to go through it.”

Kaname felt like groaning from frustration. He stood up to leave, “Before I go, I would like to make one thing clear between us. To whom did you swear your loyalty now? Seven millennia is a fairly long time for a person to change greatly.”

She snorted, knowing what he meant, “My loyalty is the one thing that will never waver. As the child raised by the one and only Cross Rika, I will be watching over her bloodline for as long as I live, just like what I have been doing for the last seven thousands years. Speaking of which, can you do me the favor of telling that ungrateful brat to visit sometime?”

Kaname gave her an approving smile, “Despite our difference, I have to admit that she raised you well. I will make sure to relay the message. As for Zero, I hope that you will not try to do anything to get in my way.” He warned and noticed the grim look she reacted with.

Dropping her head, “Kaname, unlike all of you, I always enjoyed watching from the sideline. I only interfere when it has something to do with the family I care about. That child’s situation is not something I enjoy turning blind eye to. However, I will not interfere with what is between you two. I promise you that. But I need you to consider my advice for both of you sakes. His fate has been twisted so many times already to the point that he is starting to lose sight of himself. Your desires, as pure and affectionate as they might seem, might throw him deeper in the abyss he is trying to escape.” She pleaded.

“And separating from his is the only option?” Kaname stated

Rosa hesitated for a moment before answering, “It does not have to be that extreme. It would be fine as long as you do not give him what he truly desires. However, that is not something you would be capable of since you are already smitten with him.”

The answer piqued Kaname’s interest, “I would surely provide him with anything he asks for.”

Rosa gave him another wistful smile, “If you are wondering about what he truly desires. I am certain that Zero himself is not aware of it the most.”

Kaname’s nostril flared for a moment, recognizing the evasion style of the woman who managed to get the upper hand over him. “You really are the child she raised. It has been a while since I had to decipher such language.”

Rosa blinked few times before barking an amused laughter, “Oh! I forgot that she always won the manipulation games back then. I did not understand because I was a child back then, but I can say for sure now that she must have been the only woman who knew how to manipulate you to her own volition.”

Kaname bent over and pinched her cheeks until they turned pink, “You should not believe every word she says blindly. You are old enough to know that, are you not?”

He earned a childish tongue out as a response. He looked up the sky, squinting as the sun started to get harsher. He looked back at Rosa when they finally reached the gate, “Any last advice until the next time we meet. I promise that it will be sooner than millennia at least.” He teased.

She hummed as she looked around, “In the old prairie, the wolf in sheep clothing is running freely. The shepherd is turning a blind eye until the dog is strong enough to take it down for he knows that his gun will surely miss. Keep that in mind until the Wheel of Fate starts turning once again, Kana-chan!...” She chirped as she pushed the pureblood out of the building, “We sadly need to part now before my children wake up to find a dazzling lady instead of their good ol’ ‘Mama’. Don’t forget to relay my message to Kaien-chan, and while you are at it, might as well have a look at the archive concerning the triumvirate of that time. It might jug some more memories… Look up the clan of sinners as well. I am afraid that I will not be able to help much as it might have an adverse effect on you.” She waved as Kaname reached his car. The pureblood sighed while watching her vanish behind the walls. _To think that she was a ten years old when I last saw her! I wonder how they managed after I went into slumber. That will be a story for another time._

Kaname immediately drove in direction of the association building. The frustration he felt when he realized that he forgot about an important existence such as Rosa subsided slightly after seeing her. However, new questions and worries rose consequently. It was obvious to him that the silver haired woman was not speaking her mind openly, holding back on many occasions. What he made out of their ambiguous conversation is that shadows of the past are creeping up. Shadows that he was supposed to recognize if Rika did not temper with his head, for reasons he could not help but think that they must be related to whatever is going to take place. She was known for her long term plans and the tiresome patience to carry them to the end, or have the people she choose to carry on her legacy.

His thoughts drifted to Zero and the promise they agreed on. It was not easy to keep away from his hunter for the past week but he wanted to see it through and steel himself for whatever change their relationship might undergo after today. He wanted to see him as soon as possible, but he felt obliged to make the extra trip to Cross before that.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“The supervisor of the “Slice of Heaven” orphanage asked me to tell an ungrateful brat to visit one of these days.” Kaname quoted her words with a blank expression, never twitching even with the way Cross choked on his water and sputtered in surprise.

“hahahahha… That is quite the shock! I never expected her to make that request…”

“What is she to you? If I may ask?” Kaname asked curiously, although he had a wild guess.

Cross scratched his jaw and confessed, “Would you believe me if I said that she was my… mentor?”

Kaname sighed, “Were you always in touch with her?”

Kaien frowned at the question, wondering about the sudden interest that Kaname was showing, “Let’s see… She approached me when I was a kid, roughly two hundred years ago. She was always on and off at times, so we did not keep in touch much. The longest we have gone without seeing each other would be about ninety years. It is hard to believe how old and crippled she had grown. It always puzzled me how she managed to live that long seeing her nature.”

Kaname sighed again; exasperated at the realization that Cross Kaien was kept in the dark about Rosa’s identity. _She will certainly hate me for doing this._

“Cross-san… This might seem sudden, but do you know about a woman named Rika?”

Cross’s hazel eyes narrowed on the pureblood, “Rika, as in The Rika.”

Kaname added, “The eternal ruler.”

Cross rested his chin on his crisscrossed hands, “I feel hurt~ Kaname-kun. How can you doubt the fact that I know about my ancestor. Cross Rika, the founder of the first hunting organization to keep vampires at bay as well as the one who crafted most of the spells used nowadays. She was also the first and last Cross to ever take the position of a leader. I do not count because I am just substituting. Her legend have been diligently passed down through countless generations.” The ex-hunter explained proudly. 

Kaname nodded, “What else does your heirloom tells you about her? Especially around the time her duty ended.”

Cross paused to remember before answering, “Seeing that she sired enough offspring to ensure the Cross bloodline, she passed the leadership down to her successor who was from the Takamiya household. After that, she mysteriously vanished into this air. No records shows where she went, what she did and when did she pass away. The only thing mentioned in the family record was that she went into hiding to protect someone. You might be aware of something seeing that you might have been around when that happened?”

Kaname smiled when he pinpointed the piece of information he was looking for, “Indeed. Rika did abandon everything related to the hunters and her own family. The reason was indeed to protect someone. She was raising and protecting a child she saved. That child was the first vampire without fangs to ever exist. From what I recall and can conclude, the child who was plagued with a painfully long life decided to watch over the Cross bloodline as a way to repay the kindness of the woman who saved their life.”

Cross head tilted in confusion but soon froze, wide-eyed as a memory struck him,

_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞_

_“What are you doing, dragging a piece of metal twice your size around like that? boy”_

_“I am not a boy, my name is Cross Kaien and this is my family weapon, not a scrap of metal. Who are you?”_

_“I am you.”_

_“huh?”_

_“I am the same as you.”_

_“Hmph! If you are here to mock me for what I am, leave me alone.”_

_*chuckle*_

_“what?”_

_“Nothing, I was just thinking that you were quite cute.”_

_“Stop joking around. You did not introduce yourself in the first place! what makes you think that you can act all familiar with me”_

_“Because we will be getting along from now on.”_

_“I refuse.”_

_“Did I say you can?”_

_“As if I will get along with an impolite woman like you.”_

_“hahahhaah… Okay I will not pester you if you can cut a strand of my hair with that scrap of metal that you are so proud of.”_

_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞_

“How about the original families?” Kaname interrupted Cross’s trip to the past with his question. He did not to go into details about Rosa since he was not confident that he could answer every question, yet.

“Hmm?...”

“I was wondering how many were they?”

“Ah!” Cross understood the question. He did not bother questioning Kaname’s amnesia because he blamed it on the long slumber as well. He started finger counting, “Let’s see, the first one to appear and fight was the Cross family. It says that the ancestor drank from the first parent and held her sword to slay the oncoming vampires soon after, unlike the other hunters who suffered a bit before their cells morphed.”

The painful memory of losing his companion to his own ambition cut through Kaname’s chest and he urged Cross to skip the details, “How many of the original bloodline remained till now?”

“That makes it easier,” Cross sighed in relief from being spared a history test, “Most of them went extinct or had their blood diluted from mixing with the branches. That is the reason behind the stricter rules about hunters taking humans as partners. Therefore, it left us with three original families still standing strong, Cross, Yagari, Takamiya.” Kaien pointed three fingers that made Kaname raise both eyebrows.

“The Kiryuu’s?” He pointed, as if reminding Cross of a grave mistake. The Kiryuu clan is the most powerful, on par with Cross.

“The Kiryuu clan is not an original family. It came to exist some time after the Great War.” Cross explained, adding to Kaname’s confusion, “Some unreliable records showed that they branched out from the Cross bloodline. However, there is too many flaws in the knowledge about the most powerful and dark hunter’s clan.” He placed his glasses on the desk and rested his chin on interlaced fingers.

Kaname was silent for a good long moment. He looked at the serious ex-hunter, “Similar to vampires, the power of the hunter’s clan is drawn from the purity of their blood. Although we would be explaining it by the amount of ingested pureblood that was not diluted by associating with humans. In that case, how did a branch family grow powerful enough to overthrow the other pureblooded families?”

Cross sighed, having expected the dreaded question, “There are some mysteries surrounding them. All I can say is that they earned their fame by defeating the most nefarious purebloods throughout the history. I am afraid that I cannot divulge anymore information than this.” Cross deadpanned, implicitly warning Kaname from digging too far into something he should not concern himself with.

“Cross-san… My questions might relate to the recent events. I would appreciate less vague answers.”

“The only useful information I have would be that the Kiryuu clan managed to increase their strengths by keeping their hunter’s heritage untainted.”

_Meaning that they never associated with humans._

Kaname nodded at the satisfactory answer. He remembered one more detail that Rosa pointed and decided to check it with the light haired hunter first, “Do you have any idea about triumvirate that existed during Rika’s reign. I seem to have forgotten about it, or it might have formed after I went into slumber.”

Cross frowned, “Triumvirate? An alliance of power?”

Kaname nodded but Cross shook his head in denial, “Never saw such a thing registered in any record. The only useful alliance was that of the Kuran and the hunters that kept the fragile stability after the war.”

Kaname sighed and was about to leave if not for Cross suddenly remembering something, “Ah! Wait! if the triumvirate is related to the connection between three entities of power, it might be related to the three pillars spell cast on you.”

Wine orbs widened before Kaname surprised Kaien with a soft chuckle, “Of course!” _The greater power generated by combining the magic dwelling in a pure vampire(Yuki), pure hunter(Cross), and a combination of both (Zero). Such power is channeled between the tamed beast (Kaname) and the warren (Zero)._

“Kaname-kun?”

“Don’t mind me please.” _Just how much does she know?_ “One last thing, do you have any idea which vampire clan was referred to as the clan of sinners?” Kaname asked his last question while leaning against the doorframe, impatient to go to Zero’s.

Cross let out a dramatic sigh, “Kaname-kun, you are scaring me. Are you regaining your lost memories in a distorted manner? The clan of sinners is not a vampire’s clan.”

It was Kaname’s turn to frown and get confused right after Cross dropped the bombshell, “The clan of sinners is the old name of the Kiryuu clan. It was a distasteful way of calling them that resulted from the jealousy of other pureblooded hunters. They could not stand the idea of them rising above everyone else. Thus, they made up crazy rumors and myth about the ways they acquired more powers such as consuming more purebloods or consuming each other… blah… blah…blah… In the end, haters went on hating and they kept on rising without giving as much as a glance their way.”

Kaname’s lips curled up at the thought of the ‘I don’t give a shit about what you think about me’ attitude of the silver hunter being an inherited trait in his lineage.

“They are quite the troublesome bunch, the Kiryuu’s” He commented in a humorous manner that pleased Cross who nodded.

“Well… If there was a way to describe them” Cross pondered, “It would be that they are the mirror image of the Kuran clan in the vampire society.” He winked at the amused pureblood before bidding him farewell.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Kaname could not believe the racing of his heartbeat. He did not want to consider the possibility of his hunch being wrong. He felt like he was hanging by a spider’s thread from sinking in despair from the overflowing feeling that had been building up for the hunter. He could never answer or explain the reason behind falling in love with the silverette. What he dismissed as curiosity, and then monopoly before trying to explain it as the desire to dominate the untamable hunter became so much more. He was ready to give up on everything if it meant for the silverette to reciprocate his feeling.

The ride of the elevator was eternal in his mind, he wanted to hurry up, prickle Zero’s finger, and drop the blood on the pregnancy stick he purchased. He was aware that the road will be very bumpy if Zero decides to act with his usual rebellious strike. However, Kaname believed that the hunter started to develop feelings for him lately. Zero might not be aware of them himself, but Kaname hoped that the pregnancy and the obligation that comes with it might help him bind the hunter to him and lead Zero to realize that he belongs by his side. The pureblood was feeling desperate because he knew that the fickle silver haired ex-human would never settle down even if he were to confess wholeheartedly, thus the roundabout way.

He slid the key and unlocked the door as if he owned the place. Hanging his coat and removing his shoes were done at a lightning speed before he took a deep breath and walk in with more composure. He crept behind the hunter who was swinging the wok to mix the fried rice he was cooking. Zero placed the utensil in time with the hug he was expecting when he sensed the pureblood approaching. He turned off the stove and leaned back against the firm chest, inhaling the scent of the older vampire that he would smell despite all the distraction in the kitchen.

“We are having my comfort food tonight?” Kaname asked as he stole a shrimp before Zero could smack his hand.

“It is a wonder how much free time you have to come hang out here almost every day.” The hunter grumbled. It was torturous to have the pureblood around without being allowed to pounce him and Kaname certainly enjoyed it. Zero thought that he meant not coming over when he said that he will keep away from him, little did he expect him to show up more often and unexpectedly to boot.

Kaname gave him a small peck before proceeding to set the table. The comfortable atmosphere prevailed after dinner when both busied themselves by cleaning the mess until Zero’s phone rang. He headed to the bedroom where the device lied on the bed.

“Ichiru?”

“Hey Nii-san! What have you been up to?” Ichiru greeted with an overly cheerful voice.

“Eating, sleeping and –“

“No need for the third one to know that you are fine, thank you!” Ichiru interrupted knowing the crude answer of his brother.

“What is with the jolly mood of yours and your husband’s lately?” Zero pointed that both seemed on cloud nine the past few days.

“Well~ you see~ that is actually the reason I am calling you.” Ichiru taunted.

“Spit it out and stop being creepy.” Zero rolled his eyes at his own words. _That word is seriously sticking to me a lot._

“Okay… Okay… I need to know what day of the next month you expect yourself to be completely free. I mean it, Zero! You have to be absolutely free!” Ichiru answered seriously.

“Why?” Zero’s curiosity piqued.

“Because I will probably chain you down to a chair to ensure that you are not going to skip our party this time.”

“Hah?” Zero’s face scrunched up

“Hana’s Dad insisted on throwing a party for the day that I sign the official papers that will make me an Aido.” Ichiru answered with glee obvious in his voice.

“GEH! I forgot!” Zero drawled.

“GEH? Nii-san, you better-“

“I know, I know Ich! I was kidding, I am happy for you as well and would not miss it for the world.” Zero reassured. He could not blame his brother for insisting since he did not bother to show up for their first union, even though he was not aware of the political pressure behind it.

“Good!” Ichiru nodded to no one in particular, excited to know that his brother was finally truly happy for him.

“Congrats, Miss. Aido!” Zero teased and hung up after hearing few profanities from his brother.

 His lips were claimed as soon as he threw the phone on the bed. Zero did not waste time in hooking the strong neck and drop on the bed back first with Kaname crushing him with his weight.

“God I miss this!” He sighed as the pureblood nibbled his earlobe and placed butterfly kisses down the side of his neck.

“Was that your twin?” Kaname asked before sucking on a delicious collarbone.

“Hnnmm… Yea… Planning his wedding and asking about the white dress I kept for him.” Zero answered sarcastically. Kaname chuckled at that,

“Shall we plan ours as well?” The brunet teased the snorting silverette who pulled him into a hungry kiss while rubbing one leg against his side.

As always, Kaname had tough time releasing himself from the devil’s grasp. He pushed a hand in his back pocket while smirking down at the splayed silver haired hunter. He caressed the exposed stomach while showing Zero the stick in his other hand. “First things first!”

Zero averted the shiny optimistic look he perceived in wine orbs. He had hard time explaining the guilty pang he was feeling every time Kaname came over and treated him with tender care. He was convinced that he made the right choice by preventing a pregnancy from happening. He shuddered at the thought of the mess it would make if he went along with the pureblood. However, somewhere in his mind, he regretted breaking his promise because he dreaded shattering whatever hope Kaname pinned on his pregnancy. He simply did not want to see Kaname saddened for reasons he could not explain.

Like a sulking child, Zero let himself being pulled into a sitting position, and allowed the pureblood to prickle the pad of his forefinger. The beep of the test indicating the start increased the burden of his guilt.

Kaname got on the bed and hugged him from behind, kissing the junction of his neck and shoulder while whispering sweet nothings into the blushing silverette’s ear.

“The longest five minutes of my life.” Kaname sighed while resting his chin on Zero’s shoulder.

“Five minutes to the damnation of baby diapers and formula. Of course, that will be your job!” Zero joked as he rocked in the pureblood’s lap, knifes slicing his chest with each caress Kaname adorned his stomach with.

“Diapers, formula, teething tantrum, first words, first walk… I would not miss any of those torture and privilege for the world.” Kaname chuckled at the thought of spoiling their child rotten while Zero grumbled about how he was overdoing it. Something told him that the hunter might be more doting than he let on.

“What an optimistic father you will be, just don’t turn into another Cross Kaien, please!” Zero kissed the lips he found when glancing to his side.

“Why not?” Kaname gave him a fake pout. “By the way, it will be either Tsukuyomi for a boy or Mizuki for a girl.”

Zero clammed up, unable to give a sarcastic retort. “Kanam-“ *beep*

The hunter startled at the flinching of the body holding him when the sound of the test reached their ears, _quite the fancy pregnancy test he got there!_

Kaname brought the stick for their eyes to examine. Zero hid his face in the elbow resting on his shoulder, unable to face the pureblood when he saw how the hand flopped down in defeat, letting the stick fall on the floor. Kaname also rested his forehead on the shoulder of the hunter without saying a word. He contended himself with hugging the silverette as tightly as he could as if Zero might slip and disappear any minute. The fears and insecurities came slithered in his mind again, the worries that haunted him came back tenfold, worries about losing the hunter for good.

“Well…” Zero’s voice sounded strained, “Let look at the bright side… You just got spared god know how many months of a lethal cranky and moody pregnant me.” The hunter tried to joke around to dispel the tense atmosphere. His chest felt so tight that he was about to cry without meaning to if Kaname’s body did not stop shaking slightly.

The last thing Zero expected was for Kaname to gently pushed him on the bed and embrace him in the gentlest way possible. The guilt increased when Kaname kept his words by wearing the condom he pulled out of the usual drawer.

Tears flowed from amethyst jewels when he felt the unusual warmth, the pleasant sparks from the way Kaname caressed every inch of his skin as if exploring it for the first time. He sobbed involuntarily when the pureblood touched his sweet spots in the slowest yet sensual way that brought him to the brink of insanity. Zero was unable to bear with the sensations; his body was not his anymore. He felt as if he became an instrument that Kaname handled and played the saddest melody with, a melody that shattered hearts to pieces before restoring them so that they feel whole again.    

Both of them lost track of time as they drowned in each other.

Zero finally dropped on his stomach, heaving and puffing. He sighed when Kaname’s hand traced his sweaty back over his spine. The lump in his throat tightened when he placed a kiss on the nape of his neck before leaving the bed and closing the bathroom door behind him. Zero clutched his pillow and hid his face against it. He could not help the pain he felt whenever he came across the raw emotion in wine orbs that he could not explain.

In the bathroom, Kaname held the edge of the sink, threatening to shatter the marble as he steeled his raging emotions. His reflection in the mirror was that of despair. The chance of Zero accepting his feeling were slim, those of Zero reciprocating were almost non-existent and time was wasting away while he grappled on every hope to tie the hunter down. He could not understand it. He could not accept it. _How could a human impregnate him easily while I did not manage when I pumped full of my seeds?_

His denial got the best of him and he called out for the hunter, “Zero! Do you happen to have a pregnancy test around?” He did not care if he sounded desperate or annoyed the hunter, he needed it to sink in properly as nothing seemed real at the moment.

“… Yeah… Open the cupboard on to top of the sink where you usually see my medical kit.” Zero huffed knowing that the pureblood will only hurt himself more by insisting. _I made sure that there is nothing to look forward to. There is no way I could tell him that, is there?_

Garnet eyes narrowed at the sight that greeted him. he rummaged through the shelve to make sure he was not wrong and joined Zero in the bedroom. The hunter was lying on his side by then. Kaname threw the pregnancy test along with two other pill tablets.

Zero looked from the items to the pureblood and back to the items. He reached a hand to take the test but Kaname held his wrist midway as he dipped a knee in the mattress to hover close to the silver haired man.

“These are new ones, right?” Kaname asked pointing to the pills.

Zero nodded, “Yeah…”

“What are they for? I can’t see any label on them.” Kaname inquired smoothly.

The change of attitude bothered the hunter but he tried to ignore it, “This one are the contraceptives that I would take regularly.” he answered pointing to the white oval pills. He swallowed before explaining the orange one, “This is some sort of plan B in case an incident happens and I have doubts.”

When Zero averted the intense gaze of wine orbs, he also missed the way Kaname’s jaw locked as he let go of the wrist and stomped across the room.

He ran a hand across chocolate lock in a frustrated manner, “Why?”

The cold tone caught Zero by surprise, just like the cold look Kaname shot him. “Why? Just give me one reason.” Kaname whispered through thinly pressed lips.

“wha… reason for what?” Zero frowned.

“For leading me on. Are you enjoying making a foul out of me?”

“Kaname-“

“WHY BOTHER GIVING ME FALSE HOPES WHEN YOU WERE NOT GOING TO BOTHER KEEPING YOUR PROMISE IN THE FIRST PLACE!” The scream and shattering of glass freaked Zero out to the point that he jumped out of the bed.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Have you gone insane?” Zero snapped

“Yes! Zero! YES! I AM GOING INSANE!”

“I don’t get what the fuck you are trying to say.”

“What I am trying to say? I am just realizing how foolish I was for trusting you… For thinking that maybe… just maybe there is hope…” Kaname had hard time formulating the words without blasting.

The sudden outburst got on Zero’s nerve and he started putting on his boxers and pant while cursing, “I don’t give a shit about what you hoped or what you wished for if you are going to act like some sick lunatic just because you lost a fucking bet. If you want to break and blast things around or get depressed, go do it elsewhere.”

Zero stood by the door of the room to get his point across.

Kaname let his head droop and shaking from left to right while letting out a baffled laugh, his hands resting on his own hips.

“Zero… Zero… Zero… How could I forget how insensitive you can get?” He bit sarcastically, glaring into incensed amethyst.

“Kaname.” Zero warned when he felt the dark aura seeping out of the pureblood.

“I asked you to do one thing… One simple thing, and you agreed. I thought you valued your deals. I thought that you were a stickler to the rules seeing how adamant you were about taking back yours. I guess I was wrong.”

“Just come out and fucking say it! What are you getting at?” Zero punched the wall in frustration.

“I am talking about how you possibly got rid of the child that might have gotten conceived inside you, and how played along with my sweet fantasies, probably laughing inside about this foolish man who was trying to bind you with any desperate method possible. You know, I just realized a good thing. It is better that you are not pregnant. A heartless lump of flesh driven solely by carnal desire would easily rid itself of the fetus like a stomach bug without blinking twice.”

Zero’s face was turning blue at the insult and was about to retort if Kaname did not drop the last blow that felt like a ton of bricks falling on his head, “You never stopped taking your contraceptives and went as far as taking the emergency pill to make sure that there was nothing to look forward to, Zero. Didn’t you?”

Zero’s blood ran cold in his vein when Kaname’s expression changed radically from anger and furry to sorrow and grief. The pureblood looked like he was on the verge of crying with no tears, his form swaying as if it might fall any moment.

The question came out as a choked whisper from the hunter, “How?”

Kaname scoffed slightly and pointed to the pills, “It was by coincidence that I stumbled upon those last week after we sealed the promise. I did not know what they were for, but the shape, labels and colors were intriguing that I found myself examining the packet. Blame it on my good memory that allowed me to memorize the pill count without meaning to do so. When I saw contraceptive tablet missing a few, fear gripped my very core. I checked the orange one and found it missing one count as well. I prayed to every higher power that I would be wrong, until you confirmed my suspicions by telling me the dreadful purpose of those medications. “

His legs were finally unable to hold his weight and he sat on the bed, cradling his head in both hands. Zero watched the devastated form of the pureblood, shocked speechless now that his deed was exposed. He approached the lowered brown head and reached a hand to touch it only of it to be slapped away so hard it stung for a while after.

“It had to be done, Kaname.” Zero kneeled in front of the pureblood, clutching the fabric of the pants at his knees, “What good would have come out to have a child under these circumstances. Why would you even want to have a child with me? Binding me to you is a foolish excuse that should not be used to toy with an innocent life.” Zero tried to convince the visibly hurting brunet who would not meet his pleading violet eyes.

It took a strained long moment for Kaname to let out a long sigh and give Zero the saddest wistful smile while rubbing his cheek, “I couldn’t help it,” He shrugged, “I could not help wishing, no, praying for it because I am desperately falling in love with you, Zero.” The hand caressing the soft cheek found itself hanging in the air when Zero jumped a couple of feet back, utterly frozen in his spot. Kaname gave him a defeated look when confronted with the horror in the hunter’s expression.

He clutched the mattress and sucked in his lower lip before letting out another sigh, “I imagined a million way to tell you about my feelings. However, I never imagined this one horrible scenario. What?... Nothing to say?” Kaname made a sign with his hand, urging Zero to talk.

“Stop the bullshit, Kaname…” Zero whispered.

The answer earned him a hysterical laugh from the brunet. “I so wish it was at this point… Zero, trust me.” He answered while standing and languidly approaching the retreating hunter.

“I love you!” He said again with more emotions and determination apparent in his eyes as he grabbed Zero’s hand.

“Stop screwing around.” Zero yanked his hands and pushed on Kaname’s chest, “You love Yuuki, get your facts straight!”

“Oh, I do!” Kaname nodded, his expression unreadable all of a sudden, “I do love Yuuki, but not in the way you imagine. The one I want to spend the rest of my life is you and only you.”

Zero gritted his teeth and snarled, “Are you telling me that you are not in love with her… That you wanted to use the child to cage me and make me fall for you… That you intended to toss your mate and daughter for me?”

“Exactly, but not in the crude way you are picturing.”

“Stop FUCKING WITH ME, BASTARD! DID YOU SPARE A MINUTE TO THINK ABOUT YUUKI… DID YOU STOP AND THINK WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO HER IF YOU ABANDONNED HER?”

“I am not abandoning anyone.”

“Yes you are, SHE LOVES YOU! SHE HAS BEEN WORSHIPPING YOU FOR MORE THAN A DECADE!!! Fuck, you have been pinning for her for more than ten year and now you tell me that you are falling for me after fucking me a couple of time. WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU KIDDING?”

It was Kaname’s turn to grit his teeth, “Don’t start getting all judgmental when you never looked around you or cared for anyone other than yourself. I expect the next thing you will tell me is that the purpose for the time limit was for her sake as well, huh?”

Zero glared.

“Let me tell you something interesting Zero! You are no different! If you are insinuating that I am a hypocrite? Then you are no better. You seduced me first, accepted my advances afterwards because you felt the pull of desire towards me just as much as I did. You just made it seem like I left you no other choice because it would lessen the burden of guilt. There is a reason why you do not seek other partners anymore, there is a reason you get uncomfortable whenever Yuuki’s labor is brought up or when there is an insinuation to our relationship. There must be a reason other than you carnal desire that would explain why you thought of me when you were on the verge of getting killed during the last mission. It is because, deep down, you must be starting to feel something for me, something that I might be able to nurture into love. At least, that is the lie I have been telling myself until you just proved that the only use you had for me was my body, my aroused manhood and the way I embrace you, you never spared a thought about how I might feel about all this because you yourself never bothered to dig into your dying emotions… But it is fine, really! I will keep being your ultimate sex friend if you fulfill a small request.”

Kaname leaned in to talk into the ear of the speechless hunter, “Show me more of you low, backstabbing, cheating side of yours so that I can fall out of love and move on please!”

“You are crazy!” Zero whispered as he backed against the wall.

Kaname chuckled, the wistful sad look returned to his dim eyes, he nodded, “Yes I am! I am crazy because I thought that I found the one for me. I am crazy for thinking that one day you might love me back, that we might have a family and live happily ever after. You are right! All that was out of some crazy fairy tale. Not because it was impossible. No, it would be easy to take you away and live peacefully if anyone ever objected as long as you decide to be mine and make me yours. It is some crazy fantasy because I forgot that I fell in love with a man whose heart was unattainable because he does not have one to begin with. I will just have to get rid of mine as well.”

Zero was confused, angry, flustered etc… He could not recognize the man standing and talking to him, his mind had hard time wrapping around what Kaname was saying. But one thing for sure, Zero knew the answer to whatever confession that Kaname was repeating like a mantra.

“I am incapable of love, Kaname!” He deadpanned with a blank expression.

“That would be the best rejection coming from you-“ *Ring**Ring**Ring*

Both pairs of eyes landed on the pocked where the phone was ringing. Kaname got away from the hunter and picked the phone, listening to what the caller was saying.

“I got it! I will be there in a couple of hours.” He hung up and took a deep breath before looking sideway at the glowering hunter, _never backing down even when wounded._

“I guess you are right Zero, again. I do have someone who cares enough to care about my child instead of killing them in cold blood. I will take your advice and cherish that person in any way I can. I have to leave; we can pick up where we left some other time. See you later.” Kaname simply brushed against the hunter to leave the room after getting dressed.

Zero stood in the empty room, frozen in place. His mind did an instantaneous rewind of previous events where Kaname’s feelings and affection came through loud and clear had the hunter paid a little more attention to the possibility. His phone ringing interrupted the train of thoughts that was heading to a destination where he laments about Kaname despising him for his undeniably despicable actions.

“Hello!” He answered with a lifeless voice, waiting for Ichiru to talk about the most irrelevant topics that could cross his mind.

“Nii-san, get ready and come pick me up right this minute. Yuuki has gone into labor few hours ago and Ai will be born soooon~ I am waiting, get here ASAP, Uncle!” The grin was apparent in the human twin’s face, who unknowingly dropped the worst bomb over Zero’s jumbled head.

In his car, Kaname stepped on it to the point that the vehicle was flying off the road. He decided against teleporting back to give himself some time to cool down. He had no confidence that he could hide the bottled up feelings that overflowed the moment he left the apartment; anger, grief, sadness, betrayal… you name it.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At the hospital: Maternity ward ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The hunter had no idea how he reached the room, but was aware that it had something to do with the twin pulling his hand and guiding him. Ichiru left him at the door and made a cheerful entrance in the room full of the inner circle of vampires as well as Yuuki’s friends and a happily sobbing Cross. It belatedly registered to Zero that the brunette pureblood looked exhausted but happy in the hospital gown, comfortably sitting on the bed with the bundle of joy in her arms while talking over a video call with Yagari and Seiren. None of it caught the hunter’s attention more than the pureblood male half sitting on the bed next to her, cradling the small head of the new born before finally takin her in his arms and standing. Everyone felt the awe of the dazzling sight showing Kaname smiling adoringly at his daughter, Ai Kuran.

“ZERO!” Yuuki called out, hands flailing, “You finally made it!”

“Ye..ah…” He hesitantly approached her bed and placed a kiss on her forehead while congratulating her.

“I did it! Uhm… We did it!” She chirped looking at the cooing little thing in the pureblood’s arms with eyes fill with tears of joy. “Come on… Favorite Uncle, go hold your first niece!” She urged him.

Zero’s feet felt as heavy as a boulder when approaching the pureblood who was purposely ignoring him. He leaned to look at the child cozily held in her father’s arms. She clutched the finger that Zero poked her cheek with, “You are the one who made your mother attack me, heh.”

“Moouu… Zero! Is that the first thing you had to say…” Everyone chuckled at the truthful but misplaced remark.

“You can hold her if you want.” Kaname startled him by getting closer and offering the newborn to him. Zero was careful in cradling her, but could not help the flinch as the hands of the pureblood brushed against his.

“I wonder when Zerorin will bless me with a grandchild as well…” Cross chirped, failing to notice the way Zero stiffened along with the flinch that coursed through his twin and the shiver that haunted his brother in law. _That is the last thing you should wish for!_

“I believe that Kiryuu-kun is not interested in having a child of his own anytime soon chairman. I would not hold my hopes up if I were you.” The amused remark passed as a rare joke that the happy new father decided to crack.

However, every word pierced Zero’s chest like the sharpest blade to ever exist since he understood the message. _You killed my child after all!_

Noticing the weird way Zero acted, Hanabusa approached him when he was leaving.

“Zero, is everything all right?”

“hmm?... yeah!”

“About the other day… did you do the test.” Aido had to ask in case it was the cause of the hunter’s dilemma.

Zero cringed at the last memory he wanted to bring upfront. “It was negative.”

Aido breathed a sigh of relief.  Thank goodness _! I forgot to tell him that the emergency pill would be useless if the pregnancy already took place. Never mind, he did say that the test was negative._

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! I officially had my ultimate dose of angst by writing a chapter for each of my story that screams of it. Sadly, more angst is coming for both. *sigh*   
> I thank god for the depressing song that I listened to get in the mood of writing this.   
> Reviews?


	36. chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAAAAAAY!   
> I love you guys so much!!!   
> I can't believe that the story reached 100 kudos, my eyes literally bulged out when I came to update and reply to your comments.   
> Thank you sooo much for all the readers who dropped the Kudos, took the time to comment, or just read the story and enjoyed it. You are the Best MOTIVATION EVER!!!!

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Cross Academy ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The hundredth sigh left the hunter’s lips as he finally got out of his vehicle and walked towards his room. He tried his best to tune out the bustling of the house that was swarming with everyone who came back from the hospital. Zero felt suffocated the whole time. He left the hospital room more than once to breath only to end up being pulled back in by his twin, Cross and sometime Hanabusa because Yuki was adamant on keeping him by her side until she gets discharged.

He was truly glad that the child he helped protecting and nurtured while in her mother’s womb was welcomed into the world. He was certain that Ai would grow to be a lucky girl surrounded by many people who will shower her with love and affection. He was more convinced that he made the right decision when he witnessed the image of the perfect family unfolding in front of his eyes. Leaning against the doorframe, Zero jolted slightly when Kaname brushed against his shoulder to get inside the room after finishing the paperwork for their discharge. His chest tightened when the pureblood patted his mate’s head with adoration before getting his daughter ready in her crib, but he crushed whatever was trying to take him over by looking at the bright side, that he will not be breaking the happiness of these people by a foolish mistake such as a bet. He got away with the excuse of getting his car ready to drive his brother and co back to the academy.

Now, alone in his room, Zero clutched his chest as hard as possible in attempt to ease the burn he felt every time the cold look in Kaname’s eyes flashed in his head. _I never wished for it to end like this! I thought that we would part ways on better terms! Why does it hurt so much to have him despise me, why would I care so much about how he thinks about me?_

A knock at his door startled him. Zero called out when he made sure that there was no pureblood aura behind and the door. Sure enough, Gin let himself inside the room and sat backward on the desk chair facing Zero who was sitting at the edge of his bed.

“Congratulation, Uncle!” Gin teased while resting his chin on the headrest of the chair. The dull response Zero gave confused the teacher.

“Thanks.”

A long moment of silence stretched and strained on the blue-haired human’s nerves.

“Zero?” He tried to get the hunter out of the bubble he lost himself into, _what is going on?_

“hmm…” The hunter hummed.

“Everything all right?” Gin asked

“uhuh.” Zero nodded without looking at the concerned grey eyes.

 _Like hell!_ Gin screamed inwardly at the bullshit. “I just got back from the Moon Dorms,” He talked in an upbeat tone, “Ai-chan is soo tiny and cute… It is still hard to judge who is it that she looks like more, but she is adorable nonetheless. I left Kei-chan gushing over her and he was even scolding the adults who were trying to wake her up.”

Zero let out an amused chuckle, but Gin did not miss the bitterness laced in it.

“Dinner is ready actually and they are planning to gather there, Ichiru was coming to fetch you but asked me instead because he was busy helping around.”

Zero shook his head sideway, “I don’t feel like eating, too tired from the trip and the fuss. The last thing I need is watching those idiots partying around.” _And seeing him playing the role of the perfect host and father._

The words, expression and reaction confirmed Gin’s suspicion. Especially after the icy look, that Kaname shot him when he held Ai in his arms. _Something happened!_

“Zero… When one cares greatly about another, they would do their best not to jeopardize their happiness. Even if it meant letting them go in the arms of another.”

The hunter stiffened at the words spoken in such a serious tone.

Gin sighed, “Although it is be easier said than done, the pain of letting go can leave you crippled.”

Amethyst eyes glared at grey ones before Zero snarled, “Why are you telling me this?”

Gin gave him a tight smile as he tilted his head, “Because it seems that your old flame is still shining bright.”

It was Zero’s turn to tilt his head in confusion. Gin expected such a reaction but decided to continue, “Ichiru was worried about your reaction to Yuki finally giving birth to Kuran’s child.” Zero flinched at the mention of the brunet, “He wondered if you still had feelings for her. I was quite surprised to learn that she was actually your first love.” Gin teased the hunter who groaned and hid his face with both palms in exasperation.

“Will you do me the favor of taping Ichiru’s mouth whenever he is around you? What is with him and spilling every detail of my life to you… Stop pulling him into talking too much already, Gin!” Zero snapped.

Gin gave heartfelt laugh at the gruff reaction, “You are finally back to your usual self.” _Although I know that Ichiru is wrong on his assumption already._

Zero blinked few times. The screech of the chair made him squint before following Gin with his eyes. Stopping before opening the door, Gin faced the lavender eyes with a playful look, “They will probably come pester you for not attending dinner later. If you feel like getting away, feel free to come hide in my room. I will leave the door unlocked.”

Zero quirked an eyebrow, “Are you planning on taking advantage of-“

Gin gave him a dramatic look of disbelief, “I am hurt! I thought you said it was okay to stay as friends… What are friends for if they do no help each other…” He gave him a tongue out that made Zero roll his eyes and snort,

“As if I would believe that shit.”

Just as he was about to exit, Gin halted when Zero mumbled loud enough for him to hear, “Was that advice one that you are following as well?”

Gin glanced back to see the hunter looking down instead of facing him. Dark blue hair rested on the doorframe while he crossed his arms, keeping his back to the hunter, “Maybe~”

“Does this mean that you gave up already…”

The answer came as a whisper, “The only thing that will make me give up is your absolute rejection… For now, I am bidding my time with the hope that you might look my way one of those days…” He paused as he pushed away from the door and looked back at the pained hunter, parting ways with a lighthearted joke, “ Maybe I have an ulterior motive by inviting you after all… To show you another good side of mine.”

Seeing the door closing, Zero flopped sideway on his bed. Looking at his palm absentmindedly.

_let go, huh…_

He sighed deeply

_I planned on doing so from the start anyways… It is no use crying over spilled milk, Kiryuu Zero! Just because things did not go the way you wanted… The end result is the same… It is about time to part ways as bed partners… I does not matter if he hates me or… not… It is not like we were always on friendly term to begin with… Things are just getting back to their normal flow after a trip to fantasy world and back._

Zero kept convincing himself with multitude of other excuses, unaware of the tears spilling from his blank eyes, drenching the pillow.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ After dinner ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Gin took the chance to spend some quality time with his sister and niece since everyone gathered in the Moon Dorm. They talked about his permanent move to Cross city, and the future arrangement that will happen once Hina got a hold of her powers and responsibilities as a pureblood. Gin’s residence in the faculty housing was temporarily because he wanted to reunite with his remaining family sooner than later. However, he is having second thoughts about his purpose in coming here. He felt as if fate was weaving this path for a far different reason.

He glanced at the window of Zero’s room and sighed when he saw no light. The fact that the black Jeep  was still parked in front of the house reassured him. He was not sure about what happened with Kuran and he knew that he would not be able to get an answer unless he divulged his knowledge about their affair. Nonetheless, he was certain that Zero was hurt by whatever happened, and the grey-eyed teacher felt like wringing the neck of the smug pureblood the whole time he was watching him during the dinner.

To his surprise, He found a silver-haired man curled up in his dorm room, in his bed, with his back facing him. Gin smiled when Zero scooted more to make space for him to sit on the bed. However, He chose to sit on the carpet after grabbing a water bottle from the mini fridge. His back against the bed, he sighed in relief.

“Not going to say anything?” Zero mumbled as he turned around and stared at the messy twirls of dark blue hair facing him.

“Should I?”

“Why are you not asking…?” Zero’s voice sounded strained, telling Gin that he was about to cry or had been crying.

“Will you answer if I ask?” Gin answered with yet another question.

“You can be infuriating, you know that?” Zero commented while pulling on Gin’s hair like a sulking child.

“Ouch… Can’t help it since I am confused as hell right now.” Gin quipped

“About what?” Zero asked while shifting in a way that his shoulders and hands were dangling out of the bed and his head lolling sideway to meet Gin’s eyes.

“Well… You obviously told me that you do not do relationships and never believed in love…. Now, I see you heartbroken over your first love who happened to be your adoptive sister… How can I not get confused?” Gin mocked annoyance.

Zero rolled his eyes and flopped back on the bed. This time he used his feet to knead Gin’s shoulders in a provocative way. “There is nothing to be confused about… That was puppy love and I moved on from it. One more thing, I am not _heartbroken_.” He emphasized on the last part with a push against broad shoulders.

Without looking back at him, Gin took the chance to ask the question bugging him, “Speaking of love and relationships… Are you still seeing that guy?”

Zero was oblivious to the question when he was trying to pull the dark hair with his toes, “Which one?”

“The one you have been sleeping with more than once.” _Kuran Kaname!_ Gin did not miss the way Zero’s teasing ceased for a second before going on.

“Um… not anymore…” The human felt his heart jump to his throat.

“Why?” Gin whispered, unable to hide his curiosity.

“We had a deal for it to be temporary from the start.” Zero deadpanned. Gin grabbed the naughty feet and started massaging it in a way that made the hunter let out a soft moan of relief.

“Hmm?... I thought for sure that this mystery man was my rival in winning you over.” Gin teased. _The deadline must have been Ai’s birth._

Zero scoffed, “There is nothing to feel rivalry about.”

Gin was silent for some time before looking at the time. He brought out a beer for Zero to enjoy while he went for a shower before calling it a night. He expected the silverette to be gone by the time he finished, but he was again surprised by seeing more beer cans open and the hunter sitting lazily on the carpet, watching TV. Gin drank a little with him before jumping in bed since he had early classes the next day. He could not help but ruffle the silver hair when the hunter mumbled ‘Thank you for letting me stay over’ before chugging another beer.

A little later, Gin could feel the hunter hovering over his sleeping face. He made sure not to move or twitch when Zero moved in a cat like motion, lifting the covers and stealthily joining him. He cracked one eye open to peer at the hunter who made himself comfortable beside him in bed. Of course, Zero had his back facing him so he was not aware that Gin was awake when he shuffled and spooned him as if the hunter was a hugging pillow. Zero tensed for a second before relaxing in strong arms. He was grateful that Gin was not as nosy as usual, which made him a comfortable company for the hunter who felt as if his own room was suffocating him and swallowing him in a dark loneliness he never felt before.

Gin did nothing more than wrap an arm around the hunter’s stomach and slide a hand for him to use as a pillow. He made it seem accidental by smacking Zero’s head with it, making the hunter tuck the muscled arm under his small head. Not long after, Gin’s chest tightened when he felt the tremors going through the hunter’s body as well as the dampness dripping over his skin, but he did nothing, assuming that the hunter needed to pour out whatever was bottled up inside him.     

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The next morning, Gin woke up to the sound of Zero talking over the phone.

“Yes… Okay, I will be there soon… Thank you for calling me!” The hunter hung up and looked at the lazy man stretching on his bed with a soft smile. A smile that melted Gin’s heart for a second. Zero approached the bed while putting on his jacket; he bent over the nightstand to grab his keys and wallet as he spoke, “Mornin’ … Sorry to wake you up… You should sleep some more, there is still time for classes.”

The hunter startled by the strong hand gripping his wrist, “How are you?” Gin’s tone showed the depth of his concern and made Zero realize that he was aware that the hunter did not sleep much the night before. As much as he sought company, the hunter could not relax enough to sleep comfortably in his arms. He gave him a wistful smile, “I slept better than I would have in my own room, thanks for letting me stay over.” It was true; he would not have had a wink if he stayed alone.

“You can stay a little longer,” Gin rubbed his thumb on his wrist as he tugged him back in bed lazily, “We can have breakfast together and-“

Zero chuckled and surprised Gin by giving him a peck on the lips that successfully woke him up fully. “I would love to, but I have to go. Yuki will not be happy when she hears that she gave birth one day apart from her archenemy, White Lily.” Zero winked with a happier glint in his eyes upon remembering the good news.

“Oh!” Gin’s eyes widened before chuckling at the coincidence, he promptly let go of the hunter so that he could join his best friend. No one could ever win against the white horse when it comes to priorities. The ethic teacher could not believe that he actually felt a bit jealous.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At the stable ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero was rubbing the head of the tired new mother, telling her how brave she was while watching the small foal struggling to get on his feet for the first time. The vibration of his phone distracted him. He used the wet towel that the caretaker handed him before pulling the device to check the incoming message.

He jolted when he saw that it was from Kaname,

:: “We need to talk.”

Zero worried his lower lip, wondering about what the pureblood wanted from him.

:: “What is there to talk about?”

His heart started racing when the answer took a while to come through.

:: “About us.”

The short and concise text sent Zero’s heart and brain into overdrive. After being intimately involved with the pureblood for the last few months, Zero was surprisingly able to read his mood and guess his intentions, which gave him a good hunch about the meaning of the message. He stared at the word _‘us’_ for some time before finally typing his reply.

:: “There is no ‘us’ anymore. That was the deal. It was nice knowing you, Kuran.” He tucked his phone hastily and joined his horse once again. He figured that it would be better to stay away from the campus in case the pureblood decided to act up.

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Kaname’s chamber ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“It was nice knowing you… Kuran?” Kaname hissed the words he read from the flashing screen of his phone. Seconds later, smoke erupted from the now charcoal black device, the glass around the room only cracked thanks to the great effort that the pureblood made to suppress his flaring aura. Kaname sagged in the red velvety loveseat with a forearm over his eyes, covering the turmoil swimming in garnet orbs.

He did not get a wink of sleep despite the exhaustion he felt from putting up the cheerful front with his guests at the dinner and later with the tired but happy Yuki who needed help tucking Ai in. The thought of his daughter was bittersweet. He was wrapped with an unfamiliar warm feeling when he held her in his arm but once away, he could not help the dark thought of the ‘What if she was never born’. He felt disgusted with himself for thinking that way.

However, he could not help but wish for a little more time with Zero. He acted impulsively and probably hurt the hunter more than how the silverette hurt him. He said a little too much without considering Zero’s opinion or feelings about the whole situation. His heart ached at the thought that the hunter could have gotten rid of their child, he felt betrayed by the fact that Zero played him for a fool. It will surely take him some time to forgive such despicable actions, but it does not deny the fact that he simply expected too much and that was his mistake.

Just because he was deeply in love with the hunter, he expected him to come around somehow and reciprocate his feelings. Just because he was ready to give everything up for the sake of having a loving family with him, he expected Zero to feel happy and nod in approval of his idea and sincere intentions. To sum it up, Kaname lost to his own possessive and monopolizing strike, forgetting one important fact about the hunter; the untamable rebellious nature of the silverette that made him fall in love in the first place. He was now reaping what he sew. He let a bitter laugh escape his lips before finally whispering, “I was nice knowing me, huh… Zero”

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Two weeks later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Zero somehow managed to fall back into his usual routine before Kaname came into his life and messed it up. He covered the grand piano at K-bar after finishing his piece, made his way to the bar in the midst of clapping and praises, and sat on the stool between Kaito and Gin who came over for a drink and get together over the weekend. Gin came a day early to settle some paperwork about the estate his family owned in town. Kaito followed the next day and the two were planning on staying over at Ichiru’s as per usual.

“It’s freaking awesome no matter how many time I hear it.” The slightly tipsy Kaito tapped on Zero’s shoulder.

“Thanks.” Zero answered as he took a careful sip of his Bloody Mary. He had been feeling under the weather, lethargic and the fever racking his body made it hard to breath. He knew the reason, but could not manage to curb the need no matter what he tried, so he tried to ignore it for once. However, Kaito’s rambling was not helping.

“I passed by club Loose before coming here. The master there asked about what was going on with you… He told me that you suddenly appeared after a long absence and running wild, practically living in the club. Some other patrons literally ambushed me when they knew that I was a friend of yours. What is with the dry spell and the sudden outburst?” Kaito drawled.

Zero sighed, _I did not go there in a while because a certain pureblood kept me sated so much that I felt no need to seek anyone else._

“Oh! Could it be the hot stud?” Kaito pointed while holding his drink midair.

Zero rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Kaito huffed, understanding that the silver haired hunter did not wish to talk about it, “Even so… The rumors over there were quite vicious… What is with those losers saying that you have both genders…” Zero stiffened at that and let out a nervous laugh, “Seriously… What losers! Just because you did not go along with their lame flirting, they would start making you out to be a freak of nature just to keep face… It was out of respect for the master of the club that I did not clobber those bastards.” The hazel-eyed hunter complained, oblivious to the shaken state of his fellow. Even when noticing the discomfort, he patted Zero’s shoulder, “Dude, it is better to joke about it if it comes up instead of making it worse. Good thing that you heard it from me first…”

Kaito was too engrossed in his rambling and drinking to notice that Gin placed a hand on Zero’s knee when he caught wind of the conversation. The reassuring squeeze helped the hunter relax and not let it show how freaked out he was at the idea of Kaito finding out his secret and might think of him as ‘a freak of nature’. The hand did not linger much, but Ichiru managed to catch the action and smiled at the interaction. Although it bothered him that his brother was getting more promiscuous than ever.

“What hot stud were you talking about?” Ichiru decided to change the flow of the conversation to the detail that piqued his interested. _Has Zero been seeing someone?_

The reason Zero did not like having a drunk Kaito around is that he tended to run his mouth a little too much, especially when it was Ichiru asking. In a slurred tone, he answered, pointing to Zero, “This guy have been bedding a married man for quite a while…*hiccup*… The guy must be a veteran if your brother have been sticking with him this long.”

Ichiru stopped just as he was about to take a sip from his glass, looking at his brother with a horrified expression, “Nii-san you-“

“It’s over.” Zero announced flatly, cutting off any rambling and migraine-inducing lecture he expected from his twin. “I am not seeing him anymore.”

Kaito sobered up almost instantly, “How?”

“Who cares?” Zero shrugged before chugging down the rest of his drink and standing up. “I am leaving.”

“Zero-“ Ichiru was about to ask him not to leave but Gin stopped him, “It is better to let him leave… You said it before, right? He needs some space when bothered.”

Ichiru met the teacher’s eyes and nodded reluctantly when he figured out that Gin was aware of what was going on.  

“Does this mean that I am the only one kept in the dark?” He complained.

Gin and Kaito exchanged a sheepish look before Kaito decided to take the blame, “I actually told this guy in attempt to have him give up on pursuing your brother.”

“Failed attempt.” Gin smirked.

Ichiru sighed as he looked at the still swinging door, “How long had it been going on.”

Kaito shrugged, “Couple of months minimum. I was surprised when he told me about it, I frankly did not expect him to last long, or look like that after it is over… He seemed… I don’t know… ” The hunter trailed, not finding the right words

“Empty…” Ichiru finished his sentence, “I would even dare say… brokenhearted?” He mused before shaking his head to chase the idea, _That would mean for Nii-san to open his own Pandora box which does not seem to be the case._

“I do wonder what kind of man could have affected him that much though…” Ichiru trailed

“Who knows…” Gin mumbled while sipping on his drink, snapping Ichiru’s attention to him. The silver-haired twin stuttered when he realized that he could have offended the man knowing his feelings for his brother, “I did not mean… I mean… yeah… I am curious about what kind of man that can make my brother give up his bad habits even temporarily, but I certainly would not wish for them to get together just because of that… Think about it… What good could come out from dating a married man...”

Gin laughed at the flustered younger man, “Relax Dude! I was wondering the same thing as well… No need to be cautious about my feelings.” A dismissing hand brought relieve and chuckles to the group. Ryou was watching them from the corner of his eyes before calling his boss to attend to some regular clients.  

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Zero ditched his car when he realized that he forgot the keys at the bar and decided to walk instead. He wandered aimlessly in the street. The mist from his breath reminded him of the cold weather that reflected the freezing state of his soul. All he wished for is a reset button that would allow his to turn back time to that blasted first dinner he had with the pureblood. He wished that he had never invited him over in the first place. He wanted to erase his time with him, he wanted to forget his touch, his scent, the way he moved, his voice… He regretted knowing the other façade of Kuran Kaname that was hiding behind the mask of the arrogant and ruthless pureblood king.

His phone buzzed for the hundredth time that day. He felt as if a noose was tightening around his neck. Kaname never ceased his attempts to contact him. Zero regretted giving him a duplicate key because he was constantly thinking that the pureblood might open the door whenever he was in his apartment. He avoided his home like the plague lately, not only in fear of confronting the brunet, but also because of all the memories, it held. The hunter came to realize that they did not leave a corner in his place without making out in it, there was not a place where he could not remember them cuddling, or bickering about something. Zero hated it, he loathed the fact that his emotions ran amok whenever the brown haired man was concerned. The buzzing of his phone made the feeling worse. He was scared. He knew that the resolve of separating from him would waver the moment he finds himself in a room alone with Kaname. He was not sure about what he might do, but he was certain that it would be harder for him to let go if the pureblood ever wanted him back. He tucked his hands in his jacket and looked up as he leaned on the street pole. The city lights hid the stars that where doing their best to illuminate the dark sky. He exhaled, seeing his breath mist from the cold weather before pushing himself in direction of his dwelling. _How long am I going to run away?_

He fished his phone and read the message. His eyes dulled at the words flashing back at him before he typed the answer as he entered his apartment. He sat on the table, fumbling with his handheld device before heading to the shower.

 

   **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Meanwhile with Kaname ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

After two long torturous weeks, Kaname finally got the okay to meet up with Zero. The pureblood was extra cautious in approaching the silverette after their last argument because it was like treading new waters without any advantage to support his cause. Thus, he avoided antagonizing the silverette by showing up unannounced at his place.

Now that Zero sent him the time of their meeting, Kaname was whizzing through his work like a tornado in order to finish everything in the half hour left to meet him. He cursed internally for letting so much work pile up because of losing all drive and motivations at the thought of losing his beloved hunter. Kaname shook his head when he realized how far Zero was able to affect him. _Heck! I feel like a love-struck teenager whenever he is concerned, but I had better not tell him that._

Once the time came, he dropped everything and teleported to the vicinity of the building. He pinpointed a dark alley a while ago, which he had been using whenever he had to enter in a civil way, alas using his key. Kaname chose to buzz the door first, knock after, and then used the key when the hunter did not bother answering.

He made his way through the dimly lit living room to the familiar path that led to the bedroom. Kaname’s face tightened when he felt more than one presence. He froze when he rounded up and stood at the door of the bedroom.

There Zero stood, clad in a towel around his waist, unbuttoning the shirt of another man standing in front of him with lust filled eyes while another gripped his slender hips and grinded against his rear.

“Hey babe, I thought you said it was a threesome…” The man pointed his chin toward the stunned brunet while Zero slid his shirt off. The hunter grabbed the chin and made him look back.

“It is a threesome…” He deadpanned while pulling the curious human for a kiss. He acted as if the brown-haired vampire did not even exist. Zero gave a lewd moan when the man behind him yanked the towel and caressed his skin up and down the pale thigh while nipping his neck. Said man spoke in a hoarse voice while glancing at Kaname, “I would not mind him joining, he is pretty hot.”

Sandwiched between the two horny males, Zero’s indifferent eyes finally met incensed garnet orbs to drop the final blow, “I don’t know about that! He will probably be on his way out soon…”

The look and the tone made Kaname realize the truth behind Zero’s reply to his text.

_Kaname :: “I would like to meet with you one last time and talk it out. I do not think it was a good idea to part on such bitter terms. Just state the time and place as you see fit.”_

Kaname believed that sending such a text would give him a chance to talk to the evasive hunter who was trying his best to avoid him. The answer of the hunter gave him a glimmer of hope only to get trampled further right this moment.

_Zero :: “I will be at my apartment in forty minutes. Do whatever you want.”_

 

What goes around comes back around. Kaname dragged his feet back on the same path to leave, he stared at the marble counter of the kitchen where he left Zero’s key before making his way toward the exit. He took a shuddering breath against the door before pushing his heavy body and leave.

 

 

   **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ couple of hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

*Sound of door opening*

“I have no idea what has gotten into him lately… It is strange that he is not picking up his calls indeed. I had to come check on him more than once for the past week… Sorry that you had to leave Ai-chan and come here because of my stupid brother, Yuki-chan… You could have called me though.” Ichiru mumbled as he opened Zero’s front door only to be cut off by two towering figures equally surprised.

“Holy shit! He had a twin?” One of the guys gawked, making Ichiru and the brunet, shifting behind him, uncomfortable.

“Dude… If you swing his way, we would have taken you both… half price…” The other bent and reached for Ichiru’s chin, but the silverette smacked the hand away and gave him an icy glare that made both of them back away. Once the nuisance gone, Ichiru looked at the stunned Yuki and exhaled, “Sorry you had to witness that.”

Yuki shook her head furiously, and gave him a sheepish smile, “Nuhuh, don’t worry… I am aware of his ‘tendencies’, but it is still weird to stumble upon… you know…”

Ichiru ruffled her hair and held the door for the young mother to let herself in, preparing himself to clobber his insolent twin for such a situation.

“I felt that he was acting distant when he came to the hospital and he just up and left without saying anything. I maybe paranoid but I really do not wish for another repeat of the time he avoided us completely… It is like… Just when we thought like the old Zero is back, he reverts to the stranger act again.” Yuki pouted while looking around the living room. She has not come to Zero’s place much, and she liked the minimal design of the place as well as the lights and the mood. _Typical of Zero… The place screams of his touch!_

Her eyes landed on a key on the kitchen counter, Ichiru saw it as well and could not help commenting, “It is rare for him to put his keys there, even his obsession with neatness seems dented… I will go check on him, must be in the shower…” Ichiru huffed as he stomped to the bedroom.

The silver haired human did not notice the stillness of the brunette pureblood. As obtuse as Yuki might be, it was hard for her senses not to pick up on the lingering presence of Kaname. She would recognize it anytime anywhere. She looked at the decorative table she passed by when coming in and saw a similar key resting in a bowl along with a wallet and Zero’s jacket hanging above it. Her eyes, the closest shade to Kaname’s, scanned the room and landed on the kitchen counter again. The bickering of the twins coming from the bedroom interrupted her thoughts. She quickly grabbed the key, pushing it in the pocket of her cardigan before walking quickly to stop the brothers from fighting.

She jumped and looked away, covering her face, when she came across a butt naked dripping Zero.

Hearing the squeal she let out, Ichiru jolted as well and quickly threw a towel that Zero caught to wrap around his waist, “I don’t get it! What has gotten into you… It is like you were reverting back to that shitty time… Do you not realize how you are stressing and worrying everyone around you with your behavior?”

Zero rolled his eyes and popped the water bottle to drink but Ichiru snatched it away, “Look at me and answer!”

“I…Ichir…Ichiru” Yuki stuttered when she saw the dark look in Zero’s eyes.

Identical faces glared at each other before Zero finally snarled, “I do not see a need to explain my actions to any of you… I live the way I want to without bothering anyone… It is not my problem if you have the shitty habit of poking into my business.” He reached for the bottle but Ichiru grabbed his wrist, irritating him more.

“It becomes my problem, my business AND my concern when shitty rumors start spreading, when you start fucking married men, when your fuckbuddies stalk and flirt with me when they find themselves unable to have another go with you…”

A pissed Zero yanked his hand violently to the point that Ichiru stumbles back few steps. “Well sorry for that! The rumors are just that, rumors… Don’t blame me when you cannot tune them out… Married men, well… It is not like I can do a background check on every fucking night stand I pick up, and if you are that bothered by those losers harassing you… here is a tip, dye your hair or do something as not to look like me… Easy right?” He answered sarcastically, while getting dressed, leading to Yuki turning around again.

“Zero… Calm down please… We are just concerned…” Yuki tried to pipe them down, with her back still facing them. Therefore, she did not see the disgusted face followed by the snort of the hunter… “Your concern is the most annoying shit there is.”

She froze at the cold tone and turned to see an icy look that Zero was giving both of them. “What business do _you_ have here anyways…? Shouldn’t you be changing diapers and singing lullabies to that child of yours.” Yuki’s mouth flapped like a fish, unable to form words. She was used to Zero’s snappy attitude, but the anger and venom directed at her this time were unbearable.

“Oi! Nii-san… No matter how pissed you are, that is no way of talking to her… She came over because she was concerned…” Ichiru snipped back

“No one asked her to do so.” Zero looked away and slipped his pajama shirt, “If you have nothing else to say-“

“I do.” Ichiru interrupted Zero from chasing them out.

“What?”

“What is with that attitude?”

“Ichiru… it’s okay.” Yuki pulled at his sleeve. It was obvious that Zero was in foul mood and Ichiru was making it worse. She regretted coming over the minute she stepped into the room. _This will only have the opposite effect._

“It is not!” Ichiru hissed, his glowering eyes never leaving his brother.

Zero remained silent with a look of disdain on his face. The last thing he needed was Ichiru’s preaching and having Yuki around, especially with a face that reminded him of the last person he wished to remember.

“I get it that you are angry at me for being meddlesome, but did you have to take it out on Yuki-chan?” Ichiru’s voice was calmer now, trying to get his point across.

“Ichiru… It is okay, really….” Yuki begged while looking meekly at Zero who would not meet her eyes.

“Aren’t you going to say something? Like sorry for snapping at you for no reason?” he added, ignoring the brunette’s plea.

“No” they both startled at the high-pitched voice of Yuki, “Don’t push it…” Zero finally looked at her, she took a deep breath and met his eyes, “I might have hurt Zero unknowingly, and it might be the reason he does not wish to talk or even look at me… It would not be the first time I made such a blunder.” She hung her head, trying to hide the hurt she felt.

The silence stretched before she gave a nervous laugh and rubbed the back of her head, “I came here because I wanted to insist on you coming to the winter solstice as Ai-chan uncle, we are planning to introduce her to the vampire society at the event…. Uhm… I guess… you would not be interested… Silly me, huh? You never liked those gathering anyways, sorry for intruding…” She was about to bolt out of the room if not for Zero moving at the speed of light and cut her escape.

She froze when she found him facing her, a sad expression on his face…. _Why are you looking at me like that?_

Her confusion increased when Zero ruffled her hair and forced a smile on his lips, “I am sorry… Ichiru was right; I had no reason for snapping at you like that. You did nothing wrong… It is not your fault…” _It is not your fault… It is mine._

Yuki could not understand what he meant but she felt her chest tighten at the sadness dwelling in lavender eyes, to the point that she reflexively wrapped her arm around his midsection and gave him a comforting squeeze. Ichiru snorted at the stunned expression on his brother’s face that soon morphed in an exasperated smile while he ruffled her messy curls.

Big red-brown eyes looked up at him, “Will you attend?”

“Only if Bloody Rose is allowed.” Zero teased, leading to Yuki jumping up and down in joy.

“All right! Make sure to come for the fitting of the tux if you don’t want to have a pissed off Ruka chasing your tail.” She gave a tongue out

“WHAT?” Zero gave a horrified expression.

“See ya~” She waved a silly hand and teleported before the hunter could object on anything.

“What the fuck was that about?” Zero scowled at his brother.

“It is the ‘full evening dress’ type of event after all.” Ichiru answered with obvious mirth in his voice.

“GAAAH!” Zero covered his face with both hands, “That is the least I need right now…”

“You might have had a chance to get out of wearing it if you did not act like a snappy bitch.” The younger twin gave a shove to the shoulder and left the room. He glanced over his shoulder, “One more thing… I hope you really have nothing to do with that married man anymore…”

Zero stilled for a moment, “aah! It over and done with.”

“I hope so…”

“Anything else, mother!” Zero quipped again, with less venom this time since he understands what was going on in his brother’s mind.

“Nothing… Ah! Yes… did you bed all the guys in the city and moved to gigolos now…” The sarcasm earned him a whack on the head.

“You were on your way out, right?” Zero pointed to the door, kicking Ichiru on his behind. The younger twin chuckled at the flustered brother and answered, “I am. Make sure to note that the rehearsal is in a couple of weeks.”

“Rehearsal?”

“It seems that you and I will escort Ai-chan down the stairs as a grand entrance. Something about it being symbolic to the peace-treaty.”

Zero groaned, “Fuck me!”

“As much as I love you, brother… I will pass on that.” Ichiru teased, having the fun of his life.

“You are enjoying this aren’t you?”

“Should I not?” He shrugged, a permanent smile plastered on his face.

“When is the actual shit going to happen?”

“In three weeks. The second week after will be my party. Speaking of which, I have to go rest since Hana will come over tomorrow to go over the plans for it.” Ichiru pondered as he walked to the door with Zero behind him.

“You are not having super Ruka as an organizer?” Zero threw the sarcastic remark that Ichiru actually took seriously.

“Oh yeah, we are! You think she would miss torturing her cousin. She actually gave us a huge list of things to choose, that is what we have to go through tomorrow.” The whiny tone did not hide his excitement. Although the next question Zero asked puzzled him.

“Is it really okay, Ichiru?”

“What?”

“Being with a vampire.”

“What are you saying Nii-san, don’t tell me that you are-“

“No! I am not opposing your choice. Just curious about it.”

Ichiru pondered, “It is not about Hana being a vampire, or not… I think it is more about the fact that he gives my life a meaning… It might be selfish of me, but… I feel complete when he never misses a chance to show me that he can’t go on without me… I totally feel the same way as well, and we definitely see one another for what we are as persons not race.”

Zero was silent for some time before snorting, “Sorry, I should not have asked.” he opened the door and kicked Ichiru again, making his brother grumble, “What is with the mood swings today! You pregnant or something?” Ichiru cracked the joke that made Zero slam the door to his nose, “Maybe pmsing would have been more accurate.” The younger twin shrugged and left for his place to look forward to what another day would bring.

Zero, on the other side of the door, banged his head against the door twice before going to his drink cabinet with the intention of getting smashed since he had no work that day.

 

   **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Meanwhile in Cross Academy ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Kaname ran hand through his hair as he unbuttoned the first buttons of his black shirt. He paused in front of the heavy wooden door of his chambers upon sensing an aura that suddenly manifested inside. He let out a heavy sigh and opened the door to find Yuki sitting on one folded leg and dangling the other on the love seat in the lounging area. She had both hands on her lap squeezed together while looking at the male pureblood who shut the door closed softly.

“I was putting Ai to bed because your attendant had hard time calming her crying fit.” Kaname spoke first, the underlying question obvious in his tone and posture as he crossed his arms and leaned against the dark wall.

“Sorry,” Yuki winced, “I had to step out for a bit.”

Kaname gave her a tight smile, “I hope you dealt with whatever business that was bothering you.” He did not miss the fidgety behavior of Yuki for the past few days, but he could not pinpoint the reason for it.

She nodded before shifting the leg from under her to sit more formally as she straightened her back, “I just thought I would calm down a bit before going to see Ai. It is not good to give out negative vibes around a newborn.”

It was Kaname’s turn to wince as the point drove home, but he did not show that he was affected by Yuki pointing out his gloomy mood behind the stoic mask.

“Onii-sama… Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

Their voice were so low it seemed as if they were whispering, knowing that the other party would hear perfectly thanks to the enhanced abilities.

“Why did you not drink from me since your awakening?”

A brown eyebrow twitched in surprise, “You were pregnant.”

“And now?” Curious big round eyes bored into his.

“It would be cruel to take from you now because I would be partaking Ai’s share.” Kaname deadpanned.

Yuki sighed, “What if I told you that I was thirsty right now?”

Kaname stiffened for a second when a flicker of red glow showed in Yuki’s eyes.

Without saying a word, he took a glass and elongated a claw that he dug in his own palm, letting the pure red essence drip in the container. Once the glass was half filled, he took few steps and offered it to Yuki.

Yuki gave him a wistful smile, “This means that I won’t be drinking from you anymore, I guess…”

“Do you want to?” Kaname’s question sounded as if he was stating the obvious.

Yuki took the drink offered and drank it gratefully. She cannot afford the scent to spread too much if she did not want any interruption.

“You might be right.” She nodded before exhaling and placing the glass on the table. She dipped a hand in her cardigan while Kaname took a seat on the rocking chair at an angle from her. His breath caught when his sister brought out a familiar object that she delicately placed on the coffee table close to him.

Yuki did not miss the way Kaname’s lips pursed for a moment.

“My errand was about going to Zero’s place because he was not answering my calls. I had to get his confirmation about attending the upcoming ball. It is an important event for the _family.”_ She explained while placing her hands back in her lap, this time digging a bit to hide her nervousness.

Wine orbs looked at her in a calculating manner before Kaname voiced his question, “And?”

“He agreed to attend when I told him that it was Ai’s introduction to the vampire society.”

Kaname gave a lazy nod before resting his chin on the back of his hand, waiting for the next question to come out of the fidgeting brunette.

“I found this on his kitchen counter, and you might have already guessed the reason for my indiscretion that led me to bring it back here.” She took a deep breath before fixing Kaname with a steady fierce gaze, “Onii-sama, do you have anything to do with Zero’s attitude lately?”

It was not the way Kaname expected her to formulate her inquiry, but he expected the topic to come up. He got up from his place and joined Yuki on the larger seat, draping both arms on the back of it. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before looking at the petite woman sitting beside him, “Rather than Kiryuu-kun, do we not have a more important matter to discuss? You asked me to wait until Ai is born and I believe that I waited long enough after that…”

Yuki swallowed at the stern tone of her brother as well as the dark look telling her that she would be stepping on a landmine if she did not go along with his conversation.

   **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Few days later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Zero groaned at the buzzing of his door early in the morning. He spent the whole night working and was just getting comfortable to sleep. His crankiness soared to the point of risking to blast the head of whoever salesperson was making the mistake of buzzing his place. _I forgot to put that form to prevent these people from using my interphone._

He slammed a palm against the innocent wall and pushed the button to see and answer the unfortunate soul. However, he was surprised to see familiar grey eyes.

“Yo, sleepy head!” Gin chirped when the green light lit up.

“You do not see my head to judge if it was sleepy.” Zero groaned and pushed the unlocking button, “Come on up!”

Zero left his door open while washing his face. He found Gin in his kitchen making coffee.

“What brought you here on a weekday? ‘sensei’” Zero asked while sipping on the heavenly drink handed to him.

“I was granted a day off to settle some paperwork. There are several offices that do not open during the weekend, so…” Gin explained with a shrug.

“Why are you selling off your family’s estate anyways? It won’t be long until Hina-chan is given the free pass to move around freely. I thought you were moving back here once that happens.” Zero asked, remembering a conversation about the matter he had with the taller man over one of their breakfast routine.

Gin shook his head, “There was a change of plans. My sister is getting comfortable at Cross Academy and does not feel like leaving Yuki-chan’s side. She worries non-stop about her especially that she is with a child now. Hina-chan will be attending Cross Academy anyways, and I like my job there. Therefore, I will just get a place to live in Cross city, where my sister and her daughter can come live with me or hangout during the weekends later.”

“I see…” Zero nodded as he leaned over the counter with the mug cradled in his hands. “And… What brings you here so bloody early in the morning to interrupt my sweet sleep?” he griped. 

“Oh yeah!” Gin pointed a finger as he drank another sip. “I wanted to take you on my last ride.”

Zero gave him a quizzical look.

After some coaxing and begging, Gin finally managed to make Zero wear casual outfit and leave the walls of his apartment.

One outside the building, the hunter whistled at the roaring Harley-Davidson that the teacher was straddling. Gin grinned as he handed the helmet to the hunter.

“Why is it the last ride?” The hunter felt like he was shouting loud even if it was necessary.

“I am selling it.”

“What a waste.” Zero caressed the bike with apparent admiration.

“No other choice, it has been sitting around without purpose. I need something more… practical, like a car now. Hop on!” Gin urged him to get on so that they can drive away.

Despite the biting cold of the morning wind, Zero could not help but grip Gin’s shoulder and stand up on his feet to enjoy the speed to the fullest. They got on the highway for while before the blue haired man drifted to an unpaved path where he had to slow down a notch. He ignored Zero’s question about their destination and kept going.

The ex-human gawked at the sight that greeted him once the bushes and rocks at the sides of the road cleared to leave the space to a breathtakingly beautiful beach in the middle of nowhere. He removed the helmet as soon as roar of the engine quieted down.

“Only the locals of the town are aware of such a place. Even during summertime, you would not find too many people around.” Gin explained as he stared at the waves crashing against the rocks.

Zero took a deep refreshing breath before giving a heartfelt smile, “It’s a great place.”

“Are you planning on getting off the bike one of these days?” Gin leaned on the handle, laughing at the pouty hunter who was too lazy to move.

“Nope.”

“All right. Sit tight, I will be back in a jiffy.”

Zero nodded and shifted his legs to sit sideway on the leather seat. He could not help but marvel at the nature that surrounded him. The sound of water and the breeze coupled by the scent of the sea and the lush greenery behind him tickled his senses in a pleasant way. They made him nostalgic about the time he spent in the forest cabin near the lake where he had to undergo his training as a hunter alongside Kaito and Yagari Toga. A warm metal object brushing against his cold cheek interrupted his drift to nostalgia.

His eyes landed on the can that Gin offered and scoffed, “Hot chocolate? Really?”

Gin shrugged, “There was coffee, but you already had one and you probably will need to sleep when you get back.”

“Ever the considerate.” Zero bit sarcastically after popping the can open and taking a sip.

“Can you blame me?”

The question did not receive an answer, which made Gin understand that the hunter was in no mood for his subtle flirting.

“I would never have deemed you to be a biker, though.” Zero pointed, still amazed by the discovery.

Gin chuckled and bragged, “There is a lot you have yet to know about me.”

Lavender eyes squinted, “Why do I feel that I am better off not knowing.”

Gin’s shoulder slumped in a dejected puppy mode, “That’s mean.” the action earned a pleased victorious laugh.

“Now, seriously… Is this from your rebellious days or something?” Zero inquired curiously.

“At some point in my life, I was kind of a fleeter. You know? like a nomad, moving from one place to another without a specific destination. This baby have been my companion during the whole journey. I got so attached that I had to ship it back with me when I came back here.”

Zero’s attention perked at the last bit of information, “Came back?”

Gin paused and then nodded before explaining, “We are not from here originally. No…. That is not correct. My mother is Japanese, but my father is not. We used to live in Australia before moving back here.”

Confusion was written all over Zero’s face, “You last name, Moriya?”

“I took the last name of my step-father. The second husband. I always considered him to be my real father since he raised me from young age.” Gin explained with a pleased smile.

Zero could not help but smile back, “I see…”

After a long chitchat, they kept silent and stared at the sea that calmed down when the sun rose move above in the sky. It was absentmindedly that Zero spoke his mind aloud,

“I wonder how one can get rid of an addiction.”

Gin glanced sideway at the lonely profile of the hunter who was no leaning back with both elbows on the leather seat. “Depends on what kind of addiction. The twelve step program could work.”

Zero gave a mocking scoff, “You sound like that fucking shrink who had no better in life than recite few words from a book.”

“You went for rehab?” Gin frowned while inquiring.

Zero cursed the slip of tongue, “Nope, went to a consultant and quit after the first session. I will not say anymore because there is nothing more to it.”

Gin stretched, enjoying the cracking of his spine before voicing an idea, “How about going cold turkey.”

“Not working.” Zero deadpanned.

“Some people replace a vice with another that is less destructive.”

“Not working.” Zero groaned.

“Getting professional help?”

“Not happening.”

“Talking to someone close.”

“Not good.”

The last answer confirmed to Gin that Zero was indeed talking about whatever pull he was feeling towards Kuran Kaname and it somehow dampened the cheerful mood he had since coming here.

“I guess only time will tell.” Zero sighed softly.

Gin nudged him with an elbow, trying to keep his usual goofy self, “Who was it again that said they were not heartbroken. If there is something time can heal-“ *Smack*

The teacher felt his vision blur from the sudden smack on the head that he never saw coming. He fixed Zero with a hurt look, “You might end up giving me a concussion one of these days.”

“Stop flapping your mouth about nonsense if you do not want it happening sooner than expected.”

“Tch! Here I was going to try being cool by saying that the cure of a lost love is to look for a new one.”

Zero scrunched his face before drawling, “Too bad for you that there is no such a thing in the first place. Anyways… Do you really have to sell it… Driving it during the summertime must be best experience ever.”

Gin went along the sudden change of topic, “I would love to keep it. Sadly, the numbers would never add up, and I kind of need to put an end to that page of my life.”

“How about selling it to me?” Zero perked with the question, making Gin give him a baffled laugh.

“I am sure that you can afford the price but I would not be able to accept any money from you.”

They bickered for some time until Zero gave up on the idea with a big yawn. “I think it is about time we go back.” Gin announced as he tapped the hunter’s knee for him to sit properly.

Zero wrapped his hand around gin and rested his head on the broad back, yawning again, “Sorry… I feel like I might sleep for an eternity if I had nothing better to do.”

“Just don’t fall asleep on the way and fall off.” Gin answered while getting the engine to kick in.

   **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo~
> 
> I hope that you can guess that the real mess will start in the next chapter that I will do my best to post as soon as possible.
> 
> I originally planned to post two consecutive chapter today, but my life got crazy busy in the last week with exam and some unexpected socializing (that I could not escape from *sigh*) to the point that I am praising myself for actually writing this chapter. (I dedicated my precious Sunday for it because my muse was pounding on my brain to get on with it)
> 
> On another different note: I have to say it again, YOU GUYS GOT ME ABSOLUTELY SPEECHLESS!!!
> 
>  
> 
> I am flipping happy to see the increase of readers dropping kudos, bookmarking and subscribing to the story. I feel fired up more than ever after having my eyes bulge out at the number of awesome comments the last few chapters received.
> 
> You guys certainly make my life much brighter and if there is an improvement in my writing and a better flow to the story, I will have you know that it is thanks to you because I feel like I need to give it my all when I know that there are people out there enjoying the read.
> 
> It is not just about the praise, criticism push me to improve and your requests that I fit in the story makes it all the more interesting, so, all rambling aside.
> 
> BUCKETS OF LOVE, KISSES AND HUGS TO EACH AWESOME READER REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY COMMENTED, OR JUST TOOK THE TIME TO READ AND ENJOY, THANK YOU!!!! *BIG SMILE*
> 
> For those who would like to send me a private message, I am not sure how it is done using AO3, so I will provide my email address. Feel free to contact me, 
> 
> bluesapphire24fiction@gmail.com
> 
>  


	37. chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the notes after the chapter later XD
> 
> I own nothing apart from Gin and Keiichi.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Fitting day∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Is this okay, sir? Not too tight?”

“This is comfortable; I don’t think it should be any tighter.” Zero forced a polite answer to the old tailor who was pinning countless needles and pins in the fabric surrounding his body.

“Rental or ready-made would have done the trick, why all this hassle?” The silverette grunted when the old man left to bring more things from his atelier.

“Being affiliated with the _royal family_ now, Ruka and the others might faint if we showed up wearing the run of the mills tuxedos. I also think it is Yuki’s idea to prevent you from showing up in a sloppy appearance like you always do.” Ichiru explained while examining the exquisite dark grey fabric and the slightly shimmery silver tint discreetly weaved through it.

“Well… Excuse me for not standing a tie suffocating me or that stupid bow.” Zero griped. His stomach was literally churning. A loud growl erupted from it that made Ichiru almost double over from laughing.

“Nii-san… What is with the party going on in there, we just had lunch.”

Zero glared his way, not amused in the least, “Beats me! It seems as if I am getting ready to hibernate lately, all I do is eat and sleep if I do not have work to do. It is seriously annoying.”

Ichiru was surprised, knowing how little sleep Zero used to survive with, “That is indeed surprising! So you were not fooling around when you ditched me the other day?”

Zero exhaled, poking his abdomen as if it would stop the embarrassing sound. “Yeah~ I actually got ready and thought of lying on the couch until you reach the bar and call me. I did not expect myself to sleep until the next day, seriously.”

Ichiru gave a hilarious laugh that earned him a prickle of a pin. 

Zero’s eyes flickered for a moment at the faint scent of blood before scowling, “It is changing, again.”

Ichiru gave him a questioning look while making sure that nothing was stained,

“The scent of your blood.” Zero added

“Oh!” Ichiru pondered before adding, “Not only that… I am not aging at all…” Ichiru pointed, “We went through some albums and Hanabusa noticed it when I was joking about being old and wrinkly while he would look like a teenagers when age catches up to me.”

Zero observed their reflection on the mirror and hummed, “Yeah… We do look identical.”

“And you certainly look at least five years younger that your age.”

They shared the same inner though, _what a fearsome blood Hanabusa has._

“It might be your hunter’s gene kicking in.” Zero suggested.

“No idea! If anything I felt much better ever since you… you know… took your missing part from me.”

Zero fell silent for a moment trying to chase away the dark memory of almost killing his brother.

“But you know! Nii-san…” Ichiru chirped, “It is not only that… I feel like I am getting stronger… My health have never been better… Even compared to when I was drinking pureblood… I guess that is the power of love for you.” He beamed.

“Geeh!” Zero gave a mocking sound that Ichiru felt like smacking if not for the risk of ruining the hard work of the tailor.

“Come to think of it, I never asked how the two of you came to be together.” The older twin realized that he spend most of his time opposing Ichiru’s relationship.

Ichiru hummed a bit before giving a wide grin, “A strawberry sundae.”

“Hah?” Zero did not get the meaning of the answer.

“I was moping and being depressed after you left to study abroad and he could not take the dark mood. He took me out for a strawberry sundae saying that he had no one keeping him company. Come to think of it, that might have been our first date if I realized his feelings for me back then.” Ichiru’s cheeks tinted pink at the memory. Zero sighed and shook his head at the dreamy look on his brother’s eyes. Ichiru had hard time snapping from his daze even when the tailor came back to resume his work.

Half an hour later, the twins were dressed back in their casual clothing and leaving the store. “Your order will be ready on time.”

They thanked the elderly and headed to the parking. A big yawn earned Zero another tease from his twin. He threw his keys to Ichiru while getting on the passenger seat, “You drive unless you want to die young and pretty.”

“You better get yourself checked out on this Nii-san…” Ichiru suggested. All jokes aside, he was starting to worry about how lethargic Zero was acting lately. It was as if the hunter lost his spunk all of sudden.

“Will do.” Zero dismissed him. He stared out of the window as the scenery started sliding at a faster pace, his mind twirled about the possible scenarios that might happen during the little time he had to spend at the Academy. Many ‘what ifs’ that can be summarized in a simple question, “What should I do when I come across him.”

 

Luckily, Zero found Yuki by herself with the girls. She was too busy with the preparation that she only had a chance to ask about the fitting before Ruka dragged her to fix her hair while complaining. He felt the tenseness leave his body when he heard that Kaname was out of town for business. Therefore, he went to pester the stand-in headmaster, Kaito while Ichiru disappeared to go see his lover.

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 Gin finished his classes and decided to swing by Cross’s house after Kaito sent him a message to hang out. He found the door unlocked as usual and announced his presence before stepping in. A lesson he learned when he got the shock of his life walking on Kaito and Takuma kissing in the kitchen, half-naked. The shock was so real he was dazed for few days and unable to meet his friend’s eyes. Despite being open-minded and cool about many things, a situation like that brought out the shyness in the grey-eyed man.

He frowned when no answer came. He took careful steps before a smile drew on his lips when he found his favorite person splayed on the couch with the cover hanging from his toe to the floor. The sight was even more endearing with the red head child tucked between him and the back of the couch while his small hand hugged Zero’s neck. An inner squeal resonated in his head and the overload of cuteness.

“You look like a pervert with that grin on your face, dude!” The gruff tone of a smoking Kaito snapped his head in direction of the kitchen where the hunter came from.

“Hello to you!” Gin grinned wider.

“Look at that,” Kaito complained, “He tells me to call everyone and hangout a bit before he had to go back and fall asleep barely five minutes after.”

Gin chuckled at that, “He must be tired… He did say that his workload increased lately because his associate took some time off all of a sudden.”

“Well informed, aren’t we?” Kaito gave the other male a joking punch in the shoulder before proceeding to pinch Zero’s nose. The hunter reflexively opened his mouth to breath but Kaito covered it soon after. Lavender-colored eyes shot open, and Kaito jumped away just in time before Zero grabbed and threw him across the room. The hunter was about to bolt after him if he did not remember that Keiichi was stuck to him like a Koala.

“Will grow up already…” Zero snorted while adjusting the child on his lap as he sat straight on the couch. Gin joined him, patting the silver hair sticking out in all direction.

“He is very attached to you.” Gin pointed to the sleeping child clutching Zero’s hand.

Zero sighed, “He just finds me tasty. I am drained enough as it is, but he has no qualm absorbing energy from me.”

“Why did she leave him with you in the first place?” Kaito grumbled because having the kid around would make it difficult to let loose and enjoy the evening, as much as he liked Keiichi.

Zero rubbed his eyes, and then carefully placed Kei-chan on the couch, covering him, “It seems that she is having some difference of opinion with the mother-in-law about how to raise him. She is keeping him with her all the time lately in fear that Shiki’s mother might overpass her boundaries. I am not sure about the details though.”

“Oh!” Kaito looked as if he remembered something, “That might be about the bullying.”

Zero stopped on his tracks before reaching the bathroom, glancing over his shoulder, “What?”

Taking a long puff of his cigarette, “Takuma was complaining about it as well after coming back from a party, it seems his grandmother was turning a blind eye when other older kids were pestering him. Something about his powers not awakening yet made him an easy prey for the degrading comments from children and adults alike. The Shiki’s are starting to get stressed out to the point that they might not take him to any parties anymore because the last thing they wished for is to see their son hurt.”

_The cause for his stunted growth is…_

Zero gripped the doorframe and pursed his lips at the memory of what Kaname told him about Keiichi, “They seriously are no better than animals in the wild. The surviving of the fittest.” He grumbled before proceeding to wash his face.

The rest of the evening was pleasantly spent after Ichiru and Hanabusa joined them, except for the fact that Ichiru decided to stay over which ticked Zero off since he was waiting for him.

“All right then, I think I should go to be there on time.” Gin announced while standing up.

“It’s time already?” Kaito looked at his watch.

The others were a bit lost and the curious Ichiru had to ask, “Is something going on?”

“I am meeting some real estate agents for viewing in town.”

“Oh!” most of them exclaimed in understanding, and Zero groaned at that, “Viewing and dealing with their sale pitch is the worst.”

Ichiru laughed at that when he remembered how his brother almost punched an agent for insisting too much on buying a condominium right away. _Nii-san has always been black and white, if he likes it he takes it, if not, move heaven to earth and he will not change his mind._

“That sucks.” Kaito complained, “Fine! I will try to get this guy to stay over so that we can go eat out later at the new Mexican restaurant.” He suggested looking at Zero, “Takuma should be back by then as well.”

Gin was the only one not to miss the twitch of Zero’s hand, “Okay then, I will try to come back as soon as possible. Wish me luck guys, I seriously do not want to reach the bar of twenty houses viewing before finding a good catch.” He spoke as he left, exasperation obvious in his voice.

He barely made it out of the house before Zero caught up to him and grabbed his arm, “How are you planning to get there?”

Gin gave him a confused look, and then waved his phone “I called a cab earlier. It should be here any minute.”

“Cancel it, I am coming with you.” The ordering voice caught Gin off-guard, but he soon came down from whatever happiness he was about to feel when he realized the reason for the tag along. _Takuma coming back means that Kuran is coming back as well._

Gin nodded and followed Zero back inside for the hunter to fetch his car keys. The teacher took Ichiru’s advice on driving instead of Zero even if the hunter deemed it unnecessary.

Just as they were about to exit the campus’s gate, a sleek black Jaguar drove in, with both vehicles turning around the fountain in opposite direction, Zero caught a glimpse of the pureblood reading through some papers in hand before his heart stopped when garnet orbs met his. He quickly averted their surprised gaze.

From the corner of his eyes, Gin noticed the way Zero clutched his own arm. He gripped the steering wheel and let out a long sigh.

The grey-eyed human was pleasantly surprised by the proactivity that Zero was exhibiting in the assessment of the houses. On their way to the third viewing after the hunter blew off the two nagging agents, Gin was feeling that he might manage to find a good deal with an aggressive businessperson by his side. He enjoyed seeing a new side of the silverette.

After a long yawn, Zero’s curious tone filled the silence of the humming vehicle, “I am wondering though. We checked a five bedrooms apartment in downtown with the greatest view a high-rise could give, A two story villa with a swimming-pool, and a huge ass loft. Do you really need that much space?”

Gin shrugged as he turned the curb, “This might make me sound like a rich young master, but I have been living in spacious houses all my life thanks to my family, which make it stressful for me to be cooped up in a small space. Living in the faculty dorms, as comfortable as it might be, is getting suffocating and I really need to spread my wings. Besides, I do need a lot of space if I am to move whatever is in the old house I am selling to get this new one. Moreover, considering that my sister might move in with her daughter and that I would probably settle down there as well, I guess it is obvious as to why I am aiming for the big boys.”

“Hmm… I wonder what kind of house this not so young rich master used to live in.” Zero bit with sarcasm.

Gin pulled out his phone and threw it to Zero in order for the hunter to see the pictures. “I took several for the buyers to see.”

“HOLY SHIT! Why do I feel poor all of a sudden?” The remark sent Gin in a fit of laughter while Zero swiped one picture after the other. The three story house was nothing short of amazing, combining modern architecture with antique interior in some rooms as well as modernized space. A perfect balance to give a walk down the lane of time. The underground parking caught Zero’s attention when he saw a couple of cars next to the bike he rode on with Gin.

“Don’t you have cars here?”

Gin looked quickly at the pictures before concentrating on the road, “Those are old pictures, I was planning on selling the house to pay the hospital fees of my brother-in-law and my sister later, but selling the cars covered it all. I did not have a job back then, and things were not looking good.”

“Oh… Hey Hina-chan’s room is soo cute.” Zero could not believed that he actually squealed, but it was worth it because the room truly spoke of a place for a true princess with the pink decoration, frills and exquisite canopy.

Gin paused a bit and answered, “Yeah… Her father went all out when he learned that they were expecting a girl.”

“Gin.” Zero’s grave tone startled the grey eyed man, “Please don’t tell me that this is a pool on the rooftop.”

He winced, “Yeah… That was my father’s doing. He thought it would be better there so that he can lock it and not worry about us kids drowning before we learned how to swim properly. It was my clumsy sister who worried him the most.”

Zero huffed in exasperation, “What kind of rich father and insane childhood did you have?” He started to see where the chilled and relaxed attitude of the older man was coming from.

“Let’s say… That as humble as my mother had been, she had a knack for attracting filthy rich men without meaning to.”

Zero snorted, “I mean it.” Gin gave a serious emphasis, “She could care less about the material things. A reason why she was unhappy with her first husband, who left her a mansion four times bigger that that one in Australia. However, the second husband was, despite being rich and powerful, a true family man and cared for us deeply.”

Zero hummed in approval. He did not miss the fact that Gin referred to his father as the first husband, so he did not bother asking about the man any further.

“And here they say that mostly vampires could lead such a life of luxury.”

Gin gave a dry laugh before pulling out in front of the next house that screamed of family life.

It was obvious from the nervousness of the agent that she was a newbie. The woman was turning tomato red with each question, unable to stop staring at the two gorgeous creatures in front of her. She kept thinking about how unfair life can be because she assumed that Zero and Gin were a couple.

Midway through the viewing, she excused herself to take a phone call. Zero promptly noticed the nervous way she was talking and he could gather that she was in trouble of double booking two clients at the same time but in different locations. He glanced at Gin, “Do you have other viewing after this?”

The taller looked puzzled before giving a negative answer. Zero tapped on the small shoulder of the flustered female. She put the call on hold and gave him a scared look, dreading another mishap. “If it is okay with you, we can look around the house and call you later for a follow up. That way, you can head to the other client and not get in trouble with the office, right?”

Gin smiled at the soothing voice that the hunter used and the way the woman’s eyes sparkled with happy tears as if an angel descended and saved her. She bowed many time that Zero swore that he would have passed out from dizziness in her place. They both chuckled at the sound of screeching tires from the haste of the woman driving her car.

“Such a kind soul you are, Zero-sama…” Gin saccharine tone ticked the hunter off for some reason and he scowled at him. A Deja-vu sensation prickled his mind for a second.

“She would have gotten fired for such a mistake no matter how earnest she might be. You would have done the same if you paid attention instead of gawking at the garden outside.”

“Hai~ hai… But still, this deal seemed fishy when I saw the ad and I am getting more intrigued after seeing the actual thing. I really thought the pictures were fake when I saw the price for it, but I guess there was no fraud.”

“It is still overpriced. There is a lot of maintenance to be done if you are planning on taking it.” Zero pointed to the condition of the floor and the sanitary part of the house. As luxurious as it may seem, parts of it were being damaged because it was abandoned for a long time.

Gin stared at him while Zero busied himself checking the window frames, a huge grin drew on his lips when he remembered something, “I wonder why you referred to us as a couple when talking to her earlier.”

Zero rolled his eyes, “It is obvious that she was misunderstanding and it was a pain to explain, so I just went along with.”

Gin wrapped his arm around his shoulders from the back, smothering the smaller man in a bear hug. “So… Husband-to-be, don’t you think that this place is quite warm and cozy, not to mention having a lot of rooms and space to spare. The garden is awesome; I can already imagine planting trees on the edges and build an awesome playground for the kids.”

Zero pinched his arms at the ‘husband-to-be’, but listened nonetheless. He snorted, “Make sure to hire a couple of maids if you do not want her to become one.”

“Who?” Gin asked.

“The woman who will be unfortunate enough to marry you and have your children.” Zero deadpanned.

Gin slumped, putting his weight on the hunter, “You really are cruel after all. Here I am imagining what it would be like for us to have a family and you go and shoot it down in cold blood.”

“Mission accomplished then.” Zero bit back, “What is with playgrounds, kids and bullshit? Just because I am able to, do not assume that I will happily have them. I wish everyone could get off that case already. I am done here, if you are still going to look around, I will go wait in the car.”

It was a comical sight to see an angry Zero move with difficulty with a whining Gin being dragged while hugging his midsection. The exasperated hunter stopped close to the kitchen island after numerous apologies and begging.

“Fine, no kids! Pets, how about a dog, a cat…” Gin tried to lighten up the mood. He never realized that Zero would be bothered about the issue that he brought up half-seriously, half-jokingly.

Zero smirked at the suggestion, “I might think about it if you get me a horse.”

Gin paled at that and his shoulders slumped dramatically, “Zero~ No matter how well-off I might be compared to others in my position, I do not think I can afford enough land to build an enclosure for White Lily to roam free with her foal.”

Zero was taken aback when he saw how serious Gin looked before breaking in a fit of giggles, clutching his stomach. “Idiot! That was a joke obviously. What are you getting all serious about?”

“Can you blame me? I would do anything that might have you think about me more seriously.” Gin answered with humor but his eyes were speaking of firm resolve that made Zero clam up.

The tense serious mood annoyed him and brought unwanted thought in the hunter’s head, “Why are you so serious about me anyways?” He mumbled while scratching the back of his head.

Putting his hand lazily in his jean’s back pockets, He answered, “Because I love you.”

“Quit-“

“I am not joking around if that is what you were going to say.”

Zero fixed Gin with a steady look before asking, again, “What is there to love about me, anyways?”

The grey-eyed male was surprised by the question and took a minute to think about a careful but sincere answer, “There are too many things, but if I had to choose, I would say that your earnest strike is what made me fall.”

Zero tilted his head in confusion, “What the heck does that mean?”

Gin sighed, “You give off a lazy and laid-back impression, but you are very different once others get to know you. You are active, assertive and earnest about everything, your job, your business, your family, your life.”

Zero took the time to think about it, and then shook his head. “That does not make sense. Apart from stubborn, selfish, gloomy, lunatic, I had no one pointing such a thing about me. It is scary how falling in love can make delusional.”

Gin could not help but laugh at the statement while approaching the hunter, “Let us say that I am a good judge of character. If others never noticed it, it is their loss. I can make you discover things that you might not be aware of yourself.”

Zero leaned against the kitchen counter, amused by the bold statement, “Amuse-me.”

Gin took the dare and started counting on his fingers, “For starter, you are a coward.”

Zero jolted at the remark and scowled at the smirking man.

“Don’t get pissed yet. Hear me out! I am saying that because you do not have the courage of facing your true desires and act on them.”

Zero snorted at that, “Oh! I do face them and indulge to the point of insanity.” The naughty glint in his eyes explained what he meant by that.

Gin shook his head, “Nope! The notorious hunter called Kiryuu Zero, the successful businessman that set up his company at a very young age, the siren that could enchant any man with a single look; Those are all part of you, but none of them can be the real you.” He paused to make sure that he got the attention of the silverette. “It is true that your brother gave snippets about your current life and other details, but this has nothing to do with it. Since the first few weeks I got to know you, I saw a child that had seen too much sadness that he forgot how to be happy, scared of being loved, but he cannot help but hate being lonely.”

Zero was shaken by how the observation struck him like a lighting, he felt uncomfortable, as if he was stripped naked for Gin’s eyes to look into his very soul, but he did not let is show. Instead, he adopted a sarcastic attitude, some sort of defense mechanism that the hunter was not aware of.

“Heeeh… Quite the deep observation there… I almost believed you.”

Gin gave him a knowing smile that irritated him.

Zero felt the need to crush his confidence by walking up to him, “Are you saying that you know how to make me feel loved, teach me how to be happy and erase the sadness.” His hand slid from a muscle arm, to wide shoulder, to firm neck but was stopped when Gin grabbed it.

“If you allow me, yes.”

Zero scoffed and pushed him slightly, “Says the man who would not even touch me, let alone react to my grinding the other day. Spare me!” Zero jumped on the kitchen counter and swinging his legs, giving Gin a challenging look.  

With a predatory look, Gin approached and paused in between his legs, keeping his hands on either side of the hunter, on the cold marble counter.

“Remember what I told you when I came to introduce myself as a teacher?”

Zero pondered for too long, meaning that he forgot.

Gin sighed and answered his own question, “When you turned aggressive to the thought that I might harass you, I told you one thing. ‘If you called me back after that night, I would have taken you right here, right now…” He did not have to finish since Zero made a sign that the memory clicked.

“I am not one to go for casual, no string attached relationship, Zero.” the addressed person was about to crack another joke but he went on, “That was my first time picking up a one-night stand. It might have been love at first sight after all. Although, I personally do not believe in such a thing.”

“That still does not answer my question.” Zero griped

“The possibility that you might toss me aside after sleeping with me like the first time terrified me greatly. I get turned off by the simple idea that you are just using me as a temporary comfort when I want to give you so much more than that. That is the reason I promised myself not to touch you that way unless you are ready to give a chance. A chance to show you what it means to be loved, cherished and happy.”

The intensity of his words and expression rattled Zero slightly. Gin always used goofy and silly ways to confess his feelings to the hunter repeatedly. The dramatically humorous way he used allowed the hunter an escaped route each time, but not this time.

They gazed at each other for a while before Zero draped his arm lazily on Gin’s shoulders and tried to make light of the situation himself this time, “A chance huh? So how will it start? Are you going to take me for a strawberry sundae date?”

“Never knew that you had a sweet tooth, but I would not mind doing that.” Gin smirked.

“I don’t.” Zero scoffed, drawing closer to the man, “So… What will be it?”

“Are you thinking of giving me a chance?” Gin asked, seeing through the evasive attempt of the hunter.

“Maybe, a trial run.”

“I do not do deals with time limits by the way.” The flinch of Zero’s hands on his shoulders confirmed to Gin that it was exactly like that with Kaname. His smirk grew wider. _It is good to learn from the mistakes of others._

“How is it going to be then?” Zero was genuinely curious this time.

“We can start by having you think about me seriously, as a partner, not just a friend or one of the night stands you had.”

“And then…”

“When you feel like you can give it a serious attempt, we start dating.”

“See… It is all about the sex in the end.”

“Did I say that I will sleep with you the moment you say yes?” Gin quirked an amused eyebrow at the frown.

“So you are planning on putting me through a dry spell? What if I cheat?” Zero taunted.

“We can still kiss and cuddle at first. I will just refrain from doing it until you are really sure you want to be with me and only me.” Gin pointed.

“That is… weird logic.” Zero mumbled and pondered before smiling and leaning towards Gin.

Just as their lips were about to touch, Gin pulled way and tugged Zero’s lower lips painfully hard, “You have to stop teasing me. Not doing anything does not mean that I do not want to ravish you every time I have you close.”

Zero laughed at the pained expression of the other man, “Let’s see then if you are able to resist me before I get tempted to give the okay~”

Gin felt like he just dug his own grave from the mischievous glint of the hunter.

“I think I will get this house.” He deadpanned, surprising Zero by the sudden change of topic and the cheerful voice.

“Why the rush, you still have few others to see during the week, don’t you.”

Gin shook his head in a lazy denial, “Naah~ I like this one, I have the feeling that it might turn into a lucky charm for me.”

Zero looked around the huge building and scoffed, “Quite oversized for a lucky charm.”

When the time came for them to go back, Zero’s stomach growled and Gin decided to swing by a restaurant when he hunter refused to wait until they joined the others.

“Are you raising an army in there?”

“Wuff?” Gin lips quivered at the sight of Zero with stuffed cheeks. _He looks like a squirrel._

He wiped a grain of rice from his cheek and ate it, “I am talking about the sixth plate you just cleaned. Have you always been a big eater.”

“Going in hibernation.” Zero deadpanned as he started on the seventh.

“What?”

“Never mind, let me eat.” He dismissed with a spoon, making Gin chuckle and get back to his own first plate that he had yet to finish.

“Make sure to leave some space for the dinner later in that endless pit of yours.” Zero’s hand stilled at the reminder as well as the memory of garnet eyes staring at him as he left the campus grounds.

He looked at the dark blue haired man keeping him company while swallowing his food. “Neh! Gin…”

“What?”

“Do you think you can drop at the train station and take the car back to Ichiru?”

Gin frowned at that, “Why, aren’t you going back?”

“I have work I need to do. I did not plan to stay long anyways. I would have gone back had Ichiru decided to stay over from the start.”

Gin sighed at the stream of excuses that amounted to Zero’s attempt to avoid confronting a brown haired pureblood.

“I can get a taxi back to the Academy, you drive after you finish eating.”

Zero paused for a moment, he did not want to tell Gin about the bout of dizziness he was getting during the viewing being the reason he does not want to drive and wreck his precious car.

“I might get sleepy on the steering wheel.” He tried to make it sound as humorous as possible.

Just that sentence got Gin worried to the point of spouting an outrageous suggestion, “Then, I will drive you back, leave the car and come back by train myself. I will have someone pick me up at the station when I get back.”

“What are you saying? You have classes tomorrow.” Zero exclaimed.

“So what?... I can handle that much. There is still plenty of time, I can survive on a couple hours of sleep now that I do not have any more appointments with other agents. That woman was super excited on the phone earlier; it seems to be her first commission.”

After a lot of debating, Zero had to concede and accept the offer.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Early morning the next day at Zero’s place ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

His phone alarm buzzed loudly in the dark room, startling him to death. Grey eyes opened lazily checking the time. It could be considered early morning or very late night, but he knew that he is cutting it close if he wanted to make it on time for his classes. It was unlucky that he had the morning period that day. Gin sat up groggily from the couch in Zero’s apartment. Even if it was a high quality sofa bed, it was not as comfortable as the real thing. As soon as his vision adjusted to the darkness, he realized that he was not alone in it. Zero was curled up by his side, which startled him for a second.

_What is the point of sleeping here if you were going to crawl beside me?_

 He moved slowly and turned on the dim light of a lamp as not to bump in anything. After putting his clothes on, he could not fight the urge of kissing a soft cheek before leaving the apartment with a full-teethed smile. He had to stand in the cold for a good ten minutes until he managed to catch a cab.

The smile could not disappear when he remembered how Zero insisted on having him sleep over.

_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞_

“Whether you sleep here or there will not make a difference.”

Although Gin knew that Zero was aware of the huge difference between sleeping at his place and then run to the train and jump to classes compared to sleeping at the dorms and walk leisurely there. However, he could not resist the cute roundabout way of Zero asking him to keep him company. He conceded and asked for a pillow and covers to sleep on the couch. Zero tried to pull him to the bedroom, but he managed to resist.

“I will not let my guard down when you are playing the innocent seduction game, Zero. Now either you give me my sleeping set, or I will leave.”

_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞_

The purpose of not sleeping in the same bed was obviously for Gin to keep himself in check. He was grateful for exhaustion that made him sleep deeply enough that he did not notice when Zero joined him.

He spent the way back thinking of the hunter. He knows that he was talking big back there when he would give anything to embrace the hunter. He still remember that night he saw him at the bar. The profile of the lone wolf fascinated him. He was literally pulled out of bed to celebrate the bachelor party of a friend. That bar was the second one they hit after finishing the party at home. Seeing the dazed expression, one of his friend poked him and whispered, _“You better stay away from the silver butterfly if you do not want you soft heat to get broken to pieces.”_

When he thought back on it, he realized that it might have been better if he took the advice to heart, but he couldn’t resist the pull. He approached him with the intention of having a drink and chat. When he introduced himself, his breath was already shortening from the heated gaze those violet eye checked him out with. The sly smile made him tremble and the final blow was the beckoning finger, the sudden sloppy kiss that made his knees go weak as well as the sultry whisper, _“I have no time to chitchat, shall we go to your place or mine?”._

Gin had to pop a few button and fan himself as he felt his body heating up at the memory, ignoring the look of the old woman sitting next to him in the train. He stifled a chuckle when he remembered the fuming hunter dragging him out to the car when Gin was stuttering to answer.

The train stopping marked the halt of his memory. he exited the platform and the gate after checking his phone. He quickly found the car and walked faster to greet the person waiting for him.

“You are making me feel bad for making you come in person to pick me up. It would have been fine if you just sent the driver by himself, I am sure I would have recognized the car.” Gin complained as he got in the back seat, following his companion.

“Don’t be silly! I was free and wanted to come along because I wanted to have a talk with you as well.” The red-brown eyes of the female pureblood looked more serious than usual.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ two days before the ball ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Zero’s energy was draining as the days went by. He was genuinely confused about what was happening to him. He even went as far as googling the symptoms, only to find them pointing to depression. He almost broke his phone when he saw that it happens to those who lose something or someone important to them. His sleeping problem got worse. He had been spending most of his time with Ichiru whenever he was not busy preparing for his party. He found himself able to sleep soundly when surrounded by others, and never sleeping a wink when alone. His thoughts would drift to Kaname’s embrace and the comfort he felt whenever he slept in his arms. He is eating like a bear to the point that he worried about the tuxedo not fitting for the ball happening in two days, although vampires do not gain weight most of the time.

When new symptoms appeared, Zero decided to go for a check up. The only problem was that he did not want to bother his brother in law who already deleguated his job to his subordinates in order to help Ichiru. He knew that Hanabusa would have to spare time for his blood test and scans because Zero’s case is absolutely confidential. The hunter sighed as he browsed the web for solutions. The final decision was to go elsewhere.

He luckily found a small clinic affiliated with the hospital in Cross city which caters to vampires. He booked an appointment with an alias. He dyed his hair black and put black lenses as well as hiding his tattoo as not to get recognized. He felt nervous in the establishment filled with vampires without his weapon but it would be a dead giveaway if someone noticed Bloody Rose. His frustration built up when they asked for blood testing and other examinations, and then come later for the result.

He was already unable to drive his car because of the dizziness; the nurse was not helping much when she gave him a big ratio of blood pills.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The day of the ball ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

*sigh*

“Nii-san, would you please stop with the gloomy look and get dressed already.” Ichiru snapped giving him his pants.

Zero sluggishly slid on leg after the other. He felt exhausted, as if he had no energy to the point that pulling his weight around was the hardest thing to do. His eyes widened when he had to suck in his belly to button his pants. Kaito let out a loud laugh witnessing the action and Ichiru followed shortly after, “Shit! that pig-eating finally caught up!”

Zero scowled at both of them, “ha ha! I though you would be smarter and guess that the tailor screwed up the size.”

Both Kaito and Ichiru shook their head in a robotic way while spreading their arms to show the perfect fit of their tux tailored by the same person, thus, Zero grit his teeth and finished dressing.

Once done, Shiki asked them to join the girls in another room of the Kuran castle.

Zero could not help smiling at the sight of Yuki in a cream-colored high waisted gown that complemented the brown shade of her hair and eyes. Her hand flew to her mouth before squealing.

“Oh my God! You guys look gorgeous. I feel like you might steal the limelight.”

“Don’t make us wear this fancy shit then.” Zero retorted with a smirk on his face while fixing his bowtie that he was planning to remove ten minutes into the party.

Yuki came up to him and fixed it back, strangling him in the process to drive her point home, “Ai needs to remember that we all did out best to look the greatest in her first ball when she goes through the albums.”

“Oh! That is why you wore a dress that would camouflage the love handles.” Zero teased making Yuki’s face go red from anger and punch him in the gut.

“Do not make fun of pregnancy fat. I would love to keep it as a proof of carrying her, but it will strip away in a couple of months maximum.” She huffed but startled when Zero did not straighten up from his bending position. She rushed to him at the same time as Ichiru who noticed the pained expression Zero had when she hit him.

“Zero… Zero, are you okay, did I hit too hard… Oh god! sorry… I”

“I am fine.” Zero gave a croaked answer before straightening up and leaning on Ichiru’s shoulder, his face still pained, “The pain shot before you hit me. Shit!”

He clutched Ichiru’s shoulder when another cramp like pain shot through his lower abdomen. Ichiru noticed and pulled out of the room, “Is it that time of the month or something?”

“No…” Zero answered after taking a deep breath, “I mean it is supposed to be, but it is not yet… Fuck, that was really painful. Hope it does not happen again. I will go get some more blood pills.”

Ichiru stared at the fatigued hunter, worries soaring in his head. He made a mental note to tell Hanabusa about it.

The ridiculously huge and brightly illuminated hall of the castle was nothing short of extravagant. The organizers went to extra length for this event because of it symbolism for the royal family. Almost every vampire and hunter came to attend this time because of the important introduction. The invitation extended to all parties, even those opposing the peace treaty, which required them to place a tight security system.

Zero sighed as he patted his gun that was tucked in the customized inner pocket of his tailcoat.

He froze for a second when he opened the door and came face to face with the brown haired pureblood. Yuki was oblivious to his reaction since she was having her last makeup touch up by Ruka while Rima checked her dress. Kaname, on the other hand, felt his breath hitch at the gorgeous sight of the hunter in the formal clothing. He wanted to compliment him badly, tell him how handsome he looked, kiss him, hug him, take him away, and make love to him tenderly in hope of closing the gaping hole Zero left in his heart. He felt his throat drying up and a lump forming in his throat at the idea of never talking to him again, even as stranger. The shocked and troubled looked Zero gave him sliced through his chest like the sharpest blade. He excused himself out of the room. They both stepped back to make space for the other when Kaname reached the door, neither noticing the hurt nor the longing in the other’s eyes when they inhaled their mutual scent for a brief moment.

“Zero!” Yuki called, snapping him from his daze, “You will go down the stairs with Ai first along with Ichiru. Onii-sama and I will follow shortly after.”

Zero frowned at that, “And who is supposed to carry Ai?”

“Did you forget,” Ichiru complained, “Yori-chan will be the one carrying her.”

“Oh! yea…” Zero remembered his brother talking about how the girls were worried about Yuki tripping like her clumsy self and drop the baby down the stairs.

Ruka and Rima could not do it as it was considered blasphemy for the royal heir to be introduced in the hands of a lower ranked vampire. The idea that a male vampire would do it was out of question, especially the king. Sayori Wakaba suggesting to handle the task was truly a heroic act in the eyes of others, it would not only save face against any incident Yuki might cause, but it is in harmony with the peace treaty. The symbolism of it was incredible, the heir of the throne, a pureblood descendant of the strongest clan of vampires making her entrance to the society in the arms of a human, and escorted by two descendants of the most prominent hunter’s clan, Ichiru and Zero.

It did not take long for the best friend of Yuki to join them, wearing a stunning baby blue dress and a flower of the same shade pinned on the side of her head. She was happily cradling a smiling Ai. Zero felt like the baby doubled in size since the last time he saw her. _The speed of their growth is truly amazing in the first weeks!_

He felt strangely proud of his adoptive sister for doing such a good job raising a healthy baby, to the point that he patted her head and pulled her in a side hug for no reason. The action surprised Yuki but she reciprocated when she saw the adoration in Zero’s eyes when looking at her daughter. _You are truly the best uncle she could have wished for!_

Once everything is settled, the music in the ballroom signaled the grand entrance of the main guest, thus catching the attention of nearly a thousand attendee. Sayori was grateful for the Spartan practice she made herself do for this very moment. Secretly in her mansion, with the help of her maids, the girl with light brown hair would blindfold herself and wear the most uncomfortable high heels she could find. She would carry a heavy hot water bottle and go down the stair many times daily for almost a week just to make sure that she could carry the precious girl of her best friend.

All eyes were glued to the glistening marble curved stair case, waiting impatiently to see the Kuran princess, a big wave of murmur erupted when they witness a human cradling a bundle wrapped in the finest silk with the Kuran emblem visible on the corner draped over Yori’s forearm. The uproar did not cease when the two identical silverette stood on either side of her before the three of them walked down the next flight of stairs, heads held high.

The initial shock subsided as soon as the announcer called out the name of the child and declared her as the next Queen of vampires, a round of deafening applause erupted, causing the child discomfort. It was a good thing that she was used to Sayori who knew a couple of trick to calm her without raising a fuss.

“Oh dear! What a beautiful child she is.” A noble female vampire approached them, extending her hand to touch the baby. Sayori sensed the bad vibe from the woman and subtly took a step back, that is when Zero grabbed the vampire’s wrist and flipped to see the syringe skillfully hidden under her hand. The woman had no time to react before the barrel of Bloody Rose connected with her head.

“I believe that your intention was not to inject her with more nutriment, is it?” Zero asked sarcastically. The room fell silent when they felt the killer aura he emanated. Takuma and the others were by his side in the blink of an eye. Kaito already pulling the restraining cuffs to arrest the criminal threatening a child’s life. No one expected a blade to pierce her head and turn her to dust.

“Shit!” Zero cursed and pointed his gun to the estimated direction of the hit, leading all vampires to jump sideway to avoid any stray bullet. To their surprise, no bullet came out. Zero closed his eyes and concentrated his senses on Bloody Rose. Like a thirsty hound, its thorny vines grew, a couple of them grabbed the blade first before the other few shot in one direction.

“Waaahhhaahha!” A loud squeal caught the attention to another vampire being lifted with the vines so high; he almost hit the enormous chandelier.

Zero gritted his teeth as he spoke, “This will be a warning to any of you planning or even thinking of hurting Ai Kuran, _my niece!_ ” A chill ran through the spine of every person present at the ball, vampire, hunter or a human when the thorny vines sliced through the screaming vampire until he turned to dust.

A couple of other vampires cried in horror and ran to flee for their life, thinking that the gun could actually detect their intentions when it went straight for his comrade who eliminated the woman who failed her mission.

“All accomplices should meet the same fate.” Zero deadpanned as he directed his gun in their direction, only for the vines to retract suddenly as his vision blurred. Kaito was behind him in time to prevent his staggering to show any weakness. The second to realize was Senri who immediately drew a blood whip to catch and kill one of the escaping vampires. The side caused more shock and bewilderment when his expression did not change a bit. Zero clucked a tongue when he noticed the last one escaping with no one to stop him.

“Relax…” Kaito whispered, “There is a competent guard at the gate that surely heard you loud and clear.”

“Let’s hope this vampire is man enough to kill his own kin like Shiki.” Zero snorted

“He is certainly no vampire.”

At the gate of the ballroom, the panicked vampire screamed at the person barring his way, “Move BRAT!! I WILL KILL YOU!!!”

“Nah~” a lazy childish voice of a child reached the nearby ears, “I have been told to slay whoever tries to escape… Sorry, oji-san.”

“BRAAT!!” The incensed vampire drew his claws out as he jumped in the air to slash the child holding a black rod.

“Lets do it! Tsuba-chan.” The rod quivered at the whisper and morphed in a peach black fearsome weapon. it morphed into a double bladed staff, one end had a spearhead while the other end had a series of sharp blades forming the shape of a single wing. With one swing, the air quivered and a blast deafened the unsuspecting guests as the weapon split the vampire in two and cracked the marble floor in the process.

In the silent room, Zero’s whistle echoed louder than necessary, “Yorutsubasa is a vicious as the rumors were saying.”

Kaito puffed his chest and scoffed, “He is still having a pain controlling it though.”

Takuma chuckled at the proud shining in Kaito’s eyes and could not help but add to it, “Sachi just slayed a noble if you did not notice, Master Takamiya.”

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“I would like to thank the hunters and my cousin who helped protecting my precious daughter from those who targeted her life. Dear guests, would you please share my feelings and applaud their chivalry.”

The sound of the king snapped all head to the top of the stairs, the clapping sound coming from his side shifted their gaze to the queen standing by his side, happily smiling. Although those who knew her could detect the quivering of her lips and the worry haunting her eyes. If not for the duty of keeping up silly appearance, Yuki would have flown down the stairs to grab and hug her daughter the instant she heard Zero’s threat.

To channel her anxiety she clutched Kaname’s arm when he urged he to do so before calmly going down the stairs in the middle of another wave of applause. She did not lose time rushing to her daughter as soon as her small feet his the last step. Kaname on the other hand, remained in his place; acting like the regal king he is while greeting the guests that came to congratulate him. His chocolate brown tuxedo was the very definition of elegance and royal classiness. It complimented his hair and eyes to a terrifying perfection to the point that it looked as if Kaname was making the clothes look good not the other way around.

By that time, Zero had already retreated to against a wall and gotten rid of the bowtie as planned. Kaito stuck close to him because he was worried about the mishap that happened even when Zero reassured him that he was already feeling better. The silver-haired hunter was grateful that his friend was not aware of the real reason that leads Bloody Rose to retract its vines without his consent. The only person aware of it was its parent, the pureblood he had been unconsciously following with his gaze.

The tension dissipated enough for the guests to enjoy their drinks and the fine music of the gathering while trying to have a chance in talking with the royal hosts. The moment that Zero dreaded the most had finally come, the photoshoot.

Ichiru made sure to strap the tie back on him and fix his clothes for him before dragging him for a ‘family’ picture. Yuki stood in the middle with Ai in her arms. Kaname stood on her right and Zero had to stand on her left, the two males were a little behind her shoulders. The first picture was taken. After that, Ichiru stood next to his twin and Cross Kaien stood next to Kaname to take the second picture. The final one was supposed to be one of the big family of Cross academy. A lot of shifting and pushing was involved in order to involve everyone in one frame. To Zero’s agony, his hand had to brush that of the pureblood multiple time due to some pushing. He felt his body heat up each time it happened and he hated feeling that way. His expression came out stiff at the moment that the picture was taken because Kaname subtly held his hand behind Yuki’s back one no one was looking. Zero snatched as soon as the crowd was dispersing, his heart racing faster than ever.

He could not help the flood of memories he tried to erase so badly, memories of that hand, that touch. He hated remember the perfect temperature of Kaname’s skin that sent jolts through his aroused body whenever it caressed him sensually. He could never forgot the gently way it patted his head, cradled his check or kneaded his tense body whenever he was feeling anxious about the smallest things. He could never forget the hand that slapped his own when he reached out for the brown haired man, in attempt to ease his pain after he betrayed Kaname’s trust. His heart ached as if being squeezed at the memory, at the thought that he lost that touch forever.

He resumed his secluded position along with Kaito and observed the regal pureblood as he took more photos with his family.

_Kaname_

He watched as he put a hand over Yuki’s shoulder and placed one over the hand cradling Ai before bringing his cheek close to hers, smiling lovingly at the camera.

_Kaname_

Zero hugged himself as if it was freezing cold in the heated room. He startled when a pair of big hands rested on his shoulders, “You look extremely delectable in that outfit and my little heart could barely handle it.”

The familiar voice of Gin brought an amount of comfort to his distressed state, he exhaled and looked over his shoulder, “You are not bad yourself.” He smiled at the shining grey eyes.

“Fallen for me yet?” Gin teased, whispering close to his ear.

“You wish.” Zero snorted.

“I do wish so, since I have fallen in love all over again after witnessing your hunter part in action. Never knew you could look that cool and fierce.”

“Flattering me will not earn you brownie points.”

“Oh! You feel flattered? That is enough for me.”

“Can you please stop acting all chummy already?” Kaito groaned from his place against the wall.

“Someone is lonely and jealous.” Zero teased, knowing how much Kaito hated other flocking and trying to flirt with Takuma during such parties without being able to ward them off.

“Screw. you.”

The silver hunter sighed and tapped Gin’s hands, “You need to go and sit obediently close to Cross. I can do anything if something happens to you while you are wondering around like a child. Please be aware of the danger around you. You are like a juicy piece of steak dangling in front of hungry dogs here, I don’t know what that old man was thinking when he agreed to your invitation.”

“Aww come one, it is not like anything that bad could happen.”

“Excuse me!” Zero turned and faced him with a pissed off look that made Gin shrink under his gaze, “Did you not witness a vampire attempting to murder a baby just now?”

“Okay… Okay… I am going… right now… immediately.” Gin retreated quietly.

Zero followed him until he was with Ichiru and Hanabusa, close enough to Cross Kaien and Isaya Shouto.

He turned around just in time when the music indicating the starting of the dance echoed through the hall.

The same uneasy feeling creep up again when his eyes landed on the brown haired pureblood.

Something inside him screamed for those garnet orbs to look his way.

_Kaname…_

He watched as the pureblood made a formal gesture, asking Yuki to grant him the dance. The same gesture he did during his romantic date in Paradiso when Zero conceded to dancing with him. Memories of that euphoric evening came rushing back.

_Kaname…_

His hands reached out to stroke the earing he received on his twenty-sixth birthday. He swallowed loudly.

_Kaname…_

Yuki extended her hand for Kaname to take,

_No, don’t…_

With an elegant movement, Kaname took the smaller hand and brought his lips against it while looking at his mate.

_Stop it!_

He placed his hand on her side and cradled the one he kissed to start the dance.

_Kaname…_

Zero’s eyes widened when they swayed on the dancefloor, his body flushed hot and cold at the same time. He was not aware of the trembling of his limbs.

_Stop it!_

He felt an unbearable pressure in the back of his head when Yuki placed both hands on Kaname’s shoulders and Kaname reciprocated by wrapping his around her delicate frame lovingly.

_Stop it… Don’t touch him… get away… He is mine!_

The shock and physical shaking snapped Zero from listening to the inner voice screaming in his head.

“Zero! What is wrong?” Kaito’s voice registered in his head, he was worried but Zero could not understand why.

“I am fine. Why are you asking so many times?” He shrugged lazily to seem relaxed.

“You are crying, moron!” Kaito snipped pulling him further from the crowd.

“Eh?” Zero brow a hand to his cheek and noticed the dampness, “Eh? How?” His words were disjoint, his voice robotic and expression stunned as he realized that his tears were falling without him knowing. He started wiping them, trying to stop them, “huh? They are not stopping… Why?” Kaito had to grab his wrist so that Zero does not peel the skin of his face.

He glanced over his shoulder to the dancefloor where Yuki and Kaname were happily smiling at each other and whispering, the tears flew harder and his chest ached, badly. It was a brief moment, but it struck him like a lighting when wine orbs looked his way. He quickly averted them and ran through a corridor to escape whatever came over him. Kaito was about to run after him but Zero yelled that he was going to get some fresh air and come back later.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Dragging his tired body, Zero ran down the wide corridor, the red color of the carpet swam in his tears-filled vision. A hand over his mouth, he swallowed a sob… His throat tightened… His breathing turning shallow as he finally wobbled while using the other hand to support himself against the wall. His stomach churned and he rushed to the first door that encountered him when he heard voices coming from behind him. He was lucky that it was a bathroom for he rushed to hug the toilet seat and hurl whatever he ate that day in it. He cried harder when he could not stop the clenching, churning and puking sequence that went on for several minutes that felt like hours. He sat there for a moment, dazed with his mouth hanging open. He later found an ounce of strength to hoist his form to the sink. He promptly threw the tie he had torn on his way inside, and popped a few buttons open before gurgling and popping few buttons open.

Looking at the mirror, he could see the redness of his cheek from rubbing the unstoppable tears. He throat tightened and he felt like he was about to cry again. He cursed as many profanities as he could remember before smashing the mirror reflection the misery on his face.

He took a deep breath, but it did not help. He was feeling worse by the minute, dreading to go back there.

He got rid of the tailcoat and the waistband suffocating his form. With his shirt, half-open and his belt taken off, he slumped down the wall and laid on the floor hugging his knees. The shaking of his limbs would not subside, the tightening of his chest was getting worse and all his thoughts were drifting to one person. _Kaname._

He bit his lips and pulled at his bangs as he rocked back and forth. _Stop it! Stop whispering his name!_

_But he is mine… Only I am allowed to touch him_

_He is not yours, he belongs to his family._

_I can make him happy, he loves me._

_No! you can’t… You will only make him miserable… All you have done so far was hurting those who cared about you. Why should he be any different._

_I want him…_

_You must not…_

_I need him…_

_You do not… You never needed anyone… You are better off alone… you deserve no one…_

_He wants me…_

_Refuse him…_

_I can’t… I can’t go on without him… I am addicted to him._

_REFUSE HIM._

Zero let out a loud cry, banging his head against the wall in attempt to stop his internal war. The feelings of despair and helplessness were starting to morph into anger and frustration. He felt like he had enough resolve to go back out and leave the building without faltering and throwing himself in the brunet’s arms.

His preoccupied mind made him so dazed that he left the rest of his outfit in the bathroom. He forgot to even button up his shirt as his dull eyes found the door handle, opened it, and left.

*Bump*

Amethyst eyes traveled upward to meet garnet orbs. True fear and dread filled the hunter when he saw the sad but affectionate look in those dark eyes. _Don’t look at me like that!_

“Why were you crying Zero?” Kaname’s hand came up to cup a reddened cheek.

“…”

“Zero?”

“…”

“Zero, why are you crying?” Kaname panicked when huge drops started dropping down his fingers as he cupped the face of the distressed hunter.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ ONE SNIPPET OF THE NEXT CHAPTER *EVIL GRIN***

“Mamiya-san, you are currently seven to eight weeks pregnant. Congratulation!”

_Because of how breathtakingly beautiful you were when the child was conceived, I guess._

Zero was grateful for using the alias of the undercover missions. He was grateful for the hair dye and disguise. He was grateful because the words simply swiped the floor under his feet and he felt like he was on a freefall. The doctor who, to his bad luck, was a noble class vampire just announced that he was indeed pregnant, and that the child was undeniably Kaname’s.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES… YESS… HELL YEAAAAH! I SAID IT!!! OH GOD! I HAVE BEEN DYING TO WRITE THAT DAMN SENTENCE SINCE THE FIRST LINE OF CHAPTER … I DUNNO, THE ONE I ANNOUCED THE MPREG IN, YOU FIGURE IT OUT! PHEW… ZERO IS FUCKING PREGNANT!!!!
> 
> Okay… let me calm down… *deep breath*… Sorry, I could not help but slam that bloody snippet. I am halfway through the next chapter and I am affected by the tension and whatever stuff is in there. I need to catch some sleep and rest my nerves before finishing it.
> 
> I wanted to post them both, but I am too drained to do so, so I told myself, “Girl you know what? you riddled this chappie with enough hints to scream that Zero is pregnant, put it up there so that they have a good night sleep for once” or maybe not *looking away innocently*
> 
>   
> 
> Thank you guys for the Kudos, bookmarks and the awesome reviews, you are the best motivation ever.
> 
>  
> 
>  


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get some tissues ready!! I already built my fortress and hiding myself in a bulletproof cube.
> 
> I own nothing but the oc and the plot.
> 
> it is a bit late, but Happy St. Patrick day!!!!!
> 
>  ‘Enjoy’

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Zero, why are you crying?” Kaname panicked when huge drops started flowing down his fingers as he cupped the face of the distressed hunter.

Zero let out a strangled sob, unable to do anything but cry.

Knowing that someone might come through the corridor, Kaname pushed the door and grabbed Zero’s hand to guide him inside the bathroom. He did not expect the jolt that ran through the hunter’s body following by the pulling of his hand in attempt to escape him.

The unexplained fear he saw in amethyst eyes pulled at his heartstrings, he collected the hunter in a hug, trying to calm his trembling form.

As soon as the familiar scent hit him, Zero’s panic soared and he started pushing against the firm chest weakly, whimpering at the failing attempt to escape.

As much as the resistance bothered him, Kaname let go of him without uttering a word, just trying to communicate how worried he was by gentle caress and tender gaze.

Zero’s internal war was taking a toll on him, every cell of his body was screaming at him to jump into the embrace he has been yearning for, but another side of him warned him, alarmed him of how wrong such an action can be.

“Don’t touch me…” He whispered as he backed off a few steps before turning his back to the pureblood.

Confused was not enough to describe Kaname as he watched the hunter walk down the corridor, lost and groggy. The pureblood felt helpless, frustrated. He was holding himself back since the moment they met at the changing room, he slipped when he felt the touch of Zero’s skin, he could not resist touching him, begging him silently not to reject him again. Disappointment filled him when the hunter yanked his hand and kept his distance, but the show must go on. He could feel the amethyst eyes staring at them as they took the pictures, but the moment he tried meeting them, fury engulfed him at the sight of that man hugging and Zero actually having a pleasant conversation with him, he could not bear to watch them at all. Resuming his perfect acting as the happy King, he was floored when the next time he tried to meet those jewel like orbs only to find them drenched in tear and screaming in pain. He could not wait for the dance to be over, he was literally trembling in worry and frustration for not being able to run by his side when the hunter disappeared. He knew that Yuki must have felt it, and he was grateful for her not commenting on it, instead, he wanted to believe that the reason for her refusing the second dance was to set him free to do whatever he wanted to do.

He stood pinned to his spot, watching as the silver haired hunter walked a little better but slowly towards the back exit. The murmurs coming from the other end of the corridor snapped him out of his daze and made him realize what he exactly he was doing, letting the potentially last chance to get the hunter back slip between his finger without doing anything.

In a swift movement, he shortented the distance between them and grabbed Zero’s arm. This time, he threw the resisting hunter over his shoulder and went into the first of many rooms around them. He closed the door, locking it before putting the hunter’s down.

“PUT ME DOw-“ Zero’s struggle ceased a little before Kaname put him down and he staggered in his hurry to the to the bathroom joined to the bedroom they went in. He crouched again on the toilet seat and emptied his already empty stomach. Kaname rushed behind him, rubbing his back, alarmed by the sudden sickness. “Did you have too much to drink?”

Zero growled at the question and pushed the pureblood away to get to the sink. It was the pressure and position of Kaname’s shoulder against his already weak stomach that induced this. _I did not have a single drop of alcohol the whole day!_  

Zero did not voice his answer, neither did Kaname insist on it. Strangely, he felt a lot better after the second time he vomited. He gurgled and was a bit grateful for bringing him a lemon soda from the mini fridge in the room. He was leaning against the sink while Kaname leaned against the wall a little distance away from him.

Zero was the one to break the silence, “The ball is a huge success. Ai will certainly be happy when you tell her about it years later.”

Kaname exhaled and ran a hand through his own hair, Zero could not help but be transfixed by the action, it always brought the brunet’s charm up a notch. “I guess, but it is thanks to you that she will be able to hear about it.”

Zero shook his head, “You should thank Wakaba, I certainly did not notice the syringe if her gut feeling did not tell to take a subtle step back. The vampire panicked for a spilt of a second and that is when I felt something was off about her.”

Kaname nodded, “Yuki always said that Wakaba-san had a frightening instinct when it comes to assessing people at first glance.”

The silence engulfed the space once again, before Zero pushed himself and walked towards the door. He had just realized that he left half of his outfit in the other bathroom and planned to fetch them. He startled when Kaname grabbed his arm again, this time more gently.

He hesitantly met worried wine orbs and waited for the question, “Why were you crying?”

“It is none of your business.”

“Zero!” Kaname pursed his lips and tightened his hold on the arm.

Zero gripped the hand restraining him and removed it from his arm, with a bit of difficulty. “It is Kiryuu, Kuran!” He hissed.

“Zero, stop this nonsense already.” Kaname hissed back as he followed the hunter until he almost reached the door of the room.

Out of patience, he grabbed and spun him around, using both hands to clutch the hunter’s shoulder and make him look into his eyes, “Were you crying because of me?”

“Arrogant much!” Zero scoffed.

“Stop pulling my leg already!” Kaname snapped, startling the hunter who was trying his best to keep the indifferent mask that was crumbling with every touch and puff of breath brushing his skin.

“Zero…” Kaname pulled him closer until their face were close enough, “Zero…” He whispered against the soft lips he craved for the longest time, looking from them up to trembling lavender eyes and back to them. He could feel the tremor going through the hunter’s body, the way he swallowed loudly, the slight pink tinting his cheek, the telltale sign that he knew like his own name, the hunter was responding to his desire.

Hesitantly, he leaned more and brushed his silken lips against those of the hunter. Both their breath hitched at the touch, the spark, the heat that coursed down their spine. The faint taste of the hunter was enough to spur Kaname on to deepen the kiss with the willing hunter.

A guttural growl resonated from his throat when Zero tangled his hands into his brown hair, pulling him deeper into the kiss and meeting his tongue in a sensational dance with his own. Kaname cradled the back of his head and wrapped an arm around slender waist to pull him closer, craving the warmth of his body in his embrace.

The sensual kiss had to be broken when the tremor changed a sob escaped the hunter instead of the sweet moan that Kaname expected. Still caging him in his arms, he pull away slightly for their face to meet properly. The hand cradling the silver hair moved to cup and wiped the renewed tears streaming down Zero’s cheeks.

“Tell me how can I stop them, the tears?” Kaname whispered.

Zero looked at him with glassy eyes, his pain soaring with each second he spent in the pureblood’s embrace, his resolve chipping away the longer he inhaled his scent and heard his caring voice.

He swallowed hard, “There is nothing you can do…”

“There is, if you let me…”

“…”

“Zero…”

“…”

“I love you.” Kaname said it once again, hoping for the words to come through this time.

Zero stiffened in his arms, averting his eyes.

“I love you, I want us to have a fresh start… I know I hurt you as well, we can put everything behind and have a new proper beginning. I-“

“Stop it.”

“Zero, I won’t be cheating on Yuki because-“

“STOP IT!” Zero gave a slight punch on Kaname’s chest.

“Stop being stubborn when you know that is what you want already.” Kaname growled, yanking Zero’s head to look into stubborn violet eyes. “I you think what you are doing is protecting the delusion of a perfect family that I have, you are dead wrong…”

Zero’s eyes widened as a flash of a hateful memory sprung in his mind,   


_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞_

“You are nothing but a home-wrecking slut! Go die!”

_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞_

As if a call of conscience awakened him, he pushed the pureblood with enough strength to send him tumbling back, Zero hugged his own trembling body. His tears flowing more and more as he struggled inside, wanting the pain to go away already but not knowing how to.

He looked at the stunned pureblood and tried to speak through his tightening throat and gritted teeth, “You’re right, I am crying and feeling like shit because of you.”

“Ze-“

“Stop talking… stop looking at me like… stop doing whatever you are doing to me.” His voice came out croaky and strangled.

“Zero-“

“Stop trying to change me…” _Stop changing me already._

Kaname was literally baffled, lost. The only thing leaving his lips was, “How can I make it better?”

Zero scoffed before taking a deep breath. He ran a frustrated hand over his face and gripped his hair, looking anywhere but the pureblood standing a little away from him. He finally pursed his lips and stomped towards the pureblood, grabbing the edges of the brown tailcoat he sneered, “You want to make it better?”

Keeping his calm, Kaname nodded.

“Then take me…”

Wine orb stared into violet ones for a moment, confusion swimming in them.

“Take me right here, right now… Fuck me one last time or do something to make me forget you… better yet, erase any memory of us ever being together in the first place… I want you out. of. my. head. out of my life… for good.” Zero emphasized every word with a tug on the fabric he was clutching with trembling hands.

At that instant, Kaname felt vividly what it means to have your heart shattered to pieces. The words, expression and look in Zero’s eyes said it all. The hunter wanted nothing to do with him, not now or ever.  He held the trembling fists in his hands and whispered, “Why?”

Zero rolled his eyes in annoyance and tried to free his hands from the iron grip in vain, “Because I do not want to have anything to do with you… Because I hate you!”

Ignoring the painful blow the last words caused him, Kaname shrugged them, “Why do you want me to take you if you hated me?”

Zero startled but then drawled out the answer in a sarcastic way, “Because the only thing that interested me about you was your big dick and the way you move inside me…” The dark and confident look that he adapted drove the point home, reminding Kaname of the insults he threw at Zero in the fit of his anger.

“Zero-“

“Stop calling my name already! Let go of my hands if you are not going to do shit… Stop trying to get under my skin… I will never fall in love with you, get that through your thick skull already.”

Kaname let go of the hands and raised his in a pacifying gesture. “What makes you so sure of that?” he asked with a low voice void of emotion. The pureblood was starting to feel numb, not bothering to get angry or sad anymore.

“Isn’t it obvious? Who, in their right mind, would want to be the bitch of the King of vampire? Certainly not me.” Zero snorted, while turning around to leave, steps faltering each time he had to ask another question of the pureblood.

“So, this is about you being a hunter and my being a vampire, pretty pathetic excuse, isn’t it?” Kaname commented.

“I would be more pathetic when I lose all authority because my people learned that the king of leeches was fucking me.”

“What happened to the ‘I don’t care what others think about me’ attitude?” Kaname could not help the sarcastic undertone.

“I guess I _am_ a sucker for keeping up appearance in the end.” Zero shrugged as he put his hand on the brass knob of the heavy wooden door.

He startled by the sudden slam against the opening door and the heat of Kaname’s body against his back, trapping him with both hands against the wood. The low whisper against his ear sent shivers down his spine.

“I can buy that, now, can you tell me what the deal with that teacher is? Is he the reason you are vehemently rejecting me?” Kaname’s insecurities were surfacing more and more and his control over his temper was slipping gradually.  

“What?” Zero frowned but did not look back.

“I saw how chummy you were acting back there. I even though for a second that he was the one who made you cry after that.”

Zero made a sound of disbelief and shook his head, “That is hilarious. What is going on with Gin is none of your business.”

“Did he give up on pursuing you then?” Kaname pointed.

Zero remembered Gin’s word on how he felt a certain rivalry towards Kaname, _He would flip out if he knew the identity of the person he was jealous of._

“He did not.” Zero blurted out, seeing Kaname’s hand fist against the door, he added, “To tell you the truth, I might be tempted to give it a try. At least, I would not be ashamed to be in a relationship with him.” Zero knew that what he was saying was cruel and that Kaname would probably see through his bullshit, but he wanted to get the pureblood to back away. That is how desperate he was to escape the prison that is Kuran Kaname.

“Oh really! That is quite amazing.” Kaname’s voice was akin to a growl as he gripped and flipped Zero around, slamming his back against the door and pinning his hands above his hands.

The shocked hunter felt menaced by the dark look on Kaname’s face but he kept on a brave face. “How brazen of you, asking me to embrace you while considering dating another guy, Zero!”

Zero scoffed, “It is good to tie some loose end before starting _a new chapter of life!”_

*Snap* Was the sound Kaname heard before all logic and reason left his head.

He tuned out all protest and resistance of the hunter as he dragged his weakened form and threw him on the bed. What Zero was saying and how frightened he looked did not register in his head, he was talking as well, his own mouth was moving and what he said brought a stunned expression on the hunter’s face…

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Meanwhile in the ballroom ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“everyone hate me cause Kei-chan with no pover?” Glassy blue eyes looked into amethyst one as tiny lips quivered,

“Nonsense” Ichiru cradled the small head in the crook of his neck and rocked the boy back and forth while rubbing his back, “Kei-chan is the best and everyone will always love you no matter what. Who cares if you have no powers now. You will grow up into the coolest vampire alive, I promise!” He kissed the curly red hair while giving an angrily worried glance at his sighing golden haired lover. Hanabusa gave him a sign that he will be back soon.

Ichiru nodded and walked around in the corner where he took Keiichi to flee the scene.

The silver haired Kiryuu was not pleased at all when he saw a kid actually pulling the kid’s hair and others laughing at the action. He was incensed when he realized that the parents were not that far and were trying to hide their snickers. The point that completely blew his top, was that Keiichi’s ‘grandmother’ was watching the scene with an indifferent face that bordered disdain. He ignored the men who gathered and were chatting with him, not caring about the business transactions they were ready to strike with the famous informant and stomped towards the kids. he immediately grabbed the hand of the bully and yanked off the child’s hair, scooping the sobbing vampire in his arms.

Lady Shiki came almost immediately, “What are you doing?” Her voice commanding as if Ichiru was the one in the wrong.

“I am doing what you were supposed to be doing when Rima-san left the child in your care.”

“Hmph! Who are you, to lecture me on how to raise my grandchild? Put him down this instant!” She pointed with her embroidered fan.

Ichiru’s jaw locked, he could not answer but was not ready to obey her absurdity, “I will not.”

The woman stomped on her heel, approaching him. Keiichi saw her trying to take him away and wrapped his arms around Ichiru’s neck, hiding his face away. His grandmother was shocked by the action, always believing that her grandson would never choose a stranger over her. She was about to retort some more when Shiki stood in between them.

“Senri! Could you please tell this man to leave Keiichi alone. The child need to learn how to survive in this world and shielding him will only ruin him into a useless man in the future.” Her voice dripped with venom as she glared at Ichiru.

The male Shiki sighed in exasperation, he scanned the room looking for his wife and saw her busy cradling Ai-chan. He knew that it was not a good idea for Keiichi to be here but he could not have him miss the ball of his cousin. His eyes landed on Cross Kaien who had Hina-chan and her mother standing behind him. An idea sparked in his head.

He gave his mother a steady look, having enough of her behavior, “Mother! We already explained that having Keiichi bullied was unacceptable and that it is in no way a method of surviving in this society. Since I see that you will let it happen anyways, consider this the last time we will ever leave our son in your care. One more thing, this man is no stranger and do not address him in that manner because he is Keiichi’s godfather if your short memory had forgotten.”

Gasps and murmur erupted from the group surrounding them and the lady Shiki stood frozen in reaction to the first time her son ever spoke to her that rudely to her taste.

Shiki turned to face a stunned Ichiru, “Ichiru-kun… I am sorry to burden you with this, but I have to go for an important meeting in the nearby painting room, I will try to finish as soon as I can and come back to take care of him. Could you keep him with you until he calms down?” Shiki pleaded with the saddest face while kissing the head of his son who refused to let go in fear of being handed to his angry grandmother.

“Of course I would take care of him, you don’t need to rush on my account. It is no burden for me to love this little guy.” He gave a squeeze that made Keiichi relax.

Senri gave a tight smile while rubbing the small back, he made a sign with his chin for Ichiru to follow him in the quieter corner where Ichiru stood right now. He glanced over his shoulder to his protesting mother, “If I see you anywhere near him tonight, you will be losing the right to have him visit you… Ever!”

The warning successfully made her back off. _He is truly the cousin of Kaname Kuran, you can see the overpowering charisma they share despite the different attitude and rank._

Once alone, Shiki gave a final note before politely excusing himself, “Could you make sure that Rima does not see him in this state. I am not trying to scare anyone, but she might blow some thunderstorm if she realize that mother did not keep her words. It is okay for him to play with Hina-chan later when he cheers up. I honestly could care less if they comment on letting him play with the child of a servant as long as he is happy. They can shove those tradition where they are supposed to…”

Ichiru could not help but laugh at the last remark and nodded.

Hanabusa did not take long to join him; worry haunted his face when he caught sight of the crying Keiichi. His aura flared for a second as his anger went up to the maximum, he was just one of many who never wanted the cheerful kid to go through such a thing and he was sure to keep a sharper lookout from now on.

Few minutes later, Keiichi calmed down considerably, but the words he uttered scared the two adults. They were worried that it was too late to prevent a mental scar, but Hanabusa acted fast and left to fetch the one person who had the talent to annoyingly lighten up the child’s mood.

It worked like a charm when Cross Kaien crushed the child in a bear hug and kissed the daylight out of him, talking to him about the silliest thing before crying dramatically when Kei-chan finally confessed his feeling. The reverse psychology he used as well as the silly gestures made the child forget about his worry and comfort the old man instead, making Ichiru and Hanabusa relax and shake their heads in exasperation. They had to admit that Cross Kaien was not the headmaster of an educational institute for nothing.

The old ex-hunter did not waste time to take the kid with him to his friend after Ichiru told him to do so, the silver haired twin following him, reluctant to leave the kid alone until the end of the party. Hanabusa smiled at the care in his lover’s eyes and walked back to his father’s side, apologizing for leaving his guests so abruptly. Once the conversations finished, he excused himself and walked up to Rima who was waving at him as if she found her savior.

“Aido, I am sorry, but could you take Ai for a second. Yuki-chan should be done with the dance soon, but I need to check on Keiichi, I don’t know why I cannot seem to relax at the idea of leaving him with that woman.”

The golden-haired vampire winced at her sharp instinct. _Even if she was not the one to give birth, her motherly instinct is quite scary!_

He smiled and extended his arm to take the little baby bundled and sleeping. There was no point in bringing the fancy bassinet to the ball when everyone knew the tantrum that Ai would throw every time she gets put in one. Therefore, they opted to have the persons she was familiar with take turn in cradling her when Yuki was unable to. Hanabusa was on the top of the list because he would not lose a single chance he can get to visit her, play with her, and he went as far as cleaning her when the attendant was not around. He could not let the little princess get uncomfortable after all.

He chuckled when her tiny face scrunched up, and then relaxed after recognizing his scent. He looked at the pouty blond noble beside him,

“Come on, Ichijou-san, how long are you going to mop around for.” He nudged him teasingly.

Forest green eyes met his, “I should have followed your example instead of making fun of you, I would be holding her with no risk of her crying that way.”

Hanabusa looked at her and back at the noble, “Don’t beat yourself over it, I learned from experience as well. I was scared of handling such a tiny living thing at first, just like you. The fact that I ended up regretting it made me more eager to avoid making the same mistake again.”

Takuma covered his mouth as he shook from laughter, “Ichiru-kun told me that you were scared of coming any closer than a mile radius from Keiichi when he starts crying, thinking that you were the one at fault.”

Aido blushed, “Shut up!” he whispered, “That is natural when all I ever do is injecting him with needles and pushing tubes down his throat in the incubator. Thank God that he was too young to remember. Putting all of that aside, I was the most surprised to see Kaname-sama being that skilled in handling kids of all ages.”

Takuma sighed, “Yeah, it is like he is gifted with a kid magnet. There is no crying child he was not able to quiet down, and they tend to get attached to him even with that scary aura and expressionless face he has most of the time. Talk about lucky” Takuma paused for a moment, scanning the hall, “Come to think of it, I am not seeing him anywhere.”

Aido mirrored his action, “That is true. He might have gone out for some fresh air.”

The golden haired vampire missed the serious expression that plastered on Takuma’s face when he was looking around, “I hope so…” he whispered when he could not see another man with silver hair, Zero.   

It did not take long for his worry to increase when Yuki came back from the dance, he did not waste time to ask about his friend’s whereabouts.

Yuki pondered as he adjusted the baby in her arms, “He said that he was meeting someone in the drawing room. Now that I think about it, he is taking his sweet time. Ichijou-san, do you think that the servants brought them the drinks and appetizer needed for their long discussion.”

“I will go check in person. Better be safe than sorry.” He beamed with a full-teethed smile while retreating. Hanabusa did not miss the way Takuma’s fist clenched and the fact that his smile never reached his eyes. The last time he saw such an expression was before an ugly fight between the two friends. He decided to follow him discreetly to play the mediator in case it got out of hand during such a celebration.

He cursed inwardly at the multiple stop he had to make to greet the guest that called out to him while triying to follow the ash blond friend of his. He saw him disappear in the corridors and sprinted in that direction, worrying about him entering a room and leaving him guessing which one. He made fun of himself as he slowed down when he remembered the easier method that it to look for his pureblood king instead.

His relaxation did not last long when he turned the corner that led to the illuminated wide red-carpeted hallway that could let a limousine drive through.

He hastened his face when he saw Kaname coming his way and Takuma approaching him, something about the brunet seemed off. Aido found himself fast walking towards them before suddenly halting as the sound of a loud slap made him jump out of his skin. He was used to backhanded slaps from Kaname since his high school days, but actually seeing said pureblood being slapped in the same way was frightening. Hanabusa did want to think about the strength, which Takuma put in that one single hit that made Kaname’s face snap to the other way.

He rushed to their side, trying to tone down the hostility. He was about to talk but swallowed whatever he was about to say when he inhaled the faint but familiar scent of blood coming off the pureblood now disheveled attire. Kaname’s eyes looked dead and hollow, while Takuma’s spoked of seething anger and fury.

“Go do something about that appearance, right this moment.” Red brown eyes moved in direction of the speaking noble, but gave no reaction, “and you better teleport.” The tone was commanding, with no room for discussion.

Once Kaname vanished, Takuma looked at Hanabusa and squeezed the shoulder of the stunned vampire. “Aido… I will apologize properly later… can you please take care of things on the other end. I am going to check and make sure Kaname does not cause a scene… or anymore chaos.” Takuma whispered the last part with a dreadful tone, foreign to his upbeat and cheerful tone. He ran down the corridor, and slowed down to a dignified walk as he walked up the stairs as not to attract any suspecting glances.

On the other hand, Hanabusa had hard time registering what happened. His legs moved in a robotic fashion in the opposite direction where Takuma sprinted. His trembling hand started opening the doors one by one. He started slow before a sense of urgency engulfed him when the realization hit him.

_God! Please let me be wrong! Please let me be wrong! Please let me be wrong!_

“I wonder who is it that left half their clothes scattered like that?” Aido’s ears perked at the information and he barred the way of the two women chatting.

Forcing a smile on his face, “Sorry ladies, my friend seems to have been to tipsy to remember collecting them, can you point the location of those clothes?”

Blushing at the charm of the famous young master of the Aido household, they obliged right away. He left them after a courteous bow.

His heart hammered in his chest when he found half of Zero’s tuxedo on the floor of a bathroom. he grabbed the clothes and left. The first door led to an empty painting room, the other to an equally empty tearoom. Hanabusa felt his irritation build up and his hands tremble as he reached for the brass knob. He could not even concentrate to feel if anyone inside, the fact that the castle room were built with material that distorted the aura distinct was very inconvenient.

 *Door opening sound*

*Click* *the sound of the safety of the gun being removed*

“Whoaaah, Dude! It’s me! It’s me! Hanabusa!” Aido jumped and pulled the door back to hide behind it when he found himself in the shooting range of Bloody Rose, _That bloody gun will be the end of me one day!_

“Eh?” When he heard the soft voice of the hunter, he opened the door slowly. The noble vampire felt as if a ton of bricks fell down his head, having hard time believing what he was witnessing.

“Z… Zero?” he whispered, as if trying to make sure that what he was seeing was no illusion. That he was seeing the naked hunter, shakenly standing next to a bed where tattered pieces were randomly splattered on it. He wanted to make sure that it was Zero who was pulling the bloodied bedsheet to cover a little of himself, even if he failed to hide the trail of blood running down his inner thigh.

“Hanab-“ *thud*

It was as if all strength and tension left Zero as soon as he saw his brother in law. The thought of the golden haired vampire seeing him in this state was very unpleasant, but he had no strength in his battered body left to do something about it. He was just glad that he will be in safe hands when consciousness finally left him. All he could remember was the last word the brunet said, “I hope I satisfied your request and this will make you forget me, Kiryuu-kun.”

A panicked Hanabusa rushed to his side, he hoisted the limp form of the hunter and laid him on the bed. Examining his body, Hanabusa was horrified by the bruising, healing scratches and most importantly the fluids all over the hunter’s body, proofs of sexual assault. He gritted his teeth, the temperature of the room dropped a notch as he made his way to the bathroom. Grabbing a towel, his hissed with the hot water slid over his cold hand. The ice wielder took a deep breath and calmed his aura before joining the sleeping silverette. His heart ached at the sight of Zero’s hand clutching a silver necklace. _Ever the proud hunter, not wanting to be seen in such a state had he let the scent of his blood spread._

He started wiping him down until he gasped again, when he realized that the one he did not want to utter their name actually released inside him, when semen and blood trickled down as he shifted him. He finally gave up on the cleaning, throwing the towel with sheer force against the opposing wall and running a hand through his golden strands.

He opened the closet and pulled a duvet from it, wrapped the hunter in it and flipped his phone, calling the first number on his list.

“Hana?”

“Listen baby,” Hanabusa swallowed and pondered a bit, “I have a little surprise for you, and I want you to bring the car over to the back door of the kitchen area, the one where we dropped the cake, remember?”

Ichiru frowned for a second before smiling at the thought of a surprise, “Hmm… I wonder if I should come…” He teased.

Aido felt bad for leading him on, “You should if you do not want to regret it.”

“That is scary…”

“So?”

“I guess. About time to ditch the party. Send me the location again, in case I mistake the turns, everything looks the same in this damn place.” Ichiru chirped.

“Okay…”

Aido did not waste a second later before sprinting out, making sure to slip unseen, he was lucky to have spent a couple of years in the castle when he had to tutor Yuki after her awakening. He came to learn about the most deserted route and corners that proved convenient for his escape.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Zero’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The ride back home was the most silent one Aido had with his lover; it was painful to hear the sniffle and sobs of Ichiru who was sitting in the back seat with the head of an unconscious Zero on his lap. Neither of them saw such a thing coming. The hardest part was telling Ichiru who exactly assaulted his brother. He wished there was a way of hiding that fact because Ichiru would definitely blame himself.

He left the twins at Zero’s apartment so that Ichiru can take care of him and dress him. Hanabusa swung by his lover’s place to collect his kit that he always left there for emergency cases. Coming back, he found Zero sobbing uncontrollably in his brother’s arms, who was equally crying as well.

Seeing the urgency in dark amethyst eyes, Hanabusa understood immediately that Zero was having a breakdown. He immediately prepared and injected him with a light sedative. Getting drowsy again, Zero slumped in his brother’s arms.

Minutes later, Ichiru joined Hanabusa in the living room.

“Is he still asleep?”

“Yeah…” Ichiru slumped on his lap as he cradled him like a big baby.

“Love… You know that it is not your fault right?” Aido whispered while kissing the silver head.

Ichiru snuggled up to him, sniffling still, “I never wanted to see him like that again… Why does this have to happen to him… Why would he…”

“I am as confused as you…” Aido sighed staring at the reddened eyes looking at him with all the questions in the world. _Why would Kaname-sama rape Zero is beyond any logic._

Ichiru swallowed again, his lips quivering in attempt to suppress his tears, “He begged me to kill him earlier… He was saying that he could not go on anymore… What does that mean! Why would he say that…? Just what did that scum do to him… Why does nii-san have to suffer like this…? ”

Aido hugged him tighter, “We just have to wait and hear what he says, it is not like he went and seduced him for them to end up like that. Something must have happened.”

“I did.” The croaky voice snapped both head in direction of the hallway leading to the bedroom. Zero was leaning against the wall with a blank look to his face. Ichiru immediately jumped and went to his side. Aido, on the other side, frowned at his expression.

“You did what?”

“I seduced him.”

“huh?” Ichiru froze just as he was about to reach a hand to support his brother.

“That is not something you can joke about.” Aido stated, running a hand through his hear while standing up as well.

“I am not.”

“Nii-san! What is the meaning of this,” Ichiru was beyond shocked, “Were you trying to rile him up because he annoyed you and he got mad about the seduction.”

Zero sneered at the melodramatic scenario that his brother cooked up to make him out to be the innocent victim.

“I have been having an affair with him for a while, today was the last time. I did not expect it to be this… messy!” The cold detached tone sent chills down Ichiru’s spine, making him back a couple of steps until the opposite wall hit his back.

“Let me just ask again, to make sure I heard you right.” Aido was taking careful steps toward the assaulted silverette, “You are telling me that you slept with Kaname-sama a few times before?”

Zero sighed.

Earlier, he woke up once the sedative’s effect worn out. He could feel Ichiru sitting on the bed beside him, stroking his hair, but he could not bring himself to open his eyes. His body ached all over, he could not bear the fool taste in his mouth. Flashes of the gagging reflex that made him tear up, the suffocation of having his head pushed against the pillow, the feeling of his body being taken without warning, without mercy… The sick sensation of blood and semen trickling down his quivering thighs. The paint of his squeezed wrist to the point of almost breaking. He felt sick to the core as the pain in his body reminded him of every detail. His vision blurred halfway, leaving him with the last memory of those hand clutching the covers instead of holding his like they always did before. Not being able to bear it anymore, he pushed his battered body hosting his broken soul and left the bedroom. The conversation he overheard made him feel more disgusted with himself, self-loath and numbness finally snapped the last thread of self-esteem he ever had.

“Yes, I have been sleeping with him since around the time I learned of Sensei being sick. It was supposed to end when Ai is born, that he is a little too persistent.”

Zero shrugged as if he just told them about what he had for lunch.

*Punch*

“Hana!” Ichiru screamed and rushed to his brother who was sprawled on the floor after Aido punched him, hard.

The room temperature dropped to freezing cold, “I knew how much of a man-whore you are, but never expected you to be this low.” A lethal Hanabusa hissed with the iciest look in his eyes, a crease between his eyebrows and the glint of his sharp canine showing as he talked in-between clenched teeth.  

Ichiru was helping Zero stand up with Aido took another step to cover the distance between them. “Hana! Stop!” glared as he grabbed Zero’s arm to keep him steady.

Aido did not take another step but his eyes never left Zero as the hunter nursed his jaw, “You were begging him to kill you earlier, allow me the honor instead.” he had his palm facing upward and twirls of ice were forming.

Looking at the sharp stick he materialized, he looked up again, “Move out of the way, Ichiru!” That was the first time Hanabusa uttered his lover’s name in a tone seething with anger.

Ichiru was standing between them; with arms spread wide-open, daring Hanabusa to act on his words, “You will have to kill _me_ first.” The younger twin knew that his lover was impulsive enough to do it if he did not stop him. He could not blame him because Zero literally crushed his trust as well as the little respect that Hanabusa had for him.

“I said move out of my way.” Aido ordered again, eyes blazing red by that time.

The tension dissipated the second a hilarious laughter erupted from behind Ichiru. Both of them were stunned to see Zero clutching his stomach, laughing hard. Once he piped down, wiping  a tear, he straightened up and looked at the two confused male, “Never mind that,” he waived a dismissing hand before spreading his own arm in a welcoming gesture, “You should let him do it, Ichiru. He has all the right to do so since I tainted the saint God he had been worshipping all this time… Oh wait!... maybe that is not the case… You might be furious because he did not find you fuckeable enough to bed you but still fucked me…. Hmmm… Oh well! You probably gave up on him when Yuki awakened and Kuran impregnated her… You would have not considered him if that was not the case…” Zero talked sarcastically, a thumb pointing to Ichiru who was even more shocked by the audacity of his brother.

Ichiru could not react on time before Hanabusa jumped, grabbed Zero and slammed him against the wall, leaving cracks from the impact, “Don’t you dare speak their names with that filthy mouth of yours. Whore! What were you thinking when you slept with the father of the child growing in your sister’s womb.” Aido snapped.

The unflinching Zero sneered again, “How fucking good it felt to have his big cock thrusting inside me and-aghhh” he groaned when Aido pulled and slammed him harder, his head banging hard against the hard surface, “We did it here as well, by the way, in this spot…” A right hook sent him to the floor and a kick to his stomach made him hack. “You are unrepentant aren’t you?”  

Aido spoke with a disgusted expression as he materialized the sharp pointed Icicle again, “I always thought of you as a parasitic existence, Zero. Since way back in high school. My disgust with you back then was childish, but I have to say that it was on spot. I had to endure dealing with you because you were important for the person I love, but you know what? All you ever did is bring trouble upon us, making him suffer because of your actions… Now, you want to expand your scope and hurt more people because of your uncontrollable lust… Let me put an end to anymore misery by erasing you, which is why you are not putting much resistance anyways.”  

Zero did not answer; he just let his head rest on the cold floor and smiled. It was Ichiru’s cry that halted the blow halfway, “If you kill him, I will never forgive you.”

Hanabusa straightened again, and looked at the human twin, “Are you going to forgive him again, to make excuses and say that it was not his fault, _AGAIN!”_

Ichiru took a deep breath glancing from his lover to his brother who sat against the wall, a poker mask on his face. “I am not. He is worse than scum for actually having an affair with the husband of his sister, but it still takes two for an affair to happen. What are you going to do, kill Zero and then go kill Kaname?” His steady gaze trained on his lover, “No, right?” He answered instead of the quiet Aido, “You are still going to lick his boot and work under him like the obedient subordinate you are… I won’t have that… I will not stand you killing my brother and let the one carrying half the blame if not more prance around freely.”

Instead of getting angrier, Aido somehow felt himself getting calmer. He exhaled and looked into amethyst eyes, “What do you suggest then, letting him run around freely and destroy other families and break more people apart?”

Ichiru clammed up, “Nothing to say? Of course you have nothing to say, he is always your top priority no matter what trouble he gets you in… You will always choose to protect him and make him out to be the better person when he is obviously not… I have had my fill of this nonsense already,” Aido’s voice was raising as he spoke, anger rising again, “I have enough of you following him like a puppy and expecting me to be quiet and watch you suffer, I have enough of you being away from me because you want to stay close to your _brother…._ Now, choose Ichiru. I won’t kill him, but you will have nothing to do with him anymore. Either that or you will have nothing to do with me anymore.”

The pregnant silence stretched unbearably while the couple stared at each other. Ichiru was standing a little closer to the wall opposite to Zero’s, Hanabusa in the middle and facing his lover. Ichiru took a deep breath before taking careful steps under the gaze of his lover… Their shoulders brushed against one another before he passed him and leaned to hoist Zero up, draping his brother’s arm over his shoulder.

“Ichiru-“ Zero was about to say something as his twin adjusted his body and started dragging him back to the bedroom, “Don’t say a word, you need some blood pills and good rest before you become sane enough to talk.”

Ichiru clutched Zero’s arm when the apartment door slammed close.

    **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ A week later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Ichiru was at his end’s wit. After getting over the first shock of what happened that day, Ichiru instructed his right-hand man, Ryou to take care of things for him while he kept an eye on his brother. He stayed over at Zero’s ever since. He remember suffering a headache and being dazed after he managed to get Zero to spill the beans about what happened since the very beginning. Meanwhile, he had been trying to call his lover a million times a day without an answer until Hanabusa blocked his number. The turmoil made him sleepless; he was too overwhelmed with the situation and did not know what to do about it.

Confronting Kaname would not do him any good because Zero caused things to escalate that much. He could not talk to anyone else other than his blond vampire in fear of causing an uproar if the word got out. He felt horrified by the idea of Yuki discovering such a thing, _she would be devastated. Sensei and Cross would be so disappointed and heartbroken at the same time. There is even a risk of the animosity to grow back between the two circles. Should I be grateful that no one discovered the affair sooner?_

The voice mail signaling the inability to join his lover, if he still considered him so indicated his last attempt for the night. He realized that it was getting colder in the balcony and went inside to get ready and go to bed. As per routine, he started looking for his twin, whom he did not leave for that long anyways. Zero did not attempt anything reckless since then, neither did he leave the house. Both of them kept each other company in silence, making sure to eat, work and sleep.

He panicked when he could not find his brother anywhere, dialing his phone number, he waited as it rang, only to realize that Zero left his phone at home. Ichiru gritted his teeth in frustration and threw his coat, rushing down the street to look for his brother after making sure that he did not take his car. _He could not have gone too far… Zero… Where are you?_

Ichiru spent four hours in the freezing winter night looking for his twin until his leg grew sore. He would not give a damn about the creeped out expression of the people when he asked them if a person looking exactly like him passed by, he was almost hit by a car twice when he ran at the sight of a hair color that he imagined being close to his. He took a cab and went to check the places he knew that Zero would visit without result. He belatedly realized that he left his phone at Zero’s place. He went back thinking of texting Hanabusa for help and praying that he would respond.

He rushed to the door, sliding the key and called his brother’s name as his last hope to find him home, he heard fumbling and cursing from the bedroom, so he rushed there. Ichiru froze in his spot on the sight of his half-naked brother and a complete stranger trying his best to dress up.

He gawked in disbelief, his eyes going from his brother to the stranger and back to his brother.

The guy, finally able to fix his backward shirt, excused himself and sprinted outside.

Zero threw his jean-clad legs over the edge of the bed and sighed, “I thought you went back to your place.” He mumbled.

“Oh sorry about that, I didn’t realize you were itching to fuck the first thing that moves this soon.” Ichiru snorted

Zero glared his way before standing up and running a hand through his bangs, “If you are aware enough, why don’t you go back already.”

“What? Is that the first thing you have to say after clamming up for nearly four days?” Ichiru stared in disbelief.

“As you can see… Having around is inconvenient.” Zero drawled,

“You never learn, do you? I am not leaving until you repent properly about what you did and take is as a lesson to quit this fucking depraved lifestyle of yours.” Ichiru snapped, unable to stop shouting.

“For the millionth time!!! What I do has nothing to do with any of you.”

“Oh, dear brother, It certainly does. You fucking around IS fucking up my life, _royally._ Yours is already fucked up so I have no reason commenting on it, but it is time for things to change, it is time to set things straight before something more scandalous happens, Zero!”

Trapped between the wall and his brother who was putting his hands on either side of his head, Ichiru expected another smart retort from his brother.

“You want to set things straight? Fine. Here is what I want, you leaving me alone.” Zero whispered against his brother’s face.

“ZEr-“ Ichiru was about to give another lecture but he swallowed his word by the shocking words that followed.

“Let me rephrase it more clearly, I want you out of my life. You acting like a fucking mother hen, bugging the shit out of me with the excuse that it is for my own good. Trying to hook me up with guys you deem ‘good’, telling me what is right and what is wrong as if I am five years old is fucking annoying. So here is how it will work out, I want you to forget about me, erase me from your life because that is what I am going to do. I will consider gone like you were supposed to be from the start. All this shit about making it up to me by standing by my side is getting suffocating. I am disgusted with your hypocrisy when we both know that you see me as nothing but a man-whore as well. Therefore, I want you stop faking it.”

“How could you say that after all we have been through?” Ichiru could not believe his ears.

“What I went through you mean.” Zero scoffed, “I am fed up with you and that leech of yours, Ichiru. Just because you played the heroes and save my life once, you think that you have the right to stifle me? What have you done apart from lengthening my useless life huh? Wait! You helped me with the company when I was away, but that incurred seed money for the bar you are living off now. Think about it, I provided you with the money that allowed you to live in the comfort you are having right now, and what did you do to me, extended my miserable life when you could have left me to die and be truly free. Now, dear brother, who is it between us that needs to set things straight in that head of his?” He finished by tapping on Ichiru’s head before pulling away.

Incensed, Ichiru tried to retort out of stubbornness despite the hurt and indignation he felt. Unfortunately, he did not have the chance to open his mouth before Zero grabbed his arm and dragged him out of his apartment, throwing his phone at him and slamming the door after dealing the final blow, “I never want to see your face here ever again!”

Minutes later, Zero’s sharp hearing could pick up the sound of footsteps fading at distance before the pinging of the elevator harshly signal the departure of his brother from his life. He slid against the door and hid his head against his knees to bawl his eyes out. He shook from the sobs that racked his body for about half an hour before he was able to breath steadily again, sniffling every now and then, he went to wash his face.

Gripping the sink, he swayed back and forth as if to ease the searing pain he felt, staring at his reflection in the mirror; his throat tightened again, “Goodbye Ichiru! You have to go where you truly belong, I am sure that he will be waiting for you with arms wide open.” He did not bother wiping his tears, since it became a habit that he expected to last for a while.

    **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In front of Ichiru’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The silver haired younger twin did not know how he managed to get back safely. All thought swimming in his head were about losing the two most important people in his life in a week span. All because he selfishly decided to choose one over the other instead of trying to reconcile them. _You do reap what you sow, I guess!_

The finality in Zero’s words made it difficult for him to go back and talk to him again. His pride and ego were too big to ignore his hurtful words as well. Loneliness started engulfing him, a feeling he had not experienced since Hanabusa came into his life and brought shining light into his dull grey days. He hugged himself as the feeling grew stronger, he would give anything to have those slightly cold hand hold him and tell him that everything will be all right once again. He would trade the world for his lover after being tossed away by the only person that he was ready to die for. His heart felt heavier when he thought of going in his dark, cold and probably cluttered apartment. He slid the key into the lock and twisted, pushing slowly as if it would delay the pain and loneliness that will assault him once he stepped inside.

To his surprise, his apartment was not dark because the lights were on. It was not cold because the heaters were on as well. It was not cluttered because everything was clean, dusted and freshened up. He was not going to be lonely because Hanabusa Aido was sitting on the table of the living room typing furiously on his computer while looking at a paper on the hard surface.

Ichiru was absolutely shocked to see him sitting there in the pajamas he always kept at his place and the hair tie he used to keep his bangs away whenever he was working.

Hanabusa Aido slammed a key and flipped the laptop closed. He turned sideways on the chair to face Ichiru, with his hand cushioned with one hand, “Took you long enough to come back home. It is a serious pain to do my work remotely, you do realize that.” The soft tone of the vampire who sounded as if he was throwing a tantrum led to all the bottled up emotion inside the silverette to overflow in the form of tears and laughter at the same time. _He did not abandon me! He was waiting? the whole week? Oh god!_

His hilarious reaction resumed to tears and sobbing by the end, his voice coming out strangled, “I love you, Hana! I really love you!” He threw his arm around the neck of the golden haired vampire who was standing in front of him now, “I love you even more, silly! Welcome home, Ichiru.” Ichiru cried louder as his chest tightened from the gentle tone Hanabusa used to call his name. _God! I am falling in love all over again with this man, someone help me…_

Wiping the soft cheeks, Aido kissed Ichiru’s forehead lovingly. “I packed most of your necessary stuff already. We should leave as soon as possible; I will book the taxi and train tickets at the earliest. However, I will be leaving alone if you are still not agreeing with my condition.”

The serious face that Ichiru saw made him swallow loudly, “What do you mean by packed all my stuff?”

Hanabusa sighed, “Ichiru, I am not going to tolerate this long distance relationship anymore. I have been playing deaf to the comments about how we are married and living separately, and how strange our situation is because I knew that you would be always anxious when away from your brother. I suppressed my needs and desire of wanting you to be by my side because I knew that I could not win over Zero no matter what, and I did not try to in fear that you separate from me because of my persistence. Now, I really do not give a penny about what happens to him and I am in no way going to allow you to get tangled in his mess if you ever want us to be together any longer. I do not want to go back to an empty room, feeling lonelier after you go back to your bar and brother. I do not want to eat alone and stroll around aimlessly by myself, imagining how good it would be to do everything together, every day for the rest of our life. I am done with the considerate boyfriend act because I have been wanting to lock you and have you all to myself from the moment you became mine.” A deep kiss melted the stunned silverette, making his eyes flutter shut and become putty in the vampire’s hand. He sighed in pleasure and fisted golden locks as Hanabusa place kisses and nibbles down the side of his neck while pulling the stretchy collar to expose the vein more as his fangs were getting aroused from the pulsing sound. He hissed the last question, “What is your answer?”

Ichiru tilted his head to give him more access and whispered, “Yes…” gasping when the fangs finally sank into his skin, making him tremble from pain and pleasure while Hanabusa pulled closer to his body.  

    **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Two days later, in Cross Academy ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Gin left the school building and decided to go for a stroll before going back to his room since it was a rare warm day in December.

He gasped seeing a silver by the horse enclosure, but his excitement died down when he realized that it was Ichiru’s. His head tilted at the lonely profile of the silver haired friend of his. Gin suspected that something was going on when he learned that Ichiru was moving in with Hanabusa without the silverette looking as excited as one would expect him to be. The fact that he was not talking about his brother and Zero not answering any calls really worried him.

Ichiru was so absentminded that he did not notice him until Gin leaned on the fence next to him.

“Is that Zero’s key?” Gin aske, startling his companion while pointing to what he was holding in his hand.

“uh…” Ichiru nodded, _Although it is not mine. Yuki-chan brought it to me earlier saying that she found it lying around and thought that I might have dropped it. I guess I should play along since it probably belongs to Kuran. Better not allow him anymore access._

“Thinking of paying him a visit. I have not heard from him since the ball. I know that he does ignore calls when busy, but he usually calls back sometime later.” Gin complained.

“Sorry about that, he is just… Not in the best mood, let us say.” Ichiru mumbled numbly, _He is cutting off everyone, apart from Kaito when he calls on the work phone about a mission. I should be grateful to know that he is alive._

“Why are you apologizing?” The question caught him by surprise and he finally met the scrutinizing grey eyes, “It is not like it is your fault.” The words hit him, hard.

“It might be my fault indeed.” Ichiru spoke in a strained voice,

“You are probably overthinking, it is not like it is the first time you guys bickered anyways.” Gin patted the back of the smaller man who looked like he was about to cry.

“It is. I pushed too far and it ended up backfiring in my face.” Ichiru bend over, resting his forehead on the forearms he placed on the rails. The key loosely hanging between his fingers.

Gin sighed in exasperation; he had to assume that the fight is far more serious than he initially thought. He pondered for a moment before snatching the key without warning. The sudden gestured made Ichiru look up, giving him a surprised look.

Waving the key lazily and staring at her, Gin spoke, “You have two options, either you go barge on him and talk it out like the good brothers you are, or you stay brooding here let things get stale if not worse. Which will it be?”

Ichiru averted the intense gaze, he was not planning on telling Gin the detail behind him moving in with Hanabusa, neither the cause of it. The pain is still too raw to talk about how Zero kicked him out of his life in cold blood. “I am going with the second option.”

Gin smirked, “Well then, this meddling old man here will be using this key.”

Ichiru panicked and tried to take it back but Gin height served him to prevent it, “NO! don’t, you don’t have to try and reconcile us. This is… I don’t want to drag you in brotherly dispute.”

“Who said anything about reconciling?” Gin asked, quirking an amused eyebrow.

Ichiru stopped his attempts to recover the item, staring blankly at the taller man. Gin smirked again, “I am planning on hogging Zero all to myself. However, I might take on the job of a secret spy if requests files in.”

For a second, Ichiru wondered if Gin was a psychic, but tossed the idea away in favor of being too transparent and easy to read as usual.

He scoffed and resumed leaning against the fence, his eyes following White Lily at she galloped in her pasture with her child following her around. “Do whatever you want. I will not be responsible if you get busted and kicked out. I will not pay any hospital bill or damage compensation.”

Gin happily slipped the key in his pocket and changed the topic to more trivial and non-serious conversation.

      **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ I am an evil person ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

 

 

   

 

  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So~ TT-TT sorry for any mistakes but I cried so much writing it that I have no courage to reread it again anytime soon.
> 
> Someone is going to get a lot of cursing and booing here and it is just getting started. :((((((
> 
>  
> 
> Yep, you got it, that snippet was not of this chapter. This is like a drama filled transition chappie that will set the stage to the worst angst I ever wrote in this story. Did you have to use tissue reading this one, prepare double for the next one.
> 
> I am not sure when will the update be because I am kind of busy with exams currently.
> 
> The honest truth is that the snippet was from the chapter plot, like a line that I was inspired and wrote it down because if fits the plot to the T.
> 
> I will try to update sometime in the middle of the next week. I already have a third of the chapter ready, but as you can guess, a third of a giant chappie is nothing to brag about, so yeah…
> 
>      ∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
> 
>  
> 
> BUCKETS OF LOVE AND KISSES FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWERS   
> LOVE YOU ALL GUYS, AND A BIG THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO READ, THOSE WHO CLICKED THE KUDO's BUTTON AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING THE STORY.
> 
> YOU ARE THE BEST.
> 
>  


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well… That went out later than expected… T-T … Sorry guys, I had a pretty rough week.
> 
> First exams, and then a bad case of food poisoning and hospitalization, currently resting in bed and writing fanfiction.  
> 
> Sorry for all the tears, angst and frustration the last chapter caused, but… It had to happen for the plot to move forward… I was really anxious about that chapter because it really gives a blow to both Zero’s and Kaname’s image, but hey, when two blockhead collide, shit goes down!
> 
> Both of them deserved what was coming their way, really!
> 
> Do not worry, the coming chapters are not as angst-filled as the previous ones, I would say that they have a good balance between fun, drama, angst and a bit of lame moments thrown in the mix :p
> 
> I can understand why Aido was bashed, but I could not get why Gin got some curses as well. I shudder thinking about what you guys will do to him when he really tries to steal Zero. The guy was harmless so far (>.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

After making the bold statement of visiting the hunter, Gin was starting to wonder if it was the best decision. Zero was not answering his calls, and even ignored the one he attempted from a payphone. Ichiru’s silence added to the anxiety he was feeling towards the situation. Against his better judgment, he decided to make the trip and visit the hunter on the next day. New Year’s celebration was around the corner and he hated the thought of the twins fighting during such times. He told a white lie Ichiru, so that he does not feel as if he was the one who sent him to reason with his brother. He knew that he was getting too meddlesome, but he had a feeling that he needed to intervene on this one. After all, he knew how important family is and how painful it is to be on bad terms when you are that close.

That is how he found himself if front of the building where the silverette dwells. He opted to buzz the doorbell from downstairs first, after few failed attempts, he asked the receptionist after giving him the apartment number.

“I am sorry sir; we don’t really keep tabs on our residents. He might have left on a different shift than ours. If you have doubts about his wellbeing, than we will have to go through the proper channels and have someone check on him first.”  

“Oh! That is okay, I do have a key, so I will check myself.”

“Ara!” The voice of an old cleaning lady caught their attention, “If I have not gone senile yet, that apartment is where the gentleman with charming violet eyes lives, right?”

Gin was surprised that she knew him specifically but nodded, “Oh my! Then, go and check on him son. That child is one of the kindest residents; his place is always the easiest to clean to the point that I do not even see the need for my service. He is really polite and caring for a young man his age. Today, however, I went to clean and he turned me down. It is not a first, but he looked ill and seemed paler than ever. I was planning on going back to see if he has eaten anything after I finish my work, but if you are here for him, that would put my mind at ease for the rest of the day at least.” She bowed and grabbed her mop to continue sweeping.

The grey-eyed male did not lose time to hop in the elevator and sprint to his destination. Opening the door, he was hit by the smell of stale air. The curtains were drawn and the lights were turned off, drowning the whole apartment in darkness. He quickly reached for the nearest block of switches with the help of his phone. As soon as the lights were back on, the sight that welcomed him floored Gin. He was grateful that the old woman did not have to witness the cluttered place, with shattered glass, flipped furniture and emptied bottles of liquor splattered everywhere.

A loud groan drew his attention to the curled up form in the one seater of the living room. Zero had his face scrunched up at the assault of the bright light. His hair was clammy and his pajama were wrinkled beyond recognition.

“Ugh! Wuzzit… I said no cleani-… What? It’s you…?” Zero slurred in a bored tone as he got up groggily.

“Yeah! it’s me drunkard.” Gin snipped, no humor in his voice, “What are you doing?”

“Watching movies.” Zero shrugged, pointing to the TV with a newly opened beer.

Gin stomped towards him after seeing the idle screen, snatching the beer and grabbing the wrist trying to reach for it. He immediately trapped Zero against the fridge after putting the can on the nearby counter. Holding the chin of the hunter who would not meet his eyes, he scrutinized the face he barely recognized with the ashen skin, slightly sinking cheeks and extremely dark circles under his eyes.

“How long have you not slept?”

“…”

“Have you eaten anything?”

Zero scoffed at the same question that the cleaning lady asked before he shooed her away. He reached for his pocket and pulled out a container of blood tablets, “Have been sustaining myself…”

Releasing his chin and placing his palm against the fridge, Gin’s expression bounced from furiously angry to extremely worried until it settled on the latter. He let go of the visibly wretched hunter. They stood there for a long moment. Zero had no energy for any argument or any headache inducing activity.

Seeing that the violet eyes were vehemently avoiding his, Gin wondered about one thing, “Zero… Are you really drunk?”

The hunter flinched, still looking away, “Alcohol never affected me much, my state of mind, I mean.” He glanced as Gin was walking around, bending and picking one of the scattered bottles. “I see… They do not contain that thing Kaito told me about… The one you drank when we crashed at Ichiru’s, something wine…”

“Silver wine.” Zero finished for him. 

“Yes… That’s the one… Why are you drinking this much then?” Gin asked with a puzzled expression.

“I finished my work and had nothing better to do…”

Gin tilted his head, _now that is new._ He looked around again. “How long have you been cooped up here?”

“Dunno, couple of days.”

“Is this because of the fight you had with Ichiru?” Gin asked, swinging the empty bottle around. He paused when Zero startled and gave him a seething look.

He quickly raised his hands in a defensive posture, “I don’t know the details… I just assumed that you guys had a fight seeing how gloomy he was when I met him on campus. He did not tell me anything.” He explained quickly, sensing that the hunter might really attack him if he actually made Ichiru tell him about what happened. _Was it that bad? Ichiru looked quite panicked as well when I insinuated that I might help them reconcile._

 _  
_ Zero’s fury vanished quickly in favor of a mildly surprised look, he mumbled a question, “He is at the Academy?”

After a brief moment, Gin nodded.

The teacher was more confused when he saw relief washing over Zero’s expression, as if he gave him the best news of the year. Taking advantage of the better mood, he spoke again, “I ordered some food before reaching here. It should arrive any moment.”

Zero quirked an eyebrow at the innocent look of the taller man, “What food?” he asked when his suddenly rambling stomach made him blush from embarrassment.

Gin smirked at the action, “Korean. Go wash up while I wait for it.”

The silverette suddenly felt a bit less lethargic, the news of his brother being with his lover might have lifted his spirits a bit. He still worried that Ichiru was alone in his apartment, being the crybaby he is, bawling his eyes out after being abandoned by the two persons he cared about the most. After a quick shower and a fresh change of clothes, he came back to a spotless and sunny living room. He then realized how murky the air was before Gin opened every window and the balcony door to let the fresh winter breeze whoosh in.

Luckily, the older man was coming back just in time with the bags of food in hand. Zero quickly joined him on the dining table to dig in. They enjoyed the meal over a lighthearted conversation about mischievous students and the work that Gin will have to do before he can move in his new house. Zero picked on him when he found that he was spot on about the areas that needed maintenance in the building.

 However, the pleasant time was abruptly cut off when Zero’s face turned greenish and he rushed to the bathroom. Gin did not waste time to run after him, rubbing his back as the hunter emptied his stomach. He helped him stand and wash his face before waiting for the hunter to clean his mouth while asking, “Are you okay? Do you need me to bring anything?”

“Nnn… Nothing… I am good.” Zero mumbled as he patted the towel against his face with one hand and clutching his stomach with the other.

Going back to the living room, the hunter cringed at the sight of the food and asked Gin to put it away for he could not handle the smell of it. The teacher complied, but took the liberty to make a lemonade as well, dropping a couple of ice cubes in it before offering the drink to the hunter chilling on the couch.

Zero exhaled in relief as the zesty drink washed away the sick sensation in the back of his throat. He looked at the teacher sitting beside him, with a clearer mind now,

“What did you come here for? The real reason.” Zero asked, he could not shake the feeling that his brother had something to do with the sudden visit.

“Just felt like it.” Gin shrugged before grinning, “I missed you.”

Zero rolled his eyes and took another sip, “Yeah, right! You are just trying to convince me that you are no lackey to no one.”

“I am not.” Gin mocked an offended expression while crossing his arms.

“I don’t remember giving you a key.”

“Ah!” The teacher slapped his own forehead, caught off guard.

“Yep.” Zero gave him a victorious smirk, drinking whatever left of the drink.

“Okay… I am confessing the truth. I saw Ichiru, holding this key. He seemed down, I tried to get him to open up and talk as always to lighten his mood, but he was more distressed than usual.” Zero frowned at the thought of his brother being sad, “I gathered that you two had a ‘bigger’ fight than usual, worry was obvious in his eyes and voice when talking about you. So~ The meddlesome man here is trying to reconcile the two loving brothers… Ah! And before you assume anything, Ichiru did try to prevent me when he thought that I was going to do just that. Therefore, I kind of brushed him off. So, my answer is no, I am not his lackey, informant, spy or whatever.”

Zero stared at him for a moment before sighing deeply, “You came here for nothing then. The situation is more complicated and your _wise_ words will not settle it. While we are on the subject, I want you to give me that key and never come here as well.”

The last slip of tongue caused Zero’s downfall, “As well?”

Zero bit the inside of his cheek, at the serious questioning gaze in those grey eyes. “Zero, did you cut your brother off?”

“…”

“Are you serious?” Gin whispered

“He is better off living his life without me around.” Zero deadpanned, leading to Gin running his palm across his own face in frustration. 

“Okay. It is official. You are stupid.” He clapped before shifting to pull his phone from his back pocket.

“Wha…? What? Who are you calling?” Zero was about to retort but asked when he saw Gin dialing and putting his ringing phone on speakers.

“Ichiru.” Gin answered.

“What? No-mphh!” Zero panicked, but Gin covered his mouth in time with the call connection.

“Hello! Gin?” Ichiru’s voice resonated through the handheld device.

“Hey there…” Gin answered cheerfully, ignoring the deadly glare Zero was giving him while trying his best not to make any sound.

“What’s up?” Ichiru asked, Zero noticed that his voice sounded drained.

“Guess where I am right now?” Gin asked

“… I don’t know… wait… don’t tell me… Nii-san’s?” Zero’s heart ached at the optimistic tone of his twin.

“Yep.” Gin confirmed.

“How is he? Is he okay, is he sick, is he eating, sleeping…”

“He is in the shower right now. We had a Korean style late lunch and I will try dragging him out for some fresh air.”

A relieved sigh could be heard from the phone, “Thank goodness.”

“Do you want to talk to him later?” Gin asked

A moment of pregnant silence stretched out before Ichiru mumbled, “I don’t think that would be a good idea if you want to keep the good vibe between you two. Just don’t bring me up in any conversation.” 

Gin looked at the older twin who was looking away by this time, but his ears would have flown and gotten glued to the phone if they were detachable. From the first reaction to Ichiru’s voice, Gin understood that Zero did not push his twin away because he wanted to separate from him, although he did not get the real reason behind it, he was sure that Zero was hurting himself from his own decision.

“What if he asked about you? Just saying hypothetically.” Gin insisted

Ichiru gave a dry laugh before taking a deep breath, “I don’t know… If I were to talk to him…” The younger twin swallowed, hugging his form on the bed where he was lying, alone, “I would tell him that I miss him… Silly, I know! It has barely been three days since I last saw him but I do… Really, I miss him… *sniffle*… I…”

Gin grabbed Zero’s wrist on time when the hunter was about to snatch the phone to hang up most probably.

“I… Ne, Gin…” Ichiru added

“What?”

“He will probably suspect that I sent you. If he insist that you might have a message from me, could you relay one?”

Gin smirked when Zero’s struggling stilled at the question, “Sure”

“Could you tell him to show up during the New Year’s celebration? I promise I won’t bother him or go near him if he does not want me to. It is just… You know… with Sensei in Germany, Cross will probably need all of us around to cheer him up. He has always been there for us, it is a chance to be there for him as well. Also… Uhm… You should tell him that… Yuki-chan is very sad to have the father of her child not attending Ai’s first Christmas party because of work. She was rambling about it all day today, how he up and left without prior notice. She called Nii-san many times because she did not like the idea of him not coming as well.” Ichiru had hard time blurting Kaname’s name without sounding spiteful. He was forcing a dejected look with Yuki while he wanted to do a happy dance knowing that he did not have to meet him anytime soon after what happened.

“Got it, I will make sure to tell him the message to the letter.” Gin chirped before hanging up. He glanced at the hunter who had a serious look on his face while glaring at the phone.

“What is that about the Christmas party?” Zero pointed the roundabout question.

Gin was confused for a moment before getting the hint that he was asking about the deal with Kuran, “Kuran went abroad on a business trip. Takuma said that he had no idea when he will be back, but was certain that he will not be able to attend the dinner at Cross’s house. Speaking of which, I was invited as well along with my sister and niece, it would really suck if you miss it.” Gin pouted.

Zero tuned out all rambling that came after the news of Kaname being away. Many question roamed in his head, but the thought of a dejected Yuki, the thought of the little bundle of joy made his heart ache. _It’s my fault, as always…_

“Zero?” Gin poked his shoulder, trying to get his attention again. When lavender eyes met his, he pointed to the phone, “That have been vibrating for a while.”

Zero picked up the phone after staring at the eerily convenient caller ID. Gin took the now empty glass to the kitchen to give the awkward silverette some privacy.

Zero soon joined him in the kitchen, sighing in defeat.

“That is quiet an awful sigh…” Gin teased,

“Tell me about it…” Zero groaned, rubbing drooping eyes, “Will you be staying over?”

The question had Gin stop whatever he was doing and looking at the hunter properly, “Do you want me to?”

Zero rubbed the back of his head, “I have not slept much for the past two days, so I thought I could use a driver with me for the trip tomorrow.”

Gin was confused, tilting his head, “trip?”

“To go attend this bloody dinner you were talking about.”

Grey eyes widened in understanding, “Was that Ichiru… On the phone.”

Zero shook his head as a negative answer and answered offhandedly as he got back to the comfort of the couch, “That was the two most annoying people… who adopted me when I lost everything.” He mumbled the last part grudgingly as if suddenly remembering the importance of this time of the year for his ‘family’. As much as he hated going through it each year, Cross never once abided by his complaints and managed to throw parties at every occasion he got, even if it was just the three of them only. He realized a little too late that it was those moments that made him feel human and less disgusted with himself, they made him feel less lonely and betrayed. The hunter hugged a pillow and dipped his chin in it, remembering what his twin said over the phone. The statement held more truth to himself than his twin, Cross Kaien did not only stood by him in the hardest times, he risked a lot just to protect him.

A big hand ruffling his silver hair gave him a nostalgic feeling of how the ex-hunter would wake him out of his daze, “I guess I won’t mind being a chauffeur for a day.”

Zero looked up to a grinning grey eyed male hovering over him.

“You can take the bed then; I will be watching TV here.” Zero stated as he picked the remote and started browsing channels aimlessly.

Joining him on the seat again, Gin stretched and checked the time. “It is still early for that, anything good on?”

“Who knows?” Zero shrugged.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Cross Academy, Moon Dorm∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Ichiru sighed looking at the phone in his hand, internally praying that Gin manages somehow to convince his brother.

He quickly placed his phone back on the nightstand when the door opened to reveal his blond lover. The silver haired human was not aware that his lover came by much earlier, when he was talking on the phone but could not bring himself to enter.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞Back in Zero’s apartment hours later.∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Midway through the movie, Gin spoke again, “Wanna eat something?” He got up after Zero refused the offer.

Minutes later, the teacher came back with microwaved leftovers that he was eating while watching the thriller. A groan coming from the hunter made him glance sideway to see Zero with a hand covering his mouth and nose. Looking from the hunter to the food and back to the hunter, he quickly got up and went to eat on the table in order to put some distance.

Zero felt bad for being so obvious, “Sorry,” He craned his neck to look at Gin who waved a dismissing hand.

“Don’t sweat it. It was my fault for making you remember the sick feeling that you had earlier. I am still worried about the cause of that, though. I don’t think it is food poisoning.”

It was Zero’s turn to wave a dismissing hand, “More like alcohol poisoning. I get like that when I drink too much. It has been a while since it last happened though-“ Zero stopped midway when he remembered it. The last time he felt sick from drinking too much… The time he actually vomited in the lap of a certain pureblood… The time marking the first night he knew the addicting side of the man named Kaname Kuran. In a blink, memories of their first encounter overlapped with those of the last one they had, the sick feeling in the back of his throat increased suddenly, making Zero jolt from his seat and rush to his bathroom.

Gin did not lose a second before following him, thinking that he would be having another fit. However, he found the hunter splashing his face with water and leaning on the sink with a blank look on his face.

“Are you okay?”

As if realizing that he was not alone, Zero startled at the voice and looked at the taller man, nodding. “I am fine. I just felt nauseous again, so I thought about using cold water to ward off the feeling, I will be back shortly.”

 _forget him! forget him!_ Zero stood there, repeating the words like a mantra

Gin nodded and went back to his dinner. He was relieved to see the hunter back in his seat.

“I am good with the bed section of the couch by the way.” Gin spoke, reminding Zero of the suggested sleeping arrangement.

“Nah! I am not going to jump you if that is what you are worrying about.”

“Really?” Gin mocked a surprised tone.

“I need to check on few things before going with you tomorrow; I gave the technical staff an early vacation because I had the time to monitor the systems from home. But, since I will be going to Cross’s place, I don’t think I will have a minute of peace to work there.”

Gin chuckled at the truth, but still felt bothered by the fact that Zero was planning to spend his time working, alone at home.

“You won’t be getting any sleep, then?”

 _Not like I slept much in the past few days anyway._ “I will catch some on the way back since you will be driving, that should be plenty.”

“You should cut yourself some slack, especially if you are still feeling sick.” Gin complained.

“I know, I won’t overdo it… I will have more of that lemonade you made to get the shit out of my system, it kind of helped. Thanks for that.”

“You’re welcome…” Gin stood to throw the empty boxes of food, “It’s funny though, I used to make that a lot for my sister whenever she felt sick. She was told that lemons helped a lot with morning sickness but she cringed each time she had to munch on one. I managed to get her to drink them like that somehow. She was never a fan of citrusy stuff.” Gin rambled on and on in the kitchen without being aware of the way Zero stiffened in the couch.

Amethyst eyes widened, not really focusing on the flashing screen of the TV. Zero’s brain went into an overdrive as the words sunk in. _No… It can’t be… I did take the test…_ Placing a hand on his abdomen, he tried to focus his senses to see if he could feel anything… The only sound he could make out was his rumbling stomach. Shaking his head as if to chase away the haunting thoughts, he tried to find a logic explanation as to why his body have been weakening lately. The sleepiness, the fatigue were symptoms that worried him because he had similar experience before. However, when those went away, he ruled out the possibility of being pregnant, especially with the negative test.

Biting his nails, he looked for all possible causes for such symptoms to persist. He could blame it on the alcohol; he could blame it on the stress and emotional rollercoaster he had been going through lately. All of them were legitimate factors that could induce his physical reactions, but none of them ruled out the possibility of a life growing inside him.

Not wanting to dwell on it much, Zero changed the topic and distracted himself by helping Gin choose few things online for the refurbishing of his new house. The blue haired male was surprised by the sudden burst of energy and motivation, but he was not suspicious about the change of attitude.   

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

After watching anther movie while snuggling together under a blanket, Zero asked Gin for more lemonade and went back to work. The blue haired man did as requested without nagging much about how exhausted the hunter was to get him to rest. He figured that he should not antagonize him much. He finished fixing the clutter around the place and used some clothes that belonged to Kaito apparently. Gin was grateful for that, as Zero’s size would not fit at all.

He was not surprised this time when, stirring in the middle of his sleep, he found the silverette again sleeping by his side. He let out an exasperated chuckle as softly as possible while he sat on the bed and gently covered the kitten like hunter. He assumed that Zero just flopped on the bed without bothering to cover himself and curled up in a fetal position from the cold.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The next morning, Zero squeezed his eyes as the rays of sun tickled his skin. He squeezed his arms around the warmth that enveloped him snuggling up to it in effort to get more sleep. It was at that moment when a scent he was not expecting hit his nose that his eyes popped open. An awkward moment stretched when he found himself flush against the broad chest of Gin while the bulky male had his arms around his slender form, while their legs tangled with each other.

As he shifted and got off the bed, Zero sighed in relief after digging in his sleepy head for any memories of anything happening between them last night. _Great! Now I have to add sleepwalking to my list of odd actions._

In fact, Zero had laid on the couch the night before after finishing work, the last thing he remembered was dozing off there. He looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror for a moment before sighing again. He hated to admit it, but he did manage to catch some sleep unlike the insomnia that plagued him after Ichiru left. He had to be grateful for that, seeing that the dark circles under his eyes were almost gone. _It will cause less fuss if I go there looking less like a zombie._

 Opening the cabinet, his eyes landed on the contraption that brought an unwanted memory and fears in the blink of an eye. Biting the inside of his cheek, Zero stared at the pregnancy test among his other medications. _There is just no way in hell…_ He grabbed his hormone regulating drops along with other pills that he had to take at that time and closed the door.

He left the bedroom in a hurry as if someone was chasing him, grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and downed the medications as per his routine. He set his coffee maker after putting the ingredients and stared at the blinking light of the machine dazedly. Barely a minute later, Zero found himself in the bathroom again, holding the door of the cabinet open, and staring at the packed stick.

Letting out a frustrated whine, he picked one and opened the box. The shifting from the bedroom startled him. He peeked from the door to see that Gin was still sleeping. Not wanting to risk anything, he took the packet and went back to the kitchen after picking his phone as well.

He prickled his finger and let a drop trickle down the padded surface that absorbed it right away. He set the timer of his phone and placed the stick on the table while he checked some info on his handheld device. Unfortunately for the hunter, lazy footsteps made him panic and throw the test in the bin to avoid any inquiries from the sleepy man making his way in the kitchen.

He took a deep breath and composed himself in time. Gin appeared, scratching his stomach under the shirt and covering a big yawn with one hand.

“Mornin’” He waved before running a hand through his messy hair.

“Good morning. That is quite the spectacular bed head”

Gin chuckled while trying his best to tame the stray locks.

“I assume you do not have a shaver around here.” He added, scratching the barely grown stubble of his cheek.

“So sorry for not growing facial hair!” Zero bit sarcastically, “But I think Kaito left one in the guest room.”

“You have a guest room?” Gin exclaimed as if he was told that the earth was flat.

Zero winced, “Kind of, it is probably covered by an inch thick layer of dust. I have not used it in so long, since Ichiru got his own place I think. Kaito used it once or twice when he came over after a mission, which is quite a while ago.”

“You used to live together with Ichiru?” Gin was surprised.

“Not really… It was a temporary arrangement. He was about to rent a rundown place because he invested all the money in setting up the bar. I was against it because it looked like it would collapse any moment. Thank god I did, because it did collapse barely a week after he moved in with me.” Zero explained as he sipped on his coffee.

“I see… Quite the caring big brother he has.” Gin teased. Zero’s movements halted for a moment at the remark before placing the mug on the table. He stood and left the kitchen while speaking, “I am going to take a shower first and get ready while you finish your coffee. We will eat something on the way if you feel hungry later.”

“Roger.” Gin chirped as he sat on the table enjoying the caffeine awakening his system.

*beep*

*beep*

*beep*

Grey eyes landed on Zero’s phone. The sound of the alarm and vibration went on for a while before he grabbed it and turned it off. He figured that Zero was already in the shower, thus took the liberty to shut the annoying sound. He placed back on the table, but soon took it again in a shocked manner.

He knew how rude it was to look into other’s phones but what caught his eyes was just alarming. Gin stumbled upon the page that Zero was checking out earlier before he came in the kitchen, the title of the search said, “How accurate is a home pregnancy test?”

Scrolling down, Gin found that the article was explaining various reasons on how results can be faulty and that it was always better to get a blood test at a hospital to be in the clear. The teacher felt his mouth dry up as he swallowed with difficulty. Putting the phone in its initial place, he clapped his hands together against his mouth in an observing posture.

He was not aware for how long he had been musing until a freshly showered and clothed Zero snapped out of his daze, “You have one hell of a serious look on your face.”

Gin did not waste time to turn to his goofy self, “Just wondering what color the car should be.”

Zero rolled his eyes, believing him after having to go through the tile’s patterns for almost an hour before the taller man decided on one.

“Just make sure not to grow white hair while pondering about it. You better get ready if you want us to be there on time for the blasted dinner.” He nipped.

 Once Gin left for the bedroom again, Zero picked his phone and checked the article he was reading earlier. A long sigh escaped his lips as he looked through his contact list.

“Hello! Kirihara clinic here, how may I help you?” The cheerful female voice resonated through the phone.

“Hi! I visited you around ten days ago for blood sampling and scans, I was told that you would call me back for the results, so I was wondering when I can pick them up.”

“May I know if you used the regular or express service?” She asked.  

“Regular, I think.”

“Can I have your name Sir, please!”

“Riku… Mamiya Riku” Zero whispered a little lower.

“Ah! Yes, Mamiya Riku-san… Your results are indeed ready and you can collect them anytime today. Will you be seeking the assistance of an external doctor or should we reserve an appointment with one of our doctors.”

Zero’s thoughts travelled to a certain golden haired noble before getting back to his conversation, “I believe that you have a certain professor that visits you clinic to assist a peculiar kind of patients.”

“Pardon?”

Zero cursed under his breath when he could not remember the person’s name, “I believe that he had published research papers about hermaphrodites.”

There was a long pause over the phone with some distant chattering and tapping on a keyboard before the woman talked again, “Excuse me for the wait, Mamiya-san. I did not mean to be rude but I had to ask around since I am a new employee in this establishment.”

“No problem.” Zero appreciated the politeness of the lady.

“I am afraid that the doctor you are seeking to consult will not be here until tomorrow late in the evening. Would that be inconvenient?” She inquired.

“No! no. That would be perfect actually.” Zero affirmed. After a brief chattering, he managed to set up an appointment with the person who would most likely understand his special condition apart from Aido according to his medical profile. He initially looked him up because he was concerned by the chronic fatigue he was feeling, suspecting that it might have to do with his hormones going haywire. Now, however, he is dreading the visit in fear of another unexpected truth getting revealed instead.

Gin came back in time to see Zero leaning against the back of the couch with a hand stroking his lower belly absentmindedly. The suspicions of the grey-eyed male increased and he had hard time concealing his worries.

“Everything is okay?” He asked.

Zero startled and quickly brought the hand to the couch, squeezing it lightly to hide the nervousness in his voice, “Y…yeah… Should we go?”

The trip back to Cross city was drowned in silence as Zero fell asleep once again.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the moon dorms ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

With the sun setting, the rays were not as harsh when Ichiru opened the curtains to stir his sleepy lover from the bed. Sitting at the edge, he ran his fingers through the soft golden locks, smiling at the childish way Aido snuggled up to his hand.

“Wake up! Sleepy head.” He whispered as he watch the lazy electric blue eyes fluttering open.

Hanabusa stretched like a cat before suddenly pulling Ichiru under the sheets with him. Now, on all four, hovering over his lover, Aido did not waste time before claiming those lips for a gentle ‘morning’ kiss.

“Mornin’”

Ichiru chuckled at the lazy tone, “I could never get used to that, saying good morning when it’s getting dark.” He teased.

“Hmm… I guess I will have to adjust my clock then.” Aido announced, surprising his lover. “Why do you look shocked?”

“No! It’s just that… Won’t that be tough on you… It will take me time, but I can adjust back since I used to live like that with Shi-“ Ichiru was not able to finish his words as Hanabusa put a finger on his lips.

“You have already done enough, leave some compromise to me as well. I may not be able to go out with you in bright daylight, but I would be at least able to keep you company at home. We will have more time together that ways instead of watching each other sleep and only meet in the evenings. That seriously sucks.”

Ichiru looked away for a moment as he mumbled, “True… It feels like we are seeing each other less than any other time.”

“What did you do today?” Aido changed the topic, avoiding the unavoidable.

“Shopping for dinner with Yuki-chan. I just left her putting the grocery away with Cross and Kaito to come wake you up. You’re coming, right?” Ichiru gave his lover a worried look that made his heart ache.

“Of course I am.” Aido chirped, flopping beside the silverette. He rubbed the hand that he brought to his lips for another kiss before squeezing it to get Ichiru’s attention. “I cancelled the party by the way.”

Shocked amethyst eyes flew in direction of his, “What?”

“I told my father to postpone it until an indefinite date.” He stated.

“Why?” Ichiru felt as if his heart was about to jump out of his chest in fear of things ending with the blond vampire.

“You want another ceremony where he is not present?”

The question took the silver haired human by surprise. Propping himself on his elbow, he gave his lover a scrutinizing look, “The date will not make a difference now, because he is not coming no matter what.”

“I do not think that is quite true.”

“What do you mean? Hana… I told you… He does not want anything to do with me anymore… Isn’t that what you wanted in the first place?” Irritation and sadness were obvious in his voice.

Hanabusa looked away from the accusing eyes of his lover, “I take it back.”

“What?” Ichiru did not hear the mumble.

“I said that I am taking it back. I should have never made you choose between us in the first place.” He explained as he pulled him in a hug.

The stunned Ichiru could not believe what he was hearing but it did not help his irritation, “What difference does it make now?”

“Plenty.”

“…”

“Love… He did not reject you… He pushed you away because he cares about you… Just like I am taking back my words because I care about you.” Hanabusa whispered. It did not take much to figure out the reason for the sudden change of attitude that Zero displayed towards Ichiru. After the nasty word he threw his way, the golden vampire felt worse when Ichiru told him about what happened. If it was any other siblings, Zero would have clung to his twin without care of the consequences it may lead to. He would not take such drastic measures to send his brother back to his lover’s arms. However, it was the twins that he came to care about greatly that we are talking about. When he overheard the conversation of Ichiru and Gin about the dinner, memories of the times they celebrated the new year in US, just the three of them rushed back. It was during that time that he got fascinated by the amazing bond between the brothers, he grew fond of seeing them together, their interaction, their bickering. A need to cherish and protect that bond grew inside him along with deeper respect towards the hunter who never failed to display his overprotectiveness towards his twin without a hint of grudge or resentment for what he caused him in the past.

Even if he could not bring himself to accept Zero totally, neither forgive his reckless actions, it does not mean that his lover had to pay the price for their dispute. It was hard to see how dejected and down Ichiru had been since he took him back. It was truly a crime to attempt separating them in any way.

“What do you mean?” Ichiru cut off his train of thoughts.

Aido chuckled, “What would you have done if you were in his place and his lover made him choose between the both of you?”

Ichiru’s eyes did not take long to widen the size of a saucer before filling up with tear as his hand flew to his trembling lips, “Oh God! I… He… How could I have not noticed earlier… Nii-san… he…”

“Hai… Hai… Hai… It is quite amusing how I manage to figure him out faster than you do, I have to say… Anyways, stop those tears,” He begged as he rubbed a wet cheek, “Because as cute as you look when they are falling, I really do not wish to have my ass handed back to me on such a joyful day.”

“Huh?” Ichiru did not understand the words neither the smile on his lover’s face.

“His car just stopped.”

The younger twin instantly jumped and ran to the window, squinting in direction of Cross’s house. True enough, he could catch a glimpse of the black Jeep through the trees. He looked back at the vampire who joined him, “His aura has always been palpable when He is having his guard up.”

Long lost excitement coursed through Ichiru at the thought of his brother actually coming despite their differences. He looked hesitantly at his lover who was leaning against the window, “Hana… Are you sure?”

Hanabusa could not help but laugh at the way Ichiru was trying to hide the giddiness that shone through his eyes, pulling him in his arms for another kiss, he whispered against the soft lips, “I love seeing how happy you are when you are with him… Now go… I will be there shortly.”  

After one last kiss, Ichiru sprinted out of the room in a mad dash. He would not waste a single moment more to go the check on his brother. He knew that it wouldn’t be as easy as his lover thought it would be to patch things up. However, he was grateful for not having to be careful when around his brother because his lover may not like it, nope, he does not have to choose.

 

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In cross’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

Just like every year during the time he was living in this place, Zero found himself in the kitchen, cooking some edible food to go with Cross’s poison. Luckily, he procured himself a reliable assistant, unlike his clumsy adoptive sister whose only use was her palate. While Zero tackled the turkey that he convinced Cross to leave in his care, the ex-hunter fawned and gawked at the skill of his new recruit in making the dessert. Zero and Yuki could not help but tease the slightly blushing teacher who did not know how to handle the overly active Chairman who was supposed to be his boss.

Gin finally placed the pie in the oven and scooted over to Zero’s side while Cross busied himself with Ai as she stirred awake in her crib.

“Is he always this… energetic?” The bewildered look in grey eyes almost made Zero rip the turkey he was stuffing.

“Coming from _you,_ you make him sound like an alien. But, yeah! He gets extra hyperactive this time of the year for some reason. He always looks forward to the beginning of a new year. Hard to believe that he kept that upbeat stance for two centuries and still going strong.” Zero rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Zero observed the intrigued way that Gin was looking at the ex-hunter with, as if discovering a new specimen, but the look soon turned to amusement when the older man picked the baby and cooed at her like the loving grandfather he was.

“So, there exists a person that you have hard time dealing with. It might be because you have a lot in common.” Zero teased.

“As in?” Gin inquired, still amused by the sight.

“Your silly goofiness, too dramatic reaction… nosiness…. and the way you care too much about others…” Zero mumbled the last part as he stuffed the last bit of filling, his hand halted inside when his carbon copy skidded inside the kitchen and whipped his head around until their eyes met.

A moment of silence stretched as identical amethyst looked into each other before Zero averted his gaze and went back to his chore. He started regretting coming here after seeing the hopeful and overjoyed look on his brother. _It is going to be hard acting indifferent around him…. Damnit!_

“Ichiru! Didn’t you go to get Aido-sempai?” Yuki chirped as she wiped the silverware.

“Um…” Ichiru nodded, slightly put out by the reaction of his brother that did not go unnoticed by the others, “He said he will be here shortly.”

He proceeded to help Yuki while glancing at his brother from the corner of his eyes. He could not help but worry upon noticing that Zero had lost some weight. It was not noticeable, but no small detail would escape his eyes when it came to his brother.

Ichiru spent the whole dinner trying to think of a way to approach his brother without setting him off, while Zero was trying his best to dodge his approach as not to cause any trouble between the two lovebirds.

Getting irritated with the cats and dogs game, Cross Kaien finally stepped in and sent the both of them to wash the dishes, together. The order earned him many thumbs up and winks as soon as the twin had their back facing the crowd.

“Seriously, those two get extremely awkward when they fight that it ends up frustrating everyone around them.” The old hunter huffed as he sat next to his daughter.

“They always needed that little push, I appreciate the help.” Aido added, nodding at the old hunter. _It was a good idea to tell him that they are having a little spat._

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

Back in the kitchen, the two brothers stood by the sink, passing the dishes to each other in an automatic manner without uttering a word. Occasionally glancing at one another without being noticed. They were well aware of the two peeping tom crouching by the door and felt like throwing a glass or a plate at Yuki and Cross for them to quit acting like stalkers.

The father and daughter pair finally gave up and returned to the living room, sulking.

“How’s work?” Ichiru was the first to break the silence while wiping a plate that he rinsed, still looking out of the window.

Zero glanced his way for a brief moment, noticing the fidgety stance of his brother before sighing as he turned on the tap once again, “A little hectic as usual, you know with holidays and less people working etc…”

“I hope Allen did not freak out when you left today. It is usually the busiest time for you two since you have the motto of letting your staff go in paid vacation during this time.”

Zero shrugged as he passed a glass, “He won’t because he gave himself a paid leave as well.”

That successfully halted Ichiru’s motions, “How come?”

Their eyes finally met, “Tiera and the little one are in the hospital, again.”

Ichiru’s mouth opened in an ‘o’ and confusion was written all over his face, “Their daughter as well? Why?”

Zero sighed as he remembered the distraught look of his business partner when they talked about it, “They are still not sure. The little one is okay but they are worried about her health in the future. Allen agreed to the tests and diagnosis that the doctors requested urgently because they are suspecting that she might have the same weakened system as her mother.”

Ichiru’s shoulder slumped at the thought of the little princess being sick and bedridden. In the time they lived abroad, he came to care so much about the little family that he considered them one of his own.

“I am thinking of visiting them sometime soon, as soon as I settled the urgent projects and get some time off.” Zero announced as he dried his hands and leaned against the counter, “How’s work with you?” He finally asked the question that had been nagging at him. The hunter could not deny that he felt irritated at the possibility of Ichiru giving up his job and venture because of his recklessness.

His younger twin gave him a tight smile, “Ryou-san is holding down the fort for now. He is used to not having me around at this time of the year, I guess. His wife is having great time assisting him, although he could not stop grumbling about the customers hitting on her.”

Both of them laughed at the thought of the jealous bartender having to deal with a wife playing the waitress with him. “You should really think about hiring more staff if you are planning on staying here…”

There was a long silence before Zero interrupted Ichiru as he was about to say something, “I better wrap things up fast because I am going back to work as soon as dessert is served.”

“Nii-san… You don’t have to-“ _you don’t have to be so distant for my sake!_ Ichiru thought of saying, but decided against it because his twin will automatically go in denial as per usual.

“Hmm?” Zero hummed as he checked the time on his phone.

Ichiru shook his head and started going towards the door, “It is too bad that you have work.” he gave a wistful smile, “By the way… Hana said something funny today.”

Zero stiffened at the mention of the golden haired vampire he had been avoiding any sort of contact with today.

Glancing over his shoulder, “He said I look the happiest when I am around you, that he loved seeing me that way…”

Ichiru turned back and was about to join the others when he felt a hand grip his. He felt tears forming in his eyes, out of happiness this time. They stood there for a moment, not looking at each other, before Zero squeezed the slender wrist lightly, unable to utter a word.

“You are an idiot, Nii-san!” Ichiru huffed in a strained voice as he wiped the tears before turning to face the pained expression on Zero’s face. He cupped it with his free hand before pulling him slightly for a head-butt, “Pushing me away for my own sake will never bring me happiness, it will only hurt the both of us, badly.”

Ichiru gasped as he felt the air whoosh out of his lungs from the bone-crushing hug Zero pulled him in. He could not see his brother’s face, but he could feel what he was trying to convey from the crazily beating heart thumping against him and the slight tremble of his slightly bigger body.

“You are really silly.” Ichiru whispered over his shoulder as he hugged him back, “Just so you know, I might have stuck by your side out of guilt in the beginning but it is not the case anymore. I care about you because you are precious to me; you are the only family left for me no matter how many loving people surrounded us. Because… You know it, right? Nii-san… Even if the whole world goes against you, I will be there for you no matter what and I know that you would do the same for me as well… I might be harsh, unforgiving at times and extremely pushy, I am aware of that… But it does not mean that you are bothering me, no… No matter how messed up you end up being, you are my one and only brother that no one could ever replace. Do not forget that, okay! I will be always there for you whenever you need me. Don’t you ever push me away like that ever again… Okay? Zero!” Ichiru’s voice turned whiny like a child, reminding Zero of how they were as children when their role were the exact opposite of the present. When Ichiru was insecure about being a burden to Zero and how he would talk all night about how the importance of Ichiru in his life.

It was only when Zero saw feet approaching the kitchen that his amethysts eyes travelled upwards to meet tender grey ones of Gin who was about to make a U-turn as not to interrupt the moment. Zero however halted him by announcing loudly, “Should we serve the dessert then?” as he let go of his twin while ruffling his hair.

Ichiru could see the glistening in his brother’s eyes but more than that, his smile widened when he caught a glimpse of Zero’s smile as well.

Being separated for two days felt like months for the twins to the point that they retired to the patio for a bit of catching up.

“Can you believe that guy? I am afraid that he offended his father for such reason.” Ichiru grumbled.

Zero sighed as he rocked back and forth to get the grumpy Ai to sleep. “I am sure that he managed to avoid such a thing. He can be quite the smooth operator when he feels like it.”

Ichiru pouted, “I think I am starting to get jealous.”

“Hah? What for?”

“You two seem to understand each other more than I do and it kind of pisses me off.”

Zero snorted as he looked at the baby in his arms. “What is the deal with her father?”

“Who knows?” Ichiru snorted back as he stretched, “You heard Ichijou earlier, right? He is busy with legal matters regarding the branch of his ‘empire’ over there. I would say good riddance that he is out of sight. I hope he stays there forever if you want my honest opinion.” Ichiru grumbled with a voice full of hatred and venom.   

Zero made a sign for him to stop his ranting when he felt a pureblood aura approaching. Yuki came to join them for the rest of the night followed by the others.

Finally, with the help of Cross, they put Ai and Hina-chan to bed and tidied things before they bid each other farewell. Yuki, Cross and Kaito were upset to know that Zero was not staying over. Gin, on the other hand, offered to drive him back since he did not drink much and was worried about the hunter. The article he read that morning still haunting his thoughts. Zero was more than grateful for the company and headed to his car first, with Ichiru on his toes.

“Nii-san… If you need any help with work do not hesitate to call me. You look like you lost some weight, make sure to eat and rest…” Falling into his old habit, Ichiru clammed up when Zero looked at him with the, ‘You are doing it again’ look.

The hunter chuckled at the cute reaction and pulled his brother in an awkward side hug. “I understand Mum. I will eat, drink and brush my teeth before bed. Just don’t start calling me every five minutes or I will switch off my phone” Zero warned jokingly.

With a tongue out, “I would not dare to interrupt the quality time you are having with a certain someone.” Ichiru teased.

“Ichiru!” Zero growled.

“What? I did not say anything… It just looks like you are getting along better. I am not insinuating anything else. I won’t try to hook you up with any guy anymore, I made that promise to myself already. I am just happy when you make new friends, that is all.” Ichiru explained stubbornly with arms crossed over his chest.

“Hmm… Yeah… I have to agree with that… He is a good friend… Good boyfriend material as well.” Zero teased, glancing sideway at his flabbergasted twin.

“Nii-san… Would you stop with that sarcasm of yours?”

“Oh! And here I was trying to be serious for once.”

“You were serious?” Ichiru was confused.

“No… I was just kidding…Ow! Ow! Ouch! It was a joke, I swear” Zero screamed and laughed at the same time as Ichiru pulled and pinched his ear in a painful twist.

*Thump* *Thump* *Thump*

Zero’s body suddenly thrummed violently, his vision focused on the wrist in front of his eyes and the thin pulsing vein visible for his supernatural vision. In a sudden motion, he caged the limb in an iron-like grip as his fangs elongated. Only the hissing like breath reverberated in his head, not the yelp and gasp as Ichiru panicked and tried to pull his arms when seeing the glowing red eyes of his brother.

*Splash*

Zero had to blink a couple of time to realize what happened. He was standing with both hands held midair as if he was holding something; Gin’s hand was pushing against his forehead while the taller man had Ichiru’s upper arm in his other hand, keeping the younger twin behind him in a protective manner. The grey-eyed teacher sighed in relief when the amethyst color came forth. He let go of both of them and allowed himself to catch a breath from the mad dash he did.

He was getting some water from the kitchen when he coincidently saw the twins being chummy together, the sight pleased him and he found himself staring at them until he noticed the flickering of Zero’s eyes. With a water bottle in hand, he found himself opening the window, jumping and running as fast as he could with eyes glued on the fangs that were about to pierce the thin wrist. His body moved on its own as he threw the bottle square on Zero’s face and reached on time to pull the younger twin in the moment of confusion.

Finally realizing what happened, Zero was in a state of utter shock as he covered his face, thinking that his eyes were still looking like that of the beast he had been suppressing for so long. Catching on fast, Ichiru pushed Gin away and clapped both hands on Zero’s cheek, jolting him awake, “Nii-san! It is okay… You did not hurt me… It is okay!”

“But-“

“No buts! I am sure it happened because you are tired and probably forgot to take enough blood pills, right? Don’t think too much about it and go rest, Okay?” A genuine smile on Ichiru’s face without a hint of fear or distrust managed to calm the panic rising inside Zero. He nodded slightly as he got in the car after handing the keys to Gin.

Ichiru grabbed the arm of the older man, “Sorry again, and thank you for saving the day.”

Gin could feel the trembling of the hand clutching his arm but did not emphasize on it. He shrugged, “You could say that my body moved without thinking, glad I was of some help. I will keep an eye on him tonight and come back tomorrow if he is doing better. Don’t beat yourself about it as well.”

Ichiru nodded and watched as the car drove away, “Nii-san…” He whispered… “Was that out of thirst or…” His eyes widened for a moment, “bloodlust? It can’t be right?”

_The moment I smelled the scent of your blood, I felt like lava was running through my veins and a voice ringing in my head saying that I had to have it. Later when I tasted it, nothing could ever quench my thirst unless I drank from you. It got so bad that I was scared of attacking others when the pills would not satisfy me anymore. I almost bit Yuki-chan at one time. Good thing that she sent me flying across the wall._

Aido’s words resonated in his head while he made his way back to the house. _You are not craving Kuran’s blood, are you? Nii-san._

On the way back, Zero did not utter a word as he stared at the dark scenery. Both of them were exhausted by the time they reached the apartment, Gin immediately changed in the clothes he brought with him and made himself comfortable, while Zero checked his emails before joining him in a comfortable silence. The only difference is that the hunter kept a distance away from the human in fear of losing control once again even after drinking a handful of fake blood.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The next morning, Zero left Gin sleeping and drove to the clinic after receiving an early call saying that an appointment was canceled with the doctor he was seeking, which allowed a slot for Zero to consult him much earlier than expected. The silver haired hunter stopped by a gas station and changed in his disguise before entering the building with the heaviest feet ever.

His nervousness soared when the doctor appeared to be of a noble class vampire. He figured out that it would be the case seeing that the establishment catered to vampires, but the tense look of the doctor told him that the old vampire was not comfortable around hunters. Zero tried to act as friendly as possible as not to set his alarms off. The last thing he needed was to get arrested for being suspicious, that would be the embarrassment of his life.

“Um… Sir? Is there anything I should worry about?” He made his voice sound as meek but polite as possible.

The doctor finally relaxed in his presence. Going through the tests and scans. He asked Zero to lie down on the medical table and uncover his abdomen. Zero felt his heart drop at the insinuation but did as told, internally praying that the doctor finds that his theory was wrong.

He hissed at the cold gel spreading across his lower belly as the ultrasound handle glided on his skin. The old man reached his hand and pushed a button that signaled Zero’s doom.

*Badump*

*Badump*

*Badump*

A muffled sound of heartbeat left the hunter frozen in his spot, his mouth going dry.

"Mamiya-san, you are currently seven to eight weeks pregnant. Congratulation!" The doctor announced cheerfully as he wiped the gel of him and covering his stomach for Zero to stand up.

_Because of how breathtakingly beautiful you were when the child was conceived, I guess._

Zero was grateful for using the alias of the undercover missions. He was grateful for the hair dye and disguise. He was grateful because the words simply swiped the floor under his feet and he felt like he was on a freefall. The doctor announced that he was indeed pregnant like he feared, and that the child was most probably Kaname’s.

“That can’t be true?” Zero whispered.

The doctor retracted his hand that was extending a picture of the ultrasound when he faced the horrified expression of the hunter. He sighed, understanding that the news were not as welcome as he assumed.

“Mamiya-san… Your blood test came positive, but I wanted to be certain with the ultrasound. I believe that you heard the tiny heartbeat no matter how weak it might have been.”

Zero shook his head violently, “Something is not right in this story… I did a pregnancy test around that time that came back negative… Two of them actually. I can’t be pregnant… It is impossible.” Zero’s panic soared as he paced the room.

“Mamiya-san… I do understand your distress. However, you have to be aware that your unique condition allows for a pregnancy to occur even if your partner is not an upper class vampire or not a vampire at all for that matter.”

Zero rolled his eyes at the assumption of the doctor, “You think I don’t know about that crap… Okay! Let’s assume that I am indeed carrying, the timeframe is messed up. As I said, I took a test around that time and it came back negative.” Zero insisted, _Just tell me it is not Kaname’s!_

Rubbing his temple, the doctor asked him to sit down, “Mamiya-san! I am sorry but the diagnosis is as accurate as it can get. Look,” He showed him the picture pointing to a certain spot inside his womb, “The development of the fetus clearly indicates that you are at least seven weeks along. Besides, if you are saying that you had home pregnancy test barely a week after conceiving, it is quite normal for it to come back negative. The tests would fail to detect the pregnancy hormone at such an early stage.”

Lacing his hands against his mouth, Zero rocked back and forth on the chair before fixing the doctor with a steady look, “If what you are saying is true, then it is still not too late for an abortion.” A chill ran down his spine at his own words.

The doctor paused for a moment before placing the picture on the desk and tap on it with his fountainpen, “Mamiya-san, seeing that you are an ex-human, and I am by no mean looking down on the rank or anything. I assume that you do not know the laws of the vampire society when it comes to this matter.”

Zero gave him a confused look.

“Abortion is forbidden by the vampire law.” The doctor announced flatly.

“What?!”

“It is not allowed because of the already scarce population of vampires existing in the country.”

“What the fuck?”

“Sir, please calm down.”

“Calm down? You are telling me to calm down after telling me that I am not allowed to get rid of what is growing inside me because that would reduce the number of bloodsuckers by one?” Zero was livid.

“I understand that it goes against your hunter’s moral, but what is not allowed is not allowed. That is a fact that will not change.”

“How much do you need to do it? I will pay whatever you ask for.” Zero insinuated the bribe that was very common in any society, hoping that it works.

“The punishment is not worth any fortunes sir.” The doctor denied, still keeping his cool.

“Punishment! Can you please stop the bullshit, it is not the first time I am having an abortion, and it sure as hell did not lead to any fucking ‘punishment’”

The doctor’s face hardened at the news, “May I know where and when did you have it, Sir?”

Zero regretted blurting it out the moment he saw the look, “Few years back, in U.S”

The doctor sighed in relief, “Thank goodness! I would have had to put you on probation if it was done in Japan. The law does not apply there.”

“So, I can ask for it over there?” Zero caught on the loophole. He was desperate to find a solution since his brother in law most likely will not want to have anything to do with him anymore. _They can’t know about this, hell no!_

“Unfortunately, that will not be possible now. The law had been implemented worldwide starting few months ago. The king is adamant in pursuing the footsteps of his grandfather when it comes to this issue, just like his mother.”

“The king?” Zero gritted his teeth; _This is what he meant when he said that he would take the measures needed to prevent the abortion._

“Yes. His grandfather implemented the capital punishment for anyone helping such practice, from the vampire carrying the aborted child, the one helping him, the one providing the drug if any was used, and the one manufacturing such a drug. Only a handful of scientists are aware of the formula for such medication, they are not allowed to practice unless they get an approval from the royalties. An abortion is only possible if the life of the mother is in fatal danger.”

Zero was speechless. All his thoughts traveled to the golden-haired vampire who was risking his own neck by helping him without the hunter knowing about it. He was still unable to formulate any coherent thoughts before the doctor spoke again.

“After realizing the mistreatment and side effect of such a law on the unwanted children, Juri-sama, the late queen built an institute for the purpose of sheltering and raising such innocent souls. The establishment in still operating. So, Mamiya-san, if you really are not keen on raising this child for whatever reasons you might have, can you at least carry it to term and place it in the capable hands of that institute. I am ready to assist you along the way and deal with the paperwork to finalize it in a way that you will have nothing to worry about afterwards.”

_Yeah right! Hand over the king’s child to the institute that his own mother established. How ironic would that be?_

“I will think about it.” Zero gave the last statement before leaving the place without looking back. Even if the doctor tried to reach out to him, he will find no trace of Mamiya Riku.

 

     **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞TBC∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So~
> 
> How will Zero deal with his problem now that all doors closed in his face.
> 
> The next chapter will also be about Zero dealing with the shattering news, I will later do a flashback chapter about what happened with Kaname after the ball, as well as the truth about his talk with Yuki.
> 
> The next chappie is on the way, will probably be posted tomorrow and it is an exciting one, unlike this one ;)
> 
> I hope you are looking forward to it.
> 
> I am on spring break now, so apart from working part-time, I have plenty of time to write… Yaaaaay to another writing spree.
> 
> By the way, I forgot to ask you guys whether you preferred longer chapter instead of the short ones I started with in the beginning of the story.  
> 
>    
> 
> BUCKETS OF LOVE AND KISSES FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWERS   
> LOVE YOU ALL GUYS, AND A BIG THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO READ, THOSE WHO CLICKED THE KUDO's BUTTON AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING THE STORY.
> 
> YOU ARE THE BEST.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you soo much for giving me the best smile when I woke up to so many reviews…
> 
> I always find myself excited to read them and sometime end up reading them more than once, I am sorry for not replying to the previous one, I was sick and sleepy by the time I finished the previous chapter. Hopefully I will have the energy to reply to every single one of them this time XD
> 
> The reason for the delay will be in the author note after the chapter.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

After shoving the wig and lenses in the pouch, Zero got back in his car and gripped the steering wheel while taking a shuddering breath. Squeezing his eyes shut, he kept mumbling to himself

“This can’t be happening!”

“This can’t be happening!”

“This can’t be happening!”

“This can’t be happening!”

“Fuck! Damnit!” Finally losing his cool and banged his fist against the innocent vehicle.

Resting his forehead on the steering wheel, he tried to even out his ragged breath as his anxiety soared to no end.

“Why does it have to turn all wrong whenever I try to do the fucking right choice for once?”

A memory of the conversation he had with Gin last night resurfaced.

**_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞_ **

Zero stirred in the middle of the night, feeling sick again. He intended to walk into the bathroom and gurgle only to end up throwing up as soon as the water pressed on the back of his throat.

The retching woke the sleeping teacher who stumbled into the bathroom, clumsily rubbing Zero’s back as he squinted his sleepy eyes.

“You need to get yourself checked, Zero…” Gin spoke as he passed the towel to the hunter after he washed his face, “Should I drive you to the hospital now?” He suggested after washing his own to be more awake.

“No.” Zero mumbled, “It is not that big of a deal, I will go tomorrow whenever I have time, I just want to lie down now.” he added as he got back to bed with Gin following him.

Seeing that he was still keeping his distance but facing him this time, Gin stared at the dazed hunter who was lost in his thoughts.

“Are you still bothered?” The human asked.

“Not really. It must have been my neglect to drink enough pills before going that made me attack Ichiru. I just… I hate it whenever it happens.” Zero buried his face in the pillow, letting out a frustrated sound.

“Sorry for throwing that bottle on you, that must have hurt.” Gin winced at the memory.

The chuckling hunter finally looked sideway, “I am glad you did it, and no… I think I was in such trance that I did not feel the pain if it actually hurt.”

“Good then.” Gin sighed in relief as he crossed his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. A long moment of silent stretched to the point he thought that Zero fell asleep, but he startled when the hunter spoke again.

“I don’t want to be like this anymore…”

“Hmm?”

“All I ever do is hurt and trouble those around me.” Zero spoke as if talking to himself, “I can’t do this anymore…”

Gin did not utter a word, not wanting to interrupt the hunter who seemed like he needed him to listen more than talk.

“I felt so empty… Alone. I used to be fine on my own… No, I used to like being alone after losing my family and thinking that Ichiru died as well…” Zero clutched the pillow, remembering the shock and mixed feelings he felt when he found his brother alive again, “But I don’t… I can’t lose him… or anyone else anymore… I don’t want that.”

Gin shifted to lie on his side, facing the hunter… “You won’t… You’re no saint Zero, none of us is. We are bound to make mistakes… Hurt each other… But it is the ability to forgive and move on that allows us to stick together, right? It might be arrogant of me to say this, but I do not think your brother would ever want to cut off ties with you for any reason.”

“He might, one day… As long as I am this wretched, everyone will realize that they are better without me in their life, eventually…”

“Now that is just your low self-esteem talking.” Gin pointed.

“Quit it with that jargon, will you… I am talking seriously here.”

“So am I… Okay, so… What are you getting at?” Gin shrugged.

Zero remained silent for a while, “I want to change… for the better…”

Gin smiled at the timid way that Zero voiced his wish, the honesty in those amethyst eyes almost blinded him with its shine.

“You can…” The answer made Zero look into the grey eyes that bored into his, “You can, if you really want to… However,” Gin extended a hand to pinch Zero’s nose bridge and retracting it again, “You’ve got to do to feel good about yourself for it to be worth it, you do not have to change to please others and abide by their expectation.”

Zero gave him a mildly surprised look, not expecting such an answer. If it was anyone else, they would start lecturing about the points in his lifestyle that needed changing and habits he needed to quit.

“Hmm… Wise words, old man!” the hunter teased as he stretched and stood to drink more water from the glass that Gin brought him earlier, unaware of how the grey eyes following the flexing of the tight muscles of his abdomen as he moved.

“Do you have any more interesting advices?!” Zero teased

“Let see…” Gin rubbed his non-existent beard, “Just take things one step at a time and rely on others when you feel like you’re falling back in the habits you want to get rid of.”

Zero slid back under the covers and gave Gin a small smile, “You’re really good at this.”

“What?”

“Giving a positive push…”

“ooh… So I got promoted to being a good friend?” Gin wiggled his eyebrows, “Since I have always been the annoying nag following you around.”

The words and action made Zero laugh hard, forgetting his predicament for a moment, before Gin talked again.

“So will you be kind enough to quit it with the valley between us, the chill is really getting to me every time you move the covers.”

Zero pursed his lips as a response. The ethic teacher exhaled and tried to sound as humorous as possible, “Do you feel like having me as a midnight snack?”

“Heck no!” Zero bellowed.

“Then it’s all good. You did drink a lot of blood pills. If you are still unsure go have more and come back to get some proper sleep.” Gin pointed to the metallic case lying on the nightstand.

Almost shyly, Zero scooted from the edge of the bed to get closer to the bulky man occupying the other half of it. Pulling him in a bear hug, Gin kissed the silver head, “Now get some rest to tackle a bright new day with that resolve of yours.”

Zero scoffed as he enjoyed the warmth, “You need know that what happened today was your fault to begin with.”

“Pardon?” Gin tilted his head back to see a mischievous glint in violet orbs.

“The reason Ichiru pulled at my ear was because of you.”

“How so?” Gin was confused by the flat tone Zero had that soon turned humorous and sarcastic.

“We were talking about how good of a friend material you are, since Ichiru always enjoys seeing me with more people for some reason.”

“That would be because you are such a lone wolfie.”

Zero frowned, “wolfie?”

“Making it cuter.” Gin winked.

“Geh!”

“You’re welcome… And how did it escalate from that?” Gin urged the hunter to continue.

“I was telling him that you would make some good boyfriend material.”

“You didn’t!” Gin exclaimed in disbelief.

“I did.” Zero confirmed, looking at Gin with a smirk on his face.

“And you were joking, of course!” Gin deadpanned, not letting his hopes up any more.

“Why do you assume that so fast as well?” Zero gave a fake pout.

Gin grabbed and pulled the lower lip, “Because I learned how much of a prankster you can be when you are in that kind of mood, brat.”

“Tch! No fun.” Zero grumbled, nursing his lip that Gin let go of.

“Come back when you are serious and I will show you what fun is really like.” Gin poked his cheek before pulling the covers over Zero’s shoulder to urge him to sleep like a child.

“Trust me, you would not want a boyfriend with a huge burden like mine as a bonus.” Zero mumbled, his eyes drooping slightly as sleep started to claim him.

“We all have a certain luggage we carry from our past, Zero! Don’t be too harsh on yourself…” Gin whispered, “No matter how heavy the burden might get, I will take it all and be happy if the time comes.”

“Optimistic much!” Zero snorted, “Why do you care so much anyways. To be honest, if I was in the right mood I would have kicked your ass when you came over yesterday. Why did you bother with the fight between brothers that much? It really bugged me how you would be pacifying things every time we bickered in your presence.” 

After a long yawn, Gin answered in a slurry voice, “Let us say that I did not have the best experiences of an early childhood that any normal kid would have gone through to the point that it was hard to bond with others at some point. However, I was taught later the importance of the family bond. I saw the ideal sibling’s relationship in the one you have with your brother. However, instead of feeling jealous or envious of what the both of you have, I found myself wanting to protect it somehow. I am sure that I am not the only one.” Gin rambled and waited for the hunter to respond, but nothing came forth.

Glancing at the silverette, he found that he was already asleep, clutching his shirt as if to prevent him from going away.

**_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ end of flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞_ **

While leaning against the steering wheel, Zero stared at his flat stomach.

“Why did you have to be such a survivor in there, and now your dad is blocking all routes for me to prevent the worst from happening. I am sorry, but I can’t do this… I can’t involve him… I can’t let him back in my life again… This needs to be done for both our sakes…” He mumbled as he poked his stomach, his throat tightening as he tried to take a deep breath before driving away.

Back in his apartment, Zero found Gin in the kitchen, looking groggy as he was making coffee.

The hunter steeled his nerves and put on a poker face to hide his turmoil before the man turned to greet him. The poker face soon vanished in favor of an uncharacteristically hilarious laughter, “God! Your hair…” Zero pointed to the dark blue locks at the front that stood like the crown of a rooster.

Gin was surprised for a second until he actually saw his reflection on the metallic fridge, “Oh man! Here I was trying to fix it earlier, your silly comb really does nothing but mess it up more. Do not underestimate the struggle of having this kind of hair.”

“Shave it off then.” Zero shrugged, finally breathing after the fit of laughter.

“You think I did not try.” Gin deadpanned.

“And?”

“I looked like an out of place monk, confusing people about how they should act around me.” The flat statement sent Zero into another fit of giggles.

“Where have you been?” Gin asked, worry laced in his voice made Zero halt his actions. Luckily, Zero had a proper alibi with the bag he pulled and placed on the kitchen table.

“Here… Brand new shaver and toothbrush. I figured that you forgot to pack them when you complained about the toothbrush yesterday.” Zero explained to the happy man who rummaged through the bag.

“You’re a lifesaver, Thanks.” Gin grinned.

“Nah… I should be the one thanking you… You have been a big help the past couple of days.” Zero shrugged as he jumped on the table, dangling his legs childishly, “At least, you will look less like a Siberian husky.” he teased as he reached a hand to scratch the stubble, Gin made a roaring sound and attempted the fingers messing around with his face.

“Why a Siberian husky?”

“Hmm… Dunno… Maybe the eyes… You give off the feeling of a wolf in sheep clothing, somehow.” Zero made a mocking observant stance.

“Perceptive much…” Gin teased, “What do you want for breakfast? I am cooking today. “

“Oh really? Blueberry pancakes then…” Zero blurted out in an overly excited voice, only to frown afterwards. He never like blueberries before, glancing down at his stomach, he sighed again when he realized that his cravings had already kicked in.

“Blueberry pancake it is. Let me see what’s in the fridge to go get the missing ingredients.” Opening the contraption, Gin was amazed at how well stocked up the fridge was, “Now this is impressive. I guess we have everything.”

“Yeah…” Zero trailed, in a voice that alerted Gin to the sudden change of mood, “Ichiru has the habit of keeping the fridge full. I will go change and be right back.” Zero jumped from the table and stomped to the bedroom without looking at the other man.

Gin observed him until he disappeared out of his sight. After letting out a long sigh, he proceeded to make breakfast. He was lucky to find a pack of a pancake mix that he just needed to add milk and blueberries to instead of doing it from scratch.

Gin started to worry when Zero took too long to come back from changing his clothes but opted for leaving him alone. Once everything was done, he decorated the sumptuous breakfast with melted butter, blueberries and brown sugar. Looking at the mess he made, Gin collected the trash and empty milk carton to throw in the bin. As he was about to let go of the stuff, something caught his attention inside the bin. It was not hard to recognize the shape of a pregnancy test glaring back at you. He felt his heart racing faster than normal and his breath growing shorter as he reached down for it, glancing in the direction of the corridor to make sure that Zero did not come yet.

Flipping the stick to its front, he gasped almost loudly when his suspicions were confirmed. In the small square screen of the digital test, he was unmistakably reading the word ‘pregnant’. Upon hearing footsteps getting closer, he immediately threw it back and covered it with the trash he was holding.

“Mmm… Looks yummy.” Zero forced a cheerful voice.

“Let’s dig in then.” Gin chirped back, trying his best to keep the fact to himself until the hunter feels comfortable enough to talk about it.

Unfortunately, it did not take long for Zero to interrupt the peaceful silence of the meal by a mad dash to the bathroom. Now that he was able to connect the dots properly, Gin rushed to his side doing the same thing he previously did.

Seeing the hunter crouched over the toilet seat retching and heaving pained him a lot. A weak whimper alerted Gin to grab the slender waist as Zero lost the strength in his legs when he tried to get up. He guided him to the sink, supporting him as he refreshed himself. If it went as usual, the hunter will snap back to his usual self in a matter of moments after the spell passes. However, this time was different.

Just as Gin let go of Zero and was about to ask him if he needed anything, the hunter turned around and reached a hand asking for support. Thanks to the fast reaction, Gin found himself holding a boneless hunter who had no strength except for the hands clutching on the shirt above his shoulder in desperate need of support.

“Zero! Hey… What’s wrong?” Gin panicked as he held the trembling body closer to his.

“Hnnn...” Another weak whimper resonated close to the junction of his neck where Zero’s head was resting, “I don’t know… The room is spinning.”

“Hold on, let me get you to the nearest hospital… This is not normal.” _even if you are pregnant._

“NO! NO! that’s not necessary.” Zero panicked at the mention of the hospital.

“Don’t be stupid, you have been feeling unwell for too long… You have to get yourself checked.”

“I will… I have an appointment today… I will go… Just lend me your shoulder for a moment… I will be fine…” Zero reassured, absolutely desperate to get the idea of Gin taking him away out of his head. He was not sure about what is happening to his body but he was aware of the root cause.

The thrumming of his body got louder, feeling almost feverish as Gin held him up straight. Moments later, Gin instructed him to try holding onto his neck to take him to bed. When Zero cooperated, the teacher lifted him bridal style back to the bedroom. As he neared the bed, he felt Zero’s grip tightened around his neck. Taking it as a signal that the hunter does not want to let go, he sat on the bed, cradling Zero like a baby.

It was too late when he realized his mistake. In a split of a second as he was adjusting himself, a hissing sound resonated before a pair of fangs sunk into his shoulder, close enough to the junction of his neck.

The searing pain that suddenly jolted his body made him see white, the gulping sound was hard to process as his eyes were wide and body frozen in shock for a second before his brain processed what was happening.

“UGH! Ze… Zero… Stop” He gasped as the hunter took one big gulp after another like a thirsty traveller who found an oasis in the middle of a desert. Pushing the ex-human off did not work as Zero had a vice grip over his neck and the shifting only increased the pain. Gin finally dropped his own back on the bed, dragging Zero with him.

He was not sure if Zero had his fill or if the change of position snapped him out of his trance, but Gin was grateful to the painful feeling of those needles leaving his skin. Opening his eyes that he screwed shut, he came face to face with a crimson-eyed Zero with aroused fangs and his blood dripping from the parted lips of the vampire form of the silverette.

The horrified expression on Zero’s face told Gin that he was regaining his senses. Taking a page from Ichiru’s book, Gin tried to reign in his panic and smile to reassure the hunter that he was okay, but the act was not convincing with the punctures on his skin and the light colored shirt getting soaked with blood oozing out of his wounds.

Zero jolted away, banging his back against the wall after taking few steps back, looking with horror at what he did, _No! No! I did not! NO!_

Grabbing his bangs in frustration as he looked at Gin who was getting up slowly from the bed. Zero slid down against the wall while wiping his face with both hands as memories of the past came crawling back, _It is happening all over again! the same… the beast…_

His fingers touched the still warm thick liquid on his lips and he instantly felt disgust overwhelm him. Using the shirt he was wearing, Zero started rubbing his mouth in a bruising fashion, his eyes returned to normal and fangs retracted by that time.

In his frenzy, he did not notice when Gin reached and crouched in front of him. It was when he reached to stop the scrubbing that Zero slapped his hand away, giving him a look of pure fear and terror.

“Stop hurting yourself!” Gin clasped both the hunter’s hands in his, oblivious to his own pain, “I am okay, see?” he gave a squeeze to the trembling hands that induced tears falling from violet eyes.

“No, you’re not!” Zero bawled.

“I am.”

“You’re hurt, I hur-“

“It will heal in no time.”

“I could have killed you.” Zero whimpered at the horrible scenario that could have happened.

“But I am alive, aren’t I. You stopped.” Gin reassured, the smile never leaving his face.

“I am no good after all, Gin? I can’t-“

“Shhh…” Gin shook him slightly as his hands grabbed the tense shoulders of the hunter.

“That is not true…”

“I always hurt those around me.” Zero snapped angrily, “Just leave me alone… That is the best… I should just disappear from this world.”

“STOP IT, DAMN IT!” Zero startled at the scream of the frustrated teacher. “To hell with all that crap.” Gin gritted as he squeezed the shoulders, “So what if you have a depraved lifestyle, so many others are leading similar life and never bothered about anything. If you don’t like it, you can stop. I can be your brakes. if you want and I will help you through it, all you need to do is to ask. So what if you fucking bit me and drank a few gulps? You can drink me dry if you want, I would not mind at all. You want to know why? Because I love you! I said it many times, but I have to say more to get through that thick skull of yours. By I love you, I mean that I appreciate everything about you, including your vampire side and I was prepared for this. That if a day comes and you actually return my feeling or give me a chance, I am sure as hell not going to mind it; you drinking from me, at all.” Gin spoke fast and firmly to the point that Zero remained open mouthed and speechless.

 

“The hell is that?” Zero mumbled.

“Exactly what you heard.” Gin answered in a heartbeat, “I want to be your support, the shoulder you cry on whenever life gives you the hardest time, and I wish I can ease as much pain as I can while sharing fun and happy moment together.” he added softly while taking a hand of the stunned hunter to kiss.

The hand never reached his lips as Zero yanked it as he screamed bloody murder, “The hell are you saying? Drink you dry… Do you even know what that means?” Zero clutched his own throat, “Do you know the effort it takes to not do that… How easily you can fizzle out if I let the beast inside me ran rampant… Do you realize that you are trying to ruin all the struggle and effort I made to control it all these years? Now, you come and tell me that it is okay to be the monster I fucking hate because _you love me…_ To hell with that love of yours… To hell with you and everyone else… Leave! Get out! Get out of my sight!” Zero stood and stomped away, his nostril flaring of extreme anger.

He gritted his teeth when Gin grabbed his arm, he turned around to snap at him again, but his lips were quickly covered as Gin leaned to kiss him suddenly. Instead of struggling, Zero suddenly found himself responding, licking Gin’s lips and seeking access as he wrapped his arms around his neck. Gin did not waste time to pull his body flush against his, all while pushing him towards the bed. In between gentle caresses and soft kisses, Zero could hear the murmured apologies that Gin repeated like a mantra… The sincerity of the plea sent warmth through his body and mind, sending him in a daze to the point that the voice ended up changing to the one he longed to hear… Amethyst eyes widened at the realization…

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Few hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Gin laid back on the bed, with few pillows raising his back, topless with Zero sprawled on top of him. The teacher sighed as his fingers kneaded the scalp of the silver hunter in a soothing manner. The covers were hiding the naked form of the hunter, keeping the cold away as the heater turned off automatically and none of them had the desire to move and turn them on.

Zero’s head was resting on the strong chest, Gin’s heart thrumming against his ear before he shifted and looked at the concerned grey eyes.

“Feeling better?” Gin inquired.

“Um…” Zero answered timidly as Gin run a finger under a red-rimmed eye. “Sorry, I must have freaked you out.” Zero let out a silly laugh as he apologized.

“No such a thing.” Gin smiled reassuringly.

“You really take everything in stride.” Zero pointed as he got up from the bed pulling the covers around his form as he collected his clothes to wear.

“Told you.” Gin stated, earning a confused look from Zero that made him elaborate, “That no matter how heavy your burden gets, I will be there to support you and lighten the load if I can.”

“Careful, I might take you up on that offer.” Zero warned jokingly.

“Please do!” Gin smirked back.

Zero chuckled as he slid on a shirt, “Okay… All jokes aside. I don’t mean to sound rude and I am by no mean kicking you out for good. I really appreciate you being here and all, but I really need some time alone. I have few things that I need to sort out and I am sorta-“

“No need to explain yourself, Zero.” Gin interrupted, “You need your own space and I have been invading it a bit too much lately. I do have some things to deal with at the new house as well. I just wanted to make sure that you are well enough so that I do not worry when leaving you alone.”

Zero gave him a thumb up, “I can assure you that I am A-ok now. You can get on with your business without worrying about me killing myself, worrywart.”

“Okay… Now I am worried.” Gin frowned while crossing his arms.

“Come on~ that was sarcasm, a joke you dork.” Zero smirked while passing Gin the clean shirt and threw the bloodied one.

“Fine.”

After a lot of nagging Gin finally left. Leaving Zero alone in a cold empty apartment with a heart heavier than a mountain.  

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Later in Cross Academy ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

A mouth dangled open expecting the prize to reach its destination, sadly the cold sweetness hit the side of the lip.

Aido hissed, “Babe, I know I am an ice-wielder, but when you drop ice cream on my skin, I do feel the chill.”

Ichiru giggled as he brought the spoon to his own mouth to claim what remained on it before having another mouthful from the tub on his lap. Aido sighed again, “Seriously Ichiru… I am going to be very pissed if you end up getting sick from eating ice cream in the middle of the winter.”

The silver twin rolled his eyes and removed the spoon with a pop, “Come on~ Hana… You’ve been with me long enough to know that I enjoy ice-cream the most during the cold season.”

“And it took me that long to realize that you always end up coming down with something if I do not stop you from overeating it.” Aido quipped as he snatched the tub from his pouting lover and standing up. “I think I will have to install a lock on the freezer from now on.”

“Stingy! huh?” Ichiru frowned at the nightstand where Aido’s phone blinked, “Hana, your phone has been blinking for some time. Did you forget it on silent again?”

Aido took one last gulp of water after wiping the ice-cream from his chest, glancing sideway, “No… It is nothing for you to worry about.”

His words came a little too late as the phone was already in Ichiru’s hand. Violet orbs widened and looked up into annoyed electric blue ones.

Ichiru flipped the screen for Hanabusa to see, “It’s nii-san, have you been ignoring his calls this way?” He reached for his phone under the pillow and cursed when he found that it ran out of charge.

Aido sat on the edge of the bed, “Being okay with you making up with him does not mean that I would do the same.”

Ichiru’s mouth opened to say something, paused, and then scoffed “That is just stupid… Okay… I am not going to argue on this, do whatever you want, but you could tell me when he calls you at least. It is not like he is calling _you._ My phone went out of charge and he is probably trying to reach me, mister genius,” he added with a voice dripping with dry sarcasm.

The noble vampire ignored the irritated tone, not wanting to fall in an argument like every time Zero’s issues come up in their conversation. However, instead of using his own phone, Ichiru went ahead and answered Hanabusa’s phone, which ticked him off.

“Hello, nii-san! How are you today…” Ichiru chirped as he crisscrossed his legs, “Sorry! my phone went out of charge.”

“Hey… That’s fine, I was actually trying to reach Hanabusa.”

“…”

“Is he with you?”

“Uhm…” Ichiru stuttered and pointed to the phone looking at his lover to tell him silently that the hunter wanted to talk to him. He groaned softly when Aido refused stubbornly.

“I guess he does not want to talk to me, as expected.” Zero’s voice was flat and lifeless, which worried Ichiru.

“Nii-san? Is everything alright?” Ichiru asked

Taking a deep breath, Zero pondered on how he should go about breaching the topic.

“Nii-san?”

“If he is nearby, could you put the phone on speaker? but not too loud though.” Zero instructed.

“Uhm… okay… Done.” Ichiru’s answer confirmed that the noble was indeed around.

“I am pregnant.” Zero finally got straight to the point.

“SHIT!” Ichiru reacted as expected, making the hunter wince while Aido’s shoulder slumped as he ran a hand across his face.

“And it is most likely Kaname’s” The second bomb dropped.

“DOUBLE SHIT!” at this point Ichiru was standing up on top of the bed, looking at the phone with utter shock and horror in his expression.

Zero had to keep the phone away as his ears rang from the shouting. “Anyways…” He let out a loud exhale, “I know that he does not want to have anything to do with me anymore and I certainly cannot blame him.”

Ichiru could notice his brother’s voice straining, _is he crying?_

“Zero?”

“Just… help me… Please!” The hunter finally snapped, curling in a ball on the couch where he was sitting, having difficulties holding back his sobs as he rocked back and forth… “I don’t want to go through that again, Ichiru… I cannot do this without his help… Please… I know it’s too much to ask… but… I really need to get rid of it… This cannot happen… I can’t let it happen.”

“Nii-san… Calm down… Are you sure? Do you really want to terminate it?” Ichiru asked looking at his lover who had an equally strained expression.

“Yes... If he has not intention to help, please tell me as soon as possible. I will have to go through the method I used before as the last resort.” Zero informed as he sniffled while wiping his tears.

Ichiru’s eyes widened in time with the flinch of Aido’s hand on his own knee as the horrible memory flashed through their mind. “Don’t be rash, nii-san! Give me a couple of days.” Ichiru answered with a firm and stern voice, reassuring Zero.

After making sure that his brother calmed down, Ichiru hung up with a long sigh and looked at his lover who just got back into the room after he left for few minutes.

Aido placed a box on his lap that Ichiru opened to find various wrapped medicine that he recognized all too well. His frown deepened as he pondered for a moment.

“You will have to take it to him. I am not sending this through express mail.” Hanabusa stated.

“Have you always kept this stash around?” Ichiru mumbled taking one packet containing the powdered medicine that Zero would use for abortion.

“It is my motto to be better safe than sorry. I wish someone else adapted the same attitude though.” the vampire bit as he yanked the suit he would use for an upcoming meeting with his research sponsor. All energy and enthusiasm he felt after he woke up drained to none by the news. He was already conflicted on how to act around Kaname when he gets back from his business trip, now all he feels is that he lost all respect towards the pureblood for making his brother-in-law go through another traumatizing experience because of his selfish desires. Now matter how Takuma sugar-coated it, Aido was well aware that Kaname did not understand the hunter and tried to bend his will. A mistake that would never work with Zero and will only end up backfiring in the worst way. _Even if it was out of love and desperation, that is just…_

He sighed, chasing the negative thoughts he had been drowning in lately. Glancing at his lover, He saw Ichiru push the little box away and fold his knees to rest his chin over them.

“Babe… Don’t even think about it.” Aido demanded in a stern voice, guessing what is going through his lover’s mind.

Ichiru looked at him with an agonized expression, “I never agreed to this, and never wanted to have a hand in it.”

Aido sighed, “Neither do I. However, you cannot force him into it again after you saw how it affected him. I really do not want to see the same gory thing happening again.”

Ichiru cringed at the memory, and his face contorted as he remembered how wretched his brother was at that time. The thought of Zero going through it again made him clutch the box, trying to build a firm resolve to do something he had been so long against.

“I know it is hard for you to have it on your conscience.” Aido patted the silver head.

“Uhm… I have always hated the practice, even before… you know.”

“I know… But you do understand that in Zero’s case, having a child would probably turn his life upside down, and not necessarily in a good way. Especially if his suspicions about the father are correct.” Hanabusa mumbled the last part, “It is not our right to force him in going through such a thing.”

He felt bad for his lover for having to go through this. One of their biggest fight was when Zero messed up and got pregnant with Marco’s child. Aido did not hesitate to pull the confidential documents holding the formula of the abortion medicine, made it and gave it to Zero. He can still remember the grateful look that the hunter gave him, although it pained Aido to be a part of it.

When Ichiru got wind of it, Hanabusa got the first taste of the absolutely livid Ichiru that he belatedly discovered having a strong aversion towards what he called ‘a criminal act’. He later understood that the root cause of it is the fact that hunters have a history of abortion whenever the woman appeared to be bearing twins, in order to avoid the ‘curse’. 

It was hard convincing the stubborn lover that it was not fair to impose such belief on his brother and wreck his life along with the life of the unwanted child.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next day, in Zero’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Ichiru stood in the middle of the living room. His brother sat on the couch, leaning on his knees while both stared at the medicine on the coffee table.

“Thanks for taking the trouble of bringing it in addition to making him prepare it.” Zero gave a grateful nod to his brother who shook his head, shrugging.

“He already had a bunch of it prepared, just in case.”

Zero gave a breathy chuckle, “Just like him.”

“Are you sure, you want to do this? You know that you can-“ Ichiru was about to attempt changing Zero’s mind but a hand stopped him.

“No, Ichiru… This has to be done, sorry. I know how you feel about it. However, I am not ready to take responsibility for a child and have my condition going public. I know I can go away and give birth, and then give the child up for adoption. I know that it is what you were going to suggest and I did think about it. Unfortunately, it is a risk I cannot take when I know that it is highly likely that it is _his_ child. I would have also done the same even if that probability did not exist.” Looking up at his younger twin’s disapproving expression, Zero gave him a warm smile, “I was thinking long and hard about every possible solution, but I could find no better one if I want to do what I am aiming for.”

“What is it?” Ichiru inquired, confused at the look on Zero’s face.

“Changing for the better.” Zero shrugged, surprising his brother.

“This child might be the first step Zero.” Ichiru latched on the idea.

Zero shook his head, “No… This won’t be as easy when I am haunted by the idea of raising a child on my own, because there is no way I am letting him know about it if that is the case.”

“But you will not be alone.” Ichiru begged as he sat beside his brother.

“My decision is set in stone, Ichiru.” Zero answered firmly, not allowing any more room for discussion.

“I wish there was another way.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Ichiru patted on his shoulder and stood, stretching. “It is selfish of me to try and convince you otherwise, Hanabusa already lectured me about it, but I could not help but try. After all, we would have not came into existence if our parents did not oppose the idea of aborting us because mother carried twins. I tend to think that no matter what hardship and trouble it might bring, it is only fair to give the little existence inside of you a chance to survive in this world… Anyways… Enough rambling, I am going to check on the bar while I am here. Are you planning on taking it today. I will stay over if you need me by your side. Hanabusa told me that it can get quite painful, although I never witnessed it before.”

Zero smiled at his brother and waved a dismissing hand, “Your hubby is just too fussy about my health. I will be fine on my own. I don’t think I will be taking it today though. I have work I need to deal with urgently.” 

“Alright! Take care then, I will be going back after checking on Ryou-san.” Ichiru announced.

Zero smirked, “Enjoying the married life, aren’t we.”

Ichiru blushed, “It is scary how I am getting used to being a househusband. Oh! by the way, make sure to prepare housewarming gifts, The new condo will be opening soon and some of us will settle in our units.”

Zero rolled his eyes, “Some of _us,_ as in?”

Ichiru counted, “Hana and I of course, the place is looking awesome and I can’t wait for the furniture to be delivered. Yuki-chan had already finished everything and will be moving first probably. I think Kain and Ruka are settling there as well. I still don’t know about the Shiki’s. They did purchase a unit but I don’t know if they will live there. Ichijou is saying that he will stay in the Moon dorm for a while longer until he finds a suitable successor to take care of the student’s supervision…”

“In short, it is just you and the Kurans.” Zero deadpanned.

Ichiru was silent for a moment, “Nii-san… Do you have any idea about what is going on with them, by any chance? Did _he_ tell you anything?”

Zero frowned at the inquiry, “Why are you asking?”

Ichiru hesitated for a bit, “You see, Kuran has the penthouse, but Yuki will live in a unit that is a floor below.”

“Huh?” Zero tilted his head in confusion

“That was my reaction as well. Confusing, right? I did ask her subtly and she said something about giving him his own space and quiet when the baby comes. I do think it is too much of a space they are giving him there.”

Zero pondered before deliberating, “Nope… That actually make sense. You can guess just by seeing the massive chambers he occupies in the moon dorm. He will probably hold his business functions there as well, so he does need the space. Yuki, the way I know her, hates those kind of posh open spaces. She will always go for the homey and cozy space instead. They will probably live in her unit and he will works in the penthouse, as she said.”

After a lot of random chattering, Ichiru finally left.

Just as he was about to go about his work, Zero’s phone beeped, signaling an incoming message. The hunter’s lips curled up at the silly emoticons that Gin used as he asked about his wellbeing and if he needed him to come over. The hunter figured that he should probably make sure not to have him around since it would be troublesome with all the pain he will go through after taking the medicine, it would be a dead giveaway. He could imagine the teacher hoisting and rushing him to a hospital even if Zero refused.

Typing his answer, he estimated the time and gave his reply.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Meanwhile in Shanghai ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

    

_“No! st- AAAH! op… Kan-ah… haah… it hurts *sob*”_

Red brown eyes shot open to chase away the nightmarish visions that were but a reminder of his barbarian act. Jolting up from the bed, Kaname brought a hand to his sweaty forehead, glancing sideway at the phone, which snapped him out of the nightmare that plagued him whenever he attempted to sleep in the hotel room that he barely used.

“Hello!”

“Hello, no-good onii-sama!” Yuki chirped from the phone,

“Yuki.” He mumbled while rubbing his eyes, “Happy new year…”

“Thank you, I hope this year will be more joyful than the last, especially with a cute little one in my arms right now.”

Kaname had a faint smile when he heard Ai cooing and making sounds as if she was popping her tiny lips, “She is growing so fast, it is amazing! You will be surprised when you see her. We really missed you at the dinner in father’s house.”

“Sorry! Did you have fun?”

“Plenty! It was awkward at first since Zero and Ichiru seemed to be fighting over something, but it was all good when they made up. Can you believe that Zero, he almost ditched the party if I did not gang up on him with father with the usual guilt game, “

_He was probably avoiding me._

“Good thing he came then.” Kaname trailed.

“Yup, but he left the same night with Moriya-sensei, though.” Yuki added with a disappointed tone.

“Really?” Kaname tried to hide the agitation in his voice.

“Honest, they came and left together like a summer breeze. Anyways… I have to go… It seems that Ai just graced me with a fragrant gift. I hope you come soon to see me, daddy.” Yuki chirped in a childish voice as if talking for Ai.

After bidding, goodbyes and hanging up, Kaname tapped the phone against his chin few times before dialing Takuma’s number.

“Quite rare for you to be the one to call.” Takuma answered, sounding as if he was in a car.

“Where are you?”

“On my way for a meeting at the pharmaceutical company.”

“With Aido?”

“Nope, I think he is already there since he left earlier than me. Did you need something from him?”

“Was Zero with Moriya-sensei during the dinner at Cross’s house?”

“Huh?”

“Yuki told me they came together and left together right afterwards.”

Takuma sighed and trailed, “Kaname~”

“Just answer me, I did not ask for the impossible.”

“You are the impossible, what good will come out from such investigation. Are you going to start stalking him now?” Takuma snapped.

“I am just asking.” Kaname bit back

“Well… If you must know… Yes! They came together, and from what I gathered from Kaito’s conversation with the man. They have been on good terms for a while and Moriya-san was hanging out at Zero’s place during the vacation. That is why they came together. I am not sure about why he left with Zero again, but Ichiru said something about the hunter not feeling well after drinking a bit and Moriya-san offered to give him a ride since he still had business to deal with in his hometown. Is this report enough for you?”

Takuma’s eyebrow quirked in annoyance when the answer he got was the dial tone from Kaname hanging up on his nose. _I wish he just let go already!_

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ in the faculty dormitory of Cross Academy few days later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

Gin hang up his phone after talking to Zero. He took it upon himself to check on the hunter once a day and Zero appreciated the gesture somehow. They talked about trivial stuff most of the time. Zero was supposed to come over to Cross city that day because he was curious to see how the renovation was progressing, but he cancelled at the last minute saying that work was hectic. Gin was confused because the hunter was saying how he had been whizzing through it a couple of days ago and looking forward to finally leave the hermit life he had been living.

No matter how he tried to chase the thought away, Gin could not help but worry about the thought that Zero might be in a pinch after realizing that he was pregnant and struggling with it in secret. He lost hope on getting him to confess by himself, realizing that he still had a long way to go before acquiring the hunter’s trust.

He decided to call again.

“Hey! Sorry for bugging you… I was thinking, since you won’t be able to make the trip and come hangout. Do you want me to come over and go to that beach, to sort of unwind after you are done?” He asked hesitantly.

“Sure!” The cheerful voice of the hunter surprised him to the point he suspected him to be faking it, “Actually, that would be a good plan for the day after tomorrow. Make sure to get the key from Ichiru and use it, because I will probably dead tired and will not lift a finger to open the door if you come as early as usual.” Zero warned, “I would have told you to come today, but you won’t see much of me since I will be cooped up in the office.”

“All right! Cool, see you the day after tomorrow then.”

“Oh and see if Ichiru wants to come as well, I have to show him that place, he loves the sea during winter time.”

“Will do.” Gin answered before ending the conversation.

He immediately called Ichiru. He was surprised to know that Yuki did not give him the key he entrusted her with.

“She must have forgot about. She has always been quite the scatterbrain.” Ichiru laughed.

“It’s fine, it is not like I need it urgently. I will be going there in a couple of days. He said to bring you along if you wanted to.”

“Nice. I think I will do that. I want to swing by the bar as well since I will get the chance.”

“I just hope she did not lose it.” Gin scratched his head, “He was quite insistent on not waking him up.”

“It’s fine. I have another one with me if she did lose it. Which she might, I am afraid.” Ichiru trailed before bidding goodbye. Relieved to know that his brother was asking for company instead of going into the usual depressing reclusive state of his. _I wonder if he already did it?_

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Meanwhile with Zero ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The hunter resumed typing on his computer, glad to finish the last part of the work he had been wrestling with. Two hours later, he stretched on his seat and grabbed the lemonade he had been living on for the past few days. His morning sickness kicked in full force after Gin left and his thirst have been unbearable. He had to bear with it due to the important work that could not be delayed but he could not wait for it to end.

He chased away the heavy feeling he got whenever the time to take the abortion medicine grew closer, and went to get ready for the last meeting he had to take care of before having the rest of the day for himself.

Satisfied with the outcome of successfully acquiring a new big client for his company. Zero quickly changed out of his suit and got in his comfortable lounging clothes.

The first thing he did was laying a mattress protection on his bed. He thought of laying on the floor but decided against it because he would be too sore to move and needed as much comfort as possible after the ordeal. He hoped that it would not be as messy as before since he was well prepared and knowing what to expect. He then headed to the bathroom and wore the uncomfortable piece that all women have a love/hate feeling towards. He hated walking with that thing the most. Thankfully, it would be just for one day. 

 Now in the living room, he opened the box to take a wrapping with the soluble powder. What came out instead was a note. He recognized Hanabusa’s handwriting and smiled while reading the message, _I swear silly worrywarts surround me._

He put the note aside and reached for a dose that he spilled in the glass filled with water. He paused for a moment and added another dose to the mix before stirring. _If it is the child of a pureblood, it might be harder than a human’s offspring. Just to be safe._

A flashing Image of the smiling brown haired pureblood while his voice whispered as if he was close to his ear, _“If it is a girl the name will be-“_

Zero squeezing his eyes shut and swallowed his saliva loudly in effort to chase away the memory. He continued stirring as he made his way to the bedroom.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ in the lobby of the residence at the same time ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The sliding doors opened to allow the access of the person walking towards the reception desk. They put in their details and headed towards the lift, sliding the key in the slot and pushing the floor number as the door closed.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back in Zero’s bedroom ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Clutching the glass with both hands, Zero stared at the clear solution, circular waves showed on the calm surface of the liquid as his hands shook. One hand reached to his stomach, rubbing its lower part.

He stared at the solution again, his mind completely elsewhere as he drifted through random thoughts and memories.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the elevator ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Impatient fingers tapped on the key as flickering eyes watched the numbers increase, wishing they would reach the floor faster.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back in Zero’s bedroom ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The hunter finally gave a dry chuckle, staring blankly ahead. “Even if the accusations were wrong at that time, I guess I am making them true right now. Just continue believing that I am nothing but a lump of flesh driven by carnal desire that would not hesitate to get rid of a life growing inside him like some stomach bug. Keep on thinking that, because there is no future for us, even with a child to bind us together.”

Gin’s words resonated in his mind as his resolve started weakening,   

_You have to do to feel good about yourself for it to be worth it, you do not have to change to please others and abide by their expectation._

_No matter how heavy your burden gets, I will be there to support you and lighten the load if I can_

 

“You would not say those words if you knew just what kind of burden you might have to carry by being with me. Heck, he would run for the hills if he discovered that I was pregnant.”

Zero shook his head imagining the bulging eyes of the man as a reaction if he ever told him the news.

Taking a deep breath, he brought the glass to his lips.

He flinched when the rim touched them, pushing it away in a moment of hesitation. 

 

   **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ meanwhile at his door ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The uninvited guest slid the key and opened the door softly. They looked around the neat space, not finding anyone in sight. Their eyes landed on the little clutter on the coffee table. Taking careful steps, they squinted at the odd wrapping inside the box. A hand reached for the note beside it for the person to read it.

 

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

_I am sure that Ichiru gave you a long lecture as to why you should not go through with the abortion,_

_However, I will not oppose your decision because of the repercussions it might have on many people involved._

_I have an aversion towards taking too much of this medicine because of its nasty side effects as you know, but I think it would be safer to take a double dose. Especially if you are suspecting the father to be that person._

_I know that you take it upon yourself not to make Ichiru worry, but I do think that it would be better to have him around when you go through with it._

_Be safe._

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Their eyes flickered quickly between the note and the two torn packets lying on the table. Snatching one of them, said eyes widened in horror when realizing that it was empty.

“NO! NO! NO! NO!” they felt as if they were flying when they made a mad dash towards to bedroom. A hand fumbled inside a pocket.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back in Zero’s bedroom ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Finally steeling his nerves, Zero brought the cup to his lips and felt the cold glass material press against them. Tilting it slowly along with his head, he screwed his eyes shut as he felt the liquid reach his lip and about to slide inside his mouth, unintentionally tightening his lips on the rim, making it slide slower.

What followed was a blur from how fast it happened. The only thing Zero realized was that he was pinned flat on his back to the bed with glowing arrows piercing his limbs as the seal on his neck glowed red.

He hissed at the burning sensation when he tried to retaliate against the restraints of the taming spell. Glaring daggers at the person who came barging in, slamming the glass from his hand to the wall, and activating the spell with a bracelet he had not seen in ages. 

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” Zero hissed

“I should say the same back to you” The guest gritted back.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Another cliffy, Sorry ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @.@
> 
> Exactly who is it that stopped Zero in the nick of time?
> 
> Will they be successful in changing his mind about the abortion?
> 
> This chapter is stretching far longer than expected so this cliffy will not last for too long because I am currently working on the rest. I will be taking a break before getting back on it since I am staying at home today. Yesterday was a disaster as I collapsed again as soon after I reached the workplace and ended up in the hospital once again because of a stupid wrong prescription. That is the reason for the delayed update.
> 
> Finger crossed so that I do not feel sick again, I seriously have no idea what I am coming down with exactly because the doctor said that many things happened at once, flu, food poisoning and my anemia getting worse. Great Cocktail, huh!
> 
> See ya all in next chapter XD
> 
> ∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
> 
> BUCKETS OF LOVE AND KISSES FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWERS   
> LOVE YOU ALL GUYS, AND A BIG THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO READ, THOSE WHO CLICKED THE KUDO's BUTTON AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING THE STORY.
> 
> YOU ARE THE BEST.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter
> 
> ∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
> 
>  


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!!!
> 
> Okay, from now on, I will not say that I will be updating the next day because I seem to jinx it everytime :’((((
> 
> Excuse the late update. This chapter is heavy with new confusing information that is needed for what is coming after.
> 
> It was fun seeing the guessing game you guys got into, however, it seems like none of you guessed it right. Some of you had an inkling suspicion though, but hey! That is what I seem to always do, surprise my readers, although this surprise might be a bit lame.
> 
> Did I warn about some lame moments before? Yeah I did! and it seemed they came earlier than expected.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" Zero hissed

"I should say the same back at you" The guest gritted back.

Zero stared at the ceiling, conflicted about how to feel about the situation.

The mattress dipped as the unexpected guest sat at the edge.

“I thought I told you not to come until the day after tomorrow, Gin…” Zero finally closed his eyes, not bothering to struggle against the spell, “Where did you get that from anyways?”

The dark-blue haired man had his face cradled in his palms, calming his nerves while listening to the hunter. He felt his heart thrumming in his ears from the adrenaline rush. In a muffled voice he spoke, “Yuki…”

Zero gave a dry chuckle, “figures.”

Dropping his hands on his thighs, Gin let his shoulders slump and glanced at the hunter who had an indifferent look on his face. The teacher’s thoughts travelled back to the day after he left Zero and went back to the academy.

**_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞_ **

As usual, when the weather seemed nice, Gin would make sure to take a refreshing walk around campus. He found himself unable to settle down ever since he saw the test. All he could think about was how the hunter intended to go through his pregnancy, or how it could be the reason for which Zero wanted to change. He had to admit that he found the last thought to be endearing and it motivated him to support the hunter the best he could, even if Zero was not thinking about committing to a relationship, he would still be by his side as a friend. Nodding to himself, “I guess I found a new resolution.”

Grinning by himself while walking by the lake, he startled when a feminine voice reached his ear. Glancing over his shoulder, the usual friendly smile traced his lips as he turned to face the brunette, “Hey, Yuki-chan!”

“Good afternoon! Moriya-sensei.” Yuki chirped with hands behind her back and tilting her head to the side.

“Seriously. Stop calling me that way, or I will never be able to treat you like an adult with that baby face of yours, I might confuse you with one of my students. Actually, I do at times.” Gin teased, and Yuki puffed her cheek in annoyance.

“Did you get back today from Zero’s place?” She asked curiously.

“Nope. Couple of days ago, actually. I have not been on campus that much because I had errands to run in town.” Gin explained.

“Ah! No wonder I have not seen much of you lately.”

“How is Ai-chan?”

“An angel, I just left her deep asleep to have some time for myself. She is growing so fast that I want to cherish every moment while it last. I understand father’s obsession with his camera somehow.” Yuki bragged and mused, making Gin chuckle at the proud mother, “I wish onii-sama was around more often, though.”

There was a pause before Gin spoke, “Is he staying away for longer period?”

Yuki shook her head, “I have no idea. He is not sure himself and he gave me quite the complicated explanation about what is going on there that I forgot most of it.”

“I hope she gets to have her father around soon then.” Gin stretched his arms upward before placing his hands behind his neck trying to ease the stiffness. He winced slightly when he accidently pressed on the bite mark hidden under his clothes.

Due the blinking from the jolt, he missed the flickering redness that showed in Yuki’s eyes. The pureblood startled at the faint scent of blood.

“Are you okay?”

Gin stiffened for a moment at the question, “Y…Yeah, I scratched my shoulder stumbling out of the bed this morning, I guess the cut was a little deeper than I expected.”

Yuki giggled, “I thought I was the only clumsy one around here.”

“You guessed wrong.” Gin teased as he took off his jacket to ease the pressure on the wound, _I should have covered it using a band aid, I hope it did not stain the shirt._

Sadly, he found two red dots on his light colored shirt. The teacher regretted taking off the garment when Yuki latched on his arm and pulled him down to her eye level. He never expected her to be that strong despite her small frame, but then again, she was not a pureblood in name only.

Yanking the collar, Yuki gasped when her suspicions were confirmed by seeing the punctured wound of vampire fangs. Her brain quickly went through the events of the last week, making sure that it was not his sister that bit him since the woman was glued to her side the whole time.

“Was this Zero’s?” She asked, judging from the fact that the wound barely started healing.

Gin kept silent as red-brown eyes bored into his. Yuki finally let go of him, sighing in exasperation with her hands on her hips.

“Was it consensual?”

“…”

“Did he attack you?”

“…”

“Moriya-san, your silence will only bring more trouble to Zero if you are trying to protect him… Besides, it seems that you got it all wrong. Aren’t you forgetting that he is my brother, even if adopted?” The concerned tone of the brunette wavered Gin.

“It was consensual. I asked him to bite me.” He lied. Even if it was out of concern, he could not guarantee her sincerity. Biting a human is already a crime according to the new laws. What is worse is when done forcibly. Only registered couples are not persecuted for such offense.

“You are lying.” Yuki deadpanned, making him jolt. “Even if you asked, Zero would never have done it.”

“Yuki-“

“Was he injured?”

“No.”

“Moriya-san, I really need to know because this could mean that he is falling and I might have to intervene.”

“Falling?”

“Level E, I explained before, that no matter how stable a level D can get, if he does not drink from his master, they would end up falling into madness. That is why your sister has to regularly feed of Hina-chan’s blood. In Zero’s case, it is impossible because the one who turned him died. It is only a matter of time, however stretched it might be, and it is my duty to watch over him if it happens. It is an oath I swore to him.”

Gin pondered for a while before answering, “I guess you can say that things escalated, one thing led to another and ‘bam’, it happened in the heat of the moment.” He explained, scratching his head remembering the weird turn of their argument.

It took time for it to sink in Yuki’s head as to what Gin was implying. He knew that she got it when her face flamed scarlet, “oh! I… I see”

Yuki looked anywhere but the ethic teacher, embarrassed and awkward, “I see that you did not give up in the end.”

Gin frowned, remembering the time she picked him up at the station. It bugged him how the brunette went from pinning for him to get together with Zero to advising him on giving up the hope of getting together with the silverette, no matter how subtle she tried to be around the topic.

“Well… Maybe because it does not bother me that he is a vampire and I certainly don’t care about how dangerous it might be to become his partner. If this is what you meant at that time” Gin answered pointing to the wound, “then, there is no other obstacle that will make me give up on him, because I have already overcome this boundary.”

Yuki sighed in defeat as she reached for her wrist. She removed her bracelet and extended it to the man eying it with a confused look. “This is a taming bracelet. Father gave it to me after performing the ceremony by dropping Zero’s blood on the seal here.” She pointed to the engraved pattern that was identical to the tattoo on Zero’s neck, “It incapacitates Zero temporarily by holding this part against his tattoo. It presents no harm for him. It was given to me when I was a human so that I use it in case Zero goes out of control while drinking my blood… No, actually it was to prevent him from biting me but…” She shrugged as she took Gin’s hand with hers and lowered the bracelet in his palm.

“And you are giving it me because?”

“If Zero chose to be with you, I am sure that he will be agonizing each time he loses control and drink from you. For his sake, use this to stop him, he will certainly be grateful for that.” She took two steps back, turning around to leave but halted and glanced over her shoulder, “If you ever make my brother unhappy, you will have a rampant sister chasing you for a good beating.”

“I will keep that in mind.” Gin answered with a grin. _That is if he does want to be with me that way…_

**_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ end of flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞_ **

“What brings you here?” Zero finally asked when the sitting man had no reaction for a while.

“My gut feeling.” Gin answered in a strained voice, “And I read the note on the table if you are wondering why I snatched that drink.”

Zero froze and his eyes widened when realizing that Gin knew about his predicament by then.

“I also knew that you were pregnant before I left.” Gin added when noticing the panic in violet eyes.

“What?” Zero’s head finally snapped sideway to look into dull grey eyes.

“I saw the test that you threw in the bin by accident… I thought that I should let you be comfortable enough to tell me yourself instead of getting it out of you, so I let it slide… While I was away, all my thoughts were about it. About how you were dealing with being pregnant. I was silly enough to think that you wanted to change for the sake of the life growing inside of you… However, our conversation over the phone this morning left me with a bad feeling… I should grateful to the fact that Ichiru pointed out that you had abortions before… It was at the back of my mind all the time as I was on my way here… Never expected to arrive in the nick of time though.”

Zero scoffed, “So what now, you are going to keep restraining until I give birth or something. Oh! Did you think that perhaps you could change my mind about it? Spare me.”

Gin brought one knee up on the bed to face the hunter properly as he was still pinned by the spell, “To be honest, I do not know what I was thinking of doing by coming here, or what I am going to do when I confront you about the pregnancy. All I wanted to do is to be there for you through whatever you have to go through.”

“Your concern was seriously misplaced this time.” Zero answered sarcastically, impatient for the spell to wear off.

“Maybe!” Gin shrugged, “Maybe I reacted fast without thinking. However, the one thing I realized after seeing that note was that I want to protect the life growing inside you, because it is yours, the child of the one I love.” Gin tried to speak as softly as possible despite the frustration he was feeling.

“Hah? Seriously? That is the most hilarious thing I have ever heard.” Zero laughed dryly, “You’re not even the father.”

“The father is not necessarily the one you conceived with.” Gin shrugged.

“Do not bring your personal experience in this.” Zero ordered.

“I am not.”

“Oh really! So you are telling me that you want to raise this child even without knowing with whom I sired it with. You are telling me that you want to raise it together even though I have no such feelings towards you. What kind of nonsense is that?”

 Gin sighed, “What about you? Do you really want this, the abortion?”

Zero was silent for a moment, the spell already worn out, but he had no desire to get up, “Of course I want to. I would not have been drinking that if I did not.”

“Why?” Gin asked

Zero looked at him again before looking away, “Why you ask? It is obviously because I do not want to have kids. What good would come out of it anyways?”

“Many things actually,” Gin pointed, “The least is that you will have someone to live for, to love and who will love you unconditionally. You will have a lifelong motivation to push yourself into becoming a better person because you want to have your flesh and blood proud of you.”

Zero rolled his eyes in annoyance, “Yeah right! I raise a child that I did not even want to begin with, then they grow up to realize that their ‘mother’ is a freak of nature who got knocked up from fucking around too much with random strangers to the point that they are unable to tell exactly who their father is. How proud will they be to know that they were nothing but a mistake? Can you even imagine _me_ as a parent before spouting that sappy nonsense?” Zero gritted his teeth in frustration as he sat on the bed, clenching his fist.

“I do actually. I can see it in my head how great of a parent you would make.” Gin smiled tenderly at the surprised look that Zero gave him, “I can see you cradling the newborn with so much care, looking at them like they are the most beautiful creation to ever exist, just like how you held your niece Ai-chan. although, your eyes will sparkle with more pride and happiness knowing that it is your own child you are holding. I can imagine you leaving your own bed and sleep in their room in fear that they get lonely, you will have a bedding there where you will snuggle with your toddler the way you always do when Rima leaves Kei-chan in your care. I just know that you are quite sensitive to their mood and will be the first one to notice if they were sad about anything, just like you noticed how Hina-chan was starting to get jealous that her mom gave too much attention to other kids during the Christmas dinner. It warmed my heart how you took her hand and guided to open her present together, that I forgot how bad I felt for not noticing her distress.” Gin smiled wistfully at the pained look that Zero gave him.

“It is just easier to deal with other’s kids. That does not mean that I want to have my own, not now or ever.” the hunter answered.

“That is quite a shame, when I never saw a kid unhappy when they are around you.” Gin trailed as he got up from the bed, “Just give me a second, I will be right back.”

Zero’s knuckles were white from how tight his fist were. His thoughts drifted to a red haired kid who grew exceptionally attached to him during his stay in Cross academy to the point that he refused his parents.

He did not bother looking up when Gin came back into the room, “I have no right to impose my choice on you.” He talked as he stirred the spoon, “I put two doses just like the note said.”

Zero lifted his eyes to the glass of water. “I am wondering though.” Gin stopped stirring as he bumped against the edge of the bed, “From that note, it seemed to me that you had some suspicions about the father.”

Zero swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he nodded, “Is he that awful of a man that you want to get rid of his seed?”

“he is-“ Zero was about to retort but found no words. He wanted to say that Kaname was the worst of the worst. He wanted to say that he is a control-freak, possessive, arrogant jerk. He had so many nasty ways to describe him, but he could not utter any of them because they all related to the pureblood posing as the king of vampires. It was not the Kuran Kaname, who showered him with gentle touches, and the sweetest words. It was not the Kaname, who treated him as a precious gem before breaking him to piece after Zero pushed him to his limits.

“Do you really want his child to never see the light, to not have a part of him to yourself?” Gin whispered as his knee dipped in the mattress. He offered the glass to the hunter as he asked the question.

“Yes.” Zero answered firmly with a hoarse voice as a shaky hand reached for the glass.

Gin let go of it as soon as the hunter had a firm grip over it, “Go ahead then…” he urged, watching as Zero brought the glass to his lips. He stopped him midway by covering it with his hand to get Zero to look up at him, “But before that… I want you to wipe your tears.” Gin looked at him with the saddest eyes and an equally bitter smile.

Zero had a confused expression as he brought the free hand to his wet cheek, belatedly realizing that he was sniffling already. It was then that Gin retracted his hand and used it to push the glass closer to the hunter’s lips.

As if a volcano erupted inside his ribcage, Zero let go of the glass as soon as the liquid hit his mouth for it to spill on the bed, and clutched his chest, bawling his eyes out as fat tears rolled down his face. He cried his eyes out until Gin placed one hand over the one clutching his shirt, Zero immediately latched on him, grabbing his neck and crying against his chest as he spoke in hoarse, shaky voice in between his sobs, “I am scared… I don’t want to but I can’t… I can’t do it alone… I don’t want *sob*… rid of it… I want to… but I can’t…” He fisted the fabric of Gin’s pullover as sobs wrecked his shaking body.

Gin felt his eyes sting as tears of relief threatened to fall while he squeezed the trembling hunter in his embrace.

They remained that way for a while until Zero finally calmed down and started getting bugged by the wet sheet under him. He moved awkwardly to remove the protection he laid out and lay new sheets before crawling in bed again while gin took care of the shattered glass of the first cup and placing the second one back after washing it.

Back in the room, he smiled at the sight of Zero laying on his side, one hand clutching the pillow under his head while the other rubbed his belly. Gin joined him, spooning the smaller man from behind as his hand joined the one over his belly.

Zero glanced over his shoulder with a worried look on his face, “Do you think it is going to be okay.”

“I promise to be there with you, I told you…”

“No not that.” Zero dismissed, making Gin frowned. The hunter elaborated, “I drank a little of the glass earlier.”

Gin’s mouth formed an ‘oh’ shape before wincing at the onslaught of the hunter as he spoke, “That was just water.”

“WHAT?” Zero flipped instantly to face him, he was about to blow his top but the apologetic look on the man who just saved his unborn child made him swallow his words, so he just mumbled, “Who is the trickster now?” and hid his face with a pillow.

Gin smirked victoriously while sliding a hand to lift Zero’s shirt as he scooted down the mattress. Zero removed the pillow to lift his head and glance at what the man was doing. He flinched for a moment when Gin pressed his lips against his taut belly but relaxed soon after while listening to him cooing.

“Hey you! Are you comfortable there? Guess what, I will be looking forward to meeting you when you pop out of mommy’s belly. You are probably asking who is this silly man talking in this weird voice… Well…” Gin trailed as he glanced up to the hunter and back at the stomach, “That depends on mommy’s mood by the time you are born. If it was up to me, I would want you to call me daddy, because I am sure as hell going to love you as my precious little-“ Gin halted when hearing sniffles coming from the hunter followed by a hand tracing his cheek, he slowly crawled up to the hunter who hugged him while mumbling, “Thank you” repeatedly.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞A week later: in Cross Academy, in Kaito’s room ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“Okay… I will inform the driver to come pick you up at that time. We have the meeting at the association headquarter that day so you will probably go straight there, as tiring as it might be.” Takuma informed over the phone.

“I will be fine. Do you have any idea about the purpose of the meeting, for me to be summoned as well?” Kaname asked, intrigued by the urgency of it.

“I will have the details tomorrow, I think. On second thought, I believe that it is better for me to come pick you up so that I can brief you about the details on the way to the association, we will do it that way.” The noble nodded to himself, blushing when hazel eyes twinkled at the action.

Takuma hung up after getting the confirmation from Kaname about his flight back to the country that was scheduled in a haste due to the urgent summon of the association. The green-eyed vampire sighed as lips left a trail of kisses down his naked spine. He glanced over his shoulder as Kaito crawled up to claim his lips in a bruising kiss.

“Mmmngh… You are never sated, are you?” Takuma whispered against the lips of his lover.

“No good?” Kaito asked with a pout as he gave a teasing squeeze to the towel-clad bum.

Takuma bit back a moan, as he was still sensitive from the make out session they had before he took a shower. Letting an exasperated sigh, he whispered, “Not like you are going to stop if I say otherwise.”

To his surprise, Kaito flopped beside him on the bed, crossing his hands behind his head as a pillow and looking at him with a shrug, “I don’t feel like it anymore.”

“That’s new!” Takuma teased as he leaned for another peck before adopting his favorite position by resting his head on the thrumming chest of his lover.

“What is even more new is that you have been too distracted lately. I can blame it on the increased workload since that prick left, but I will get annoyed if the reason is something else you are not telling me about.” Kaito explained with an annoyed tone. He had been putting up with seeing little of his lover because he was juggling both his duties and Kaname’s. However, he could not shake the feeling that Takuma had something weighing on him so much that he wanted to tell him but holding back for some reason.

On the other hand, Takuma hugged the muscled torso, and mumbled, “Sorry, I am just overwhelmed with too many tasks, that’s it.” It pained the noble to be lying to his lover so blatantly, but he could not afford telling him about his worries because it would open the door to more trouble and possibly put a strain on their budding relationship. He knew that it was selfish of him not to tell Kaito about the predicament that his best friend was going through, but he was not ready to risk losing the hazel-eyed hunter because of the recklessness of someone else.

His thoughts drifted back to the events of that cursed night,

_**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Flashback: The night of the ball ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**_

Takuma made sure that no one followed him up the stairs before hurrying into the master bedroom where Kaname had an identical outfit for emergency cases. Without bothering to knock, he opened the oak door and slammed it closed before stomping and grabbing the pureblood by the collar.

“What in the world were you thinking?” The blazing fury in his green eyes could freeze hell over.

The look in Kaname’s eyes was so dull that Takuma wondered if the brunet was even conscious. However, the trembling of his hands when he was trying to button the sleeve of his shirt told the noble that the gravity of his actions was crashing down on him.

He stepped back and observed the pureblood for a moment, before speaking his mind, “Do you realize what you have done? Kaname?”

The halt of movement made him tense up even more as red-brown eyes met his, “I snapped.”

If he were to see his reflection, Takuma would see a comically dumbfounded expression. “Snapped? That is all that you have to say. Kaname you just raped the person you said you were falling in love with. You raped Kiryuu-kun. Do you really realize what you just did?”

Kaname ran a shaky hand across his face before running his fingers through his hair in frustration, pacing the room back and forth.

“I need to go back!” He announced as he grabbed his tailcoat. He let out a guttural sound of extreme frustration when Takuma grabbed his arm.

“You are going nowhere.” Takuma grounded.

“I need to see him, I hurt him… He needs help.” The panicky voice of the pureblood made Takuma assume that Kaname was not even aware that Aido was with them earlier.

“I already took care of it; he is probably on his way back home as we speak.” Takuma deadpanned, not expecting the surprised expression of the petrified brunet.

“This is why I told you to respect his wishes about ending the deal. It was never meant to be from the start.” He felt the need to say the words even knowing how much they would hurt Kaname’s feelings.

As a response, the pureblood stood like a status with clenched fists on his sides, looking at the closed door.

“I lost him, didn’t I?” Kaname finally mumbled,

“You basically betrayed his trust and hurt him in the worst way possible. If he forgives you for this, I would start doubting my own sanity.” Takuma crossed his arms across his chest.

“But he pushed me too far, on purpose.”

“Kaname! JUST STOP IT!” the noble finally snapped, “All this time you were together, he allowed himself to be in his most vulnerable state around you, trusting you with his body and soul in the least guarded state. The person I am talking about now is Kiryuu Zero, the same Kiryuu Zero who had his life turned upside down because of the rash behavior of one pureblooded vampire named Shizuka Hio. The Kiryuu Zero, who lived his life so far hating our existence to the core. By some miracle, that person actually fell into your arms and allowed you to do whatever you did with him and, if what you told me holds any truth, started to accept and appreciate you as a person. What did you do to that person? You blew the trust he held toward you to nothing. Therefore, NO! You will go nowhere near him; neither will you try to ‘make it up’ to him any time soon. I am sure that the last thing he wants right now is seeing you.” Takuma was huffing by the time he finished his ranting. His own experience fueled his emotional roller coaster to the point that he wanted to rip the man in front of him to shreds had he not been his lifelong friend.

“Come down after you cooled your head. You still have a duty to perform.” Takuma spoke in a flat tone as he let go of the pureblood’s arm. It took him some time to compose himself enough to join the party again. By the time he went down, Kaname was already in the hall chatting with the guest and playing his best poker face. Takuma felt a painful pang in his chest upon remembering how much pain the pureblood had hidden in the past in order not to show weakness during such official functions.

The following couple of days were straight out of hell for the blond noble. As the personal assistant and right hand man of the king, he had to see Kaname walking as the shell of the man he was, uncharacteristically making mistakes in his work, absentminded and hollow.

It was after coming back from a meeting that the pureblood botched up _royally_ that Takuma took matters in his hands. Since he met with the incensed ice-wielder noble the next day, he knew that the situation on Zero’s side was too tense to allow the two to meet anytime soon.

“Kaname…” Takuma spoke without looking at the brunet in the passenger seat.

“Hmm…” Kaname hummed, a hand covering his eyes as he laid in the seat that he pushed down.

“Today, I received a notice from the Chinese branch of the Kuran financial group saying that the trial of the CEO will be held in three days from now. Since the matter concerns some major offenses towards the company and its employees, they are asking for the biggest shareholder to be present, namely the president. I know that, as your representative, I can go by myself. However, I think it is a good chance for you to have some time off since there won’t be much to do there. I already have the hotel and driver booked.” Takuma explained as formally as possible and made sure to soften his voice by the end, not wanting to sound as harsh as he had been for the past few days.

“If you say so…” The noble heart sank even more at the meek answer he received.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah… I am only making things harder for you by moping around here, might as well do it somewhere else.” Kaname spoke with a lifeless voice, not bothering to move his hand away.

“I did not mean it that way… It-“

“For my own good. I know… I really do, and I appreciate it, Takuma. I do need some time off to get back on my feet, hopefully. I feel like I am going insane the more I stay here.” Kaname explained calmly as he sat upright and patted on the shoulder of his most trusted friend, “I appreciate your support. What was the accusation again?” He asked as a way to lighten the mood or change the topic.

“Oh! The embezzlement and…” Takuma clammed up, tightening his lips in a way that told Kaname how uncomfortable the noble was with finishing the sentence.   

“And?”

“I am not sure, you will know when I send you the report.” Takuma answered so fast he almost bit his tongue.

“Why do I feel like that it not true?” Kaname nudged him playfully.

Takuma sighed, knowing that the lie was too obvious, “Embezzlement, money laundering, and sexual assault on three female subordinates.” Takuma winced as he dropped the bomb. Glancing at Kaname, he could easily see the way that the pureblood tensed at the last prosecution, “You know what? I guess I should be the one going after all. You don’t need to push yourself. If you want some time off, I can arrange a better relaxing trip.”

“No.” The curt interruption halted the ranting of the green-eyed vampire, “This is quite fitting for me actually.” Kaname deadpanned as he resumed the initial lying position, “Arrange the flight for tonight and leave the return date open.” The order was absolute.

“Roger…” Takuma trailed, regretting the not so brilliant suggestion.

**_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ end of Flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞_ **

The steady breathing indicated that Kaito was fast asleep. Smiling wistfully, Takuma got up carefully as not to wake him up. He startled when a grip caged his hand and lazy hazel eyes looked at him, “When will you be back?” Kaito asked sluggishly.

“I won’t take long.” Takuma ruffled his hair and caressed his eyelid as if lulling him to sleep before leaving after dressing up. _I have my own demons to slay now._

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Another week later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The meeting room at the top floor of the Association had a minimalist feel to it. With only a ‘U’ shaped table along the comfortable chairs that allowed a good number of people to gather while facing a white panel to project the data to be discussed if there was any.

Today would mark the first time Kaname ever entered the room after the establishment have been rebuilt and his reawakening. It was ironic that, in the last time he attended a meeting at the association, he was not in the most stable state of mind either.

Thanks to the impeccable timing of the ash-blond noble, they managed to arrive on time for the meeting, cutting it close, as everyone was already seated and ready to start. Cross nodded to them as they took their seats.

Kaname extended one hand on the wooden furniture, twirling his fountain pen as he listened to Cross’s explanation to the reason of the confidential meeting and the discreet summoning he used to gather the influencing figures in the three societies, vampires, hunter and human. He tuned out most of the formal rambling in favor of letting his red-brown eyes wander towards the silver haired hunter sitting right across from him due to their seating arrangements. Zero had Sayori Wakaba on his left and an empty chair on his right where Cross Kaien was sitting at the far corner, closest to the computer needed for the presentation.

Kaito sat next to Wakaba. Usually, the hazel-eyed hunter would not be entitled to attend such meeting; however, his expertise was highly needed. Next to Kaito sat the pureblood Isaya Shouto, intently following every word Cross was saying. After that, there is Hanabusa Aido who was fumbling with the papers in front of him and arranging them. Akatsuki Kain sat next to his cousin, jotting down notes. There was four other people amongst them that Kaname remembered, the forensics specialist, the mediator with the government, the chief of the metropolitan police department, and lastly the secretary of the association president.

The brunet pureblood already scanned the room in a matter of seconds upon entering, his breath caught when he saw the silverette present, but he felt the cold chill when Zero purposely averted his gaze and started a conversation with Sayori as if nobody entered through the door. Kaname might have hoped for the usual harsh reaction such as the trademark glare, seething aura, or maybe a troubled expression because of seeing the last person that Zero wanted to meet. However, the relaxed attitude and cold indifference shook the pureblood to no end. It was as if he did not exist in the hunter’s field of vision.

Kaname’s attention snapped back to Kaien’s speech when Takuma snatched the pen from his hand, alerting him that he was staring at Zero for a bit too long. He immediately straightened his posture and gaze as not to raise any suspicions.

“In short, thanks to the investigations’ reports as well as the forensics results, we were able to build few theories that pointed to a strong correlation between the ice box case, the suicide of the ex-human turned by the fugitive Hanadagi, and the newly spreading illegal pills based on vampire blood in the black market…” Cross announced, raising a soft murmur, once he got the attention again, he cleared his throat, “First of all, I would like to point a case that was transferred to us from the police department.”

The lights of the room dimmed and the projector turned on the flash a picture of a foreigner on the screen. Zero tensed at the familiar face, but composed himself in favor of listening to what Cross had to say. He was already having a tough time keeping himself in check while feeling the gaze of the red-brown orbs on him, seeing the face of his deceased ex-boyfriend did nothing to help his stressed out state.

Clenching his fist under the table he looked as Cross used the remote to flip the pictures and explain, “This is the victim for whom the ex-human in question came to investigate their murder under the guise of being a detective. The first issue here is that this person actually passed the border as a human, which is illegal. Secondly, he lost his badge as a detective back in US after conducting an unauthorized investigation five years ago. The last issue but not least, two drained bodies were found buried in the backyard of the place he was renting under a fake ID. The victim, named Marco was murdered in his hotel room. The investigation hit a dead end as to who was the culprit, however, it is the circumstance of his death that pushed them to send the case to our forensics. Marco’s body was atrociously mutilated as if mauled by a beast. There was claw marks on the walls, ripped sheets and everything indicated that whatever attacked him was non-human and most probably a vampire. After few more test, we matched the DNA of the culprit to that of the fake investigator. This led us to assume that the murder of Marco was staged skillfully, and the framing of one of Academy’s teachers was on purpose. The goal from it is either to lure me out, or Kiryuu Zero in order to dare us to find the mastermind who is suspected to be Lady Hanadagi.”

Zero scoffed at the mention of the pureblood who was still on the loose. However, he could not help but feel agitated as those events brought back memories of what happened afterwards, after he was almost killed in a trap mission. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second to chase away the thoughts before the nostalgia overwhelmed him.

He straightened his back, grateful to have drunk from Gin before coming to the meeting as the itch in the back of his throat dulled out compared to the past few days. He unconsciously kept a protective hand over his stomach as he asked his next question, “I would say that the theory is based on solid facts, especially since the victim and the suspected teacher were both acquaintance of mine that met on campus few days before the assassination. However, I do not see how this incident relates to the two other cases.”

Cross nodded, “I will leave the explanation of that part the Aido-kun.” he announced in time with Hanabusa gathering his papers as he stood and nodded to the old ex-hunter who went back to his seat.

After a brief greeting, he switched the screen to what seemed like a DNA sequence, “As Cross-san explained, the suspected mastermind behind the murder and suicide is highly likely to be Lady Hanadagi who is still on the run to this day, unfortunately. On that note, I would like to explain the formula behind the illegal pills spreading in the market. The research team came up with the intriguing results that the pureblood used to make the pills does not come from one vampire alone but from several of them.”

Zero’s eyes widened at the unexpected discovery that caused a louder murmur to erupt.

“The reason for that is,” Aido raised his voice slightly to quiet down the crowd, “the reason is that the DNA sequence was different in some pills. We managed to categorize them and narrow the number of purebloods involved to this much. We have one pureblood used for the pills marketed for their healing ability, a cure for all. We have another pureblood used for the pills marketed as performance enhancer, and finally we have one last pureblood used for the most potent one that have the highest rate of casualties and that are marketed for giving heightened sense and physical powers, these are apparently the most expensive ones and rarely seen even in the black market. We luckily managed to get our hands on the confiscated stash of the rogue hunters that were arrested recently. Now, this is where the relation between the pills and the other two cases come into light.”

The noble flipped the picture to show a schematic that earned gasps from few of the people present, “The DNA extracted from the most potent illegal pills is without as single doubt identical to the DNA extracted from the box made by ice-wielder responsible of killing a number of brave and honorable hunters.” He took a moment of silent before switching to the next panel.

“While we got an instant hit with the first one that allowed us to establish the first relation, the other two categories were hard to match with any of the data in our international directory. Thus, instead of looking for a direct DNA match, we opted to look for a lineage match, sort of like verifying the paternity. This approach gave us an instant hit with the second category, the performance enhancer. Thanks to the collaboration of the father of Lady Hanadagi, we found a paternity match narrowing the results to the only child he had ever sired.” An appreciative round of exclamation resounded when the second enigma was resolved.

“Did we have any luck with the last category?” It was now the extremely curious Ichijou who could not wait to ask.

There was a moment of pregnant silence before Aido spoke. Zero frowned slightly when the noble left the screen on the previous finding,

“The healing category was the toughest to figure out. However, the result itself is enigmatic. Therefore, we were debating about whether to divulge this information or not.”

The confused expression were even more confused when Cross Kaien took off his glasses and rested his chin on interlaced hands before speaking, “This would be the main reason for the confidentiality of this meeting.”

Everyone in the room felt themselves tense in anticipation of the upcoming revelation as Aido exhaled loudly,

“No hit came back from direct DNA comparison, as I stated earlier. The parental verification did not return anything either. Thus, a research team was formed recently and focused on a new algorithm to detect the ancestry from the DNA sequence. It is quite known in the vampire’s history that after the Great War, the crystals of the purebloods ancestor who perished were kept in the dwellings of their descendants. We went to the extra miles of asking for the permission of extracting the DNA from said crystals to test our new tool, and it proved to be highly accurate. Therefore we decided to use it in order to narrow the suspect of the healing pills as well as the identity of the Ice-wielder suspect. The first discovery defied all logic and science to the point that we dismissed it categorically. The second discovery left us puzzled to no end.”

Aido whispered the last part hesitantly as he glanced at Zero. The hunter caught the flicker, leading to the deepening of his frown. He could feel the anxiety oozing of his brother in law and it made him more anxious in return.

“As you all know, we received an admirable cooperation from both vampires and hunters while collecting the DNA samples to build our remarkable directory that we are working with.” he paused, and then resumed after receiving a few nods.

“Running the algorithm on the DNA of the pureblood responsible for the healing pill returned an extremely intriguing result, which was simplified by the picture showing on the screen.”

Amongst the gasp and exclamation, Zero felt a jolt shake his body as his eyes bulged out, his eyes suddenly flying to the pureblood sitting across from him at the end of the table, finding him equally dumbfounded.

“What kind of joke is this?” Kaito’s harsh tone successfully hushed all unnecessary chatter.

Aido looked at the diagram flashing on the screen; he expected no less of a reaction when he put up the picture of the suspect as a hollow shape of a profile with a question mark on it. That was not the alarming factor, the cause of the uproar was the two matching arrows that went from the picture upward with the word ancestor next to it and the other went downwards with the word descendant written next to it. The two pictures that anyone would recognize were the epitome of the confusion when the faces of Kaname Kuran and Zero Kiryuu stared back at them.

“As you can see, the test returned this result.”

“It does not make sense. What does this mean anyways?” Takuma asked, bewildered.

“I would like for you to explain the reason for such a result, if you have any.” Kaname’s order was curt but grave, showing how agitated he was to the point of being unable to keep his voice even. Zero could not say a word and just swallowed the lump in his throat from the shock.

“After running the test multiple times, verifying again and again. We narrowed it down to the highest compatibility. The interpretation of this diagram shows that the person X whose blood was found in the healing pills is a pureblood first of all, due to the particular sequence that identifies them. Secondly, X is a direct descendant of the Kuran’s ancestor here present.” Aido looked at the stunned Kaname, “and the third point is that X is in turn an ancestor of Zero Kiryuu… From this explanation, most of you must be concluding that this leads to Zero Kiryuu being a descendant of Kaname Kuran, but no. We verified that they held no such a relation through separate tests.”

Kaname pondered for a while after regaining his composure, “Did you run a compatibility test with Yuki’s?”

Aido nodded and switched to the next panel that had more explanation. It showed two rows of pictures and arrows with either a check sign or a red cross between them.

“As you can see, there is no ancestry relationship between Yuki and X.” the glaring red cross sent another wave of confusion.

“How can a hunter be a descendant from a pureblood?” The exasperated Isaya Shouto finally voiced the obvious problem.

“Could it be related to the fact that Kiryuu-kun was turned by the Hio princess who is from a branch family of the Kuran?” Takuma suggested.

“I see… That is a solid assumption.” Akatsuki nodded, extremely intrigued by the twist.

Aido sighed, “An assumption can only be solid and reliable if there is nothing that refute It.” he announced as he pressed for the next page to show on the screen, earning scandalized gasps this time.

“The DNA of an ex-human is indeed altered by the DNA of the pureblood who turned them, and Zero Kiryuu does have a fragment of the DNA from his maker, Shizuka Hio which lead me to the same assumption. However, his twin, who is my husband possess an intact DNA of a Kiryuu descendant. It was not altered in any way, making him entirely human with hunter lineage. As you can see, the diagram shows that, just like Kiryuu Zero, Kiryuu Ichiru is also a descendant of the suspect X.”

The sound of hands slamming on wound drifted all attention to the peeved silver hunter, who stood up in irritation, “What the fuck is this nonsense? Are you saying that we are descendants of a pureblood? How can that even be possible?”

“It is not possible.” Aido stated, “Purebloods, or vampires for that matter can never give birth to humans. However, if a pureblood is turned human…”

Zero’s eyes widened at the realization, “Their children would be human, but still carry their genes.” he trailed as he sank in his seat.

“Wait… What?” Kaito was confused.

“As he said,” Aido took the lead again, “If a pureblood is turned human and sired children while human, those offspring would be in turn human but still carry their genes. This lead us to the only explanation possible; X was a pureblood descendent of the Kuran’s ancestor. However, they are not necessarily registered as a Kuran which is why we could not find them in the register. At some point, X was turned human, they led a human life and mated with a hunter of the Kiryuu bloodline. In order for us to make sense of the current situation, we can assume that, like Yuki-sama, X reawakened to her true nature after siring the offspring and lived until today. I am saying ancestor for a while now, but that also does not mean that X is the one who started the bloodline, it could have mixed somewhere in the recent millennia as well.” Aido finished his part and walked back to his seat.

 “Thank you Aido-kun.” Cross nodded as he stood again to wrap up the meeting, “I understand that this is a lot to take in and many pieces of information do not make sense yet, that is why I am asking for all of your cooperation to get a clear view of the situation.” He started iterating with his finger, “The good news is that we have identified one suspect out of three now. As of the ice-wielder, we are still ignorant about his identity, however, Aido-kun failed to mention that he, himself, is a descendant of this pureblood.” All eyes turned to the golden haired vampire who apologized for forgetting to mention the detail.

“The problem is that we could not find the crystals of that ancestor anywhere, so we can assume that he is out and about as well. Therefore, if we step back and have a global look at the situation; we have a pureblood who is few centuries old and openly rebelling against the peace treaty. Lady Hanadagi is currently acting hand in hand with two other purebloods who are possibly few thousands of years older, which make them even more vicious than their ally. In addition to that, this trio is working alongside scientists to make the blood pills. These scientist can be humans, and can be hunter or a mix of both. We also found out that the arrested rogue hunters were working with a noble class vampire that perished during that mission. That noble was working directly under the Hanadagi.” Cross took a deep breath before shutting down the projecting screen.

“To summarize today’s findings, we can safely assume that we are going against a criminal organization which structure strangely mirrors that of the new order association, where vampires, hunters and humans are working together to achieve a goal. A goal that is quite different from ours, which is to create chaos and possibly rise for supremacy. In short, we are currently engaging in a cold war with a well camouflaged enemy that we need to suppress as soon as possible before it erupts in another bloody war that we never wish for. On another note, we have some good news to share. President Toga Yagari had made full recovery and will be joining the front line soon, his arrival will mark the moment that the counterattack plan will be set in motion. Meanwhile, we need to dig into our archive and look for any relevant information to give us an upper hand over the unknown enemy.” 

The dimmed light shone bright again and the chatter got louder as each person present received a copy of the meeting’s summary in a sealed envelope after signing a non-disclosure agreement. Cross asked both Zero and Kaname to stay behind, waiting for the others to leave including Hanabusa and Takuma.

“I know that the findings must be shocking to the both of you. However, we needed to put everyone on the same page so that we put our guard up even more than before.” The old ex-hunter explained.

“I would have appreciated a heads up though.” Zero grunted, running fingers through his hair in frustration, “Is it even possible?” He asked pointing at the now blank screen.

“Aido’s theory does hold some truth to it if the pureblood went through the same predicament as Yuki.” Kaname pondered, not missing the flinch of the hunter at the sound of his voice, but he tried to keep his composure during this official debate.

Cross sighed and nodded, “The old records stated that the Kiryuu bloodline stemmed from the Cross’s family, but then acquired the power they hold now because of how they kept their hunter blood pure throughout the generations. However, this revelation throw off that record way too much. I asked Aido-kun to trace my DNA in relation with the suspect X.” he exhaled in exasperation while Kaname and Zero waited impatiently for the rest, “It returned a very low compatibility, which means that they have no ancestry to the cross bloodline. Thus, we can safely assume that they are not the true ancestor, but they managed to mix with the Kiryuu sometime after they became a hunter clan. I am suspecting that it might have been around the time that your clan had risen in power.” He emphasized looking at Zero.

The hunter squinted and scoffed, “If what you are saying appears to be true, then we would be talking about a pureblood who is at least five thousand years old. Apart from this one here,” Zero pointed to Kaname, “The oldest active pureblood alive that we know about would be Isaya Shouto.”

Cross leaned on the table and nodded, “Exactly, that is why I had to hold this meeting. I am suspecting that this particular vampire is the mastermind behind the trouble rising. What is more troublesome is their ability to gather so many influencing people to carry out their work for them. What is more intriguing is that they are always one step ahead of us, as if they are reading our moves and acting accordingly.”

Zero gritted his teeth, “Toying with us.”

“No.” Kaname interjected, “Not toying with us. They are manipulating our moves to carry out their plans.”

Both hunters looked at the pureblood. “After listening to all you had to say, I am afraid that nothing comes to mind from the time before I went into slumber. Also, if what Kiryuu-kun said can be taken as a fact, this person was born while I was slumbering, which explain my first statement. However, the reason that we have no record of such pureblood existing might be lack of resources, or the fact that this vampire went into slumber right after they reawakened.”

“That makes sense, thus there is no introduction to the society or any registered record of them.” Cross clapped his hands and Kaname nodded.

“Now, the reason I used the word manipulating instead of toying is as follows. The first action they took was targeting the hunters whose mission was to capture the rogue vampires and level E’s. Those captured vampires are not sentenced to death, but their punishment is to be subjects for the experiment to make the cure for vampirism. By targeting those hunters, they are indirectly hampering the research.”

Zero and Cross nodded in agreement.

“Secondly, the blood pills. I would personally see that as a decoy, a distraction.”

“For what?” Zero asked.

“To make us believe that the rogue pureblood who escaped the previous war were the masterminds behind all this. It might not make sense unless we take into consideration the incidents that followed.” Kaname paused.

“What do you mean, Kaname-kun?” Cross Kaien asked.

“Framing Aido and luring me into a trap mission.” Zero whispered,

Kaname nodded, “Exactly. The one assigned to perform the killing of the hunters was an ice-wielder. The timing of their attack was tailored around Aido’s schedule so that he has no alibi to escape the death sentence. However, they did not trust the mole they planted to monitor him, so they took extra precautions to make sure that Aido, the key element to finding the cure, is eliminated successfully. Thus, they tapped into the wounded pride of some hunters and scientist who loathed working under vampires and associating with them in order for them to infuse Aido with the fatal venom. “Kill the original families and your wish shall come true” was a promise of power. It is some sort of reverse psychology mimicking the one that started the Great War. The words I said back then, “Eliminate the masters to stop the epidemic from festering.” What I meant is that the hunters should kill the purebloods with their newly acquired powers to stop them from turning more humans into slaves at the time. In our present time, the original hunter families are carrying out that duty better than before, and with our help, are about to wipe out the existence of vampires with the cure. Since it was hard for the opposing parties to believe that vampires are making a cure to let go of their nature, those wavering chose to believe in a non-existing conspiracy between the hunters and vampires to manipulate the world to their own personal gain. That is what I gathered after looking into the heads of the prisoners.”     

Zero wiped his face in frustration, “What about the bogus mission that almost got me killed?” The hunter asked without looking in the red-brown eyes that flickered at the memory of that night. Kaname missed the way Zero’s hands slid over his stomach before the hunter realized and quickly placed them on his hips.

It was Cross who answered that question, “Targeting the founder of the new system would shake the core of it and allow for a rise of angered followers who might not care about anything but annihilate the organization behind the assassination.”

A chill ran down their spines at the thought of the wave of fury that might have erupted, had Zero been killed during that mission.

“I do not think they were about to kill me right away back then.” The hunter pointed, “They were talking about collecting a prize and dispose of me when the time comes.”

“They were probably going to hand you over to the mastermind for them to extract confidential information that will allow them to destroy our organization.” Cross suggested the sound argument.

“I share the same assumptions as well.” Kaname nodded, “However, their goal is not just to destroy the current peace-treaty. The actions and distractions seemed to be weaved by one person. A wicked mind who is used to playing mind games and strategies.”

“Someone like you.” Zero bit sarcastically.

“Zero.” Cross grounded.

“He is actually right, Cross-san. The mindset of this person is extremely similar to how I used to act. While surrounding myself with pawns,” Kaname explained with a bitterness in his tone a he glanced at the hunter, “I would make them do the dirty work while patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike my victory. The same pattern can be perceived when most of those suspected to know the identity of the mastermind ended up dying or committing suicide before we get the chance to question them. Those spared have had no contact with the person. While it appear to be the work of a well-established criminal organization. The attacks launched and the plan to annihilate the peace treaty are actually weaved by one person, who is obviously aiming for the rise to supremacy. As gruesome as it may sound.”

“What is the plan now?” Zero got right to the point, looking at Cross.

The old hunter took two papers that he placed on the table next to each one of them. “This is a written permission for me to be allowed to look into your families’ record. By that, I meant the heirloom of the Kurans and the Kiryuus. I have no problem with you looking into it and gather any relevant information; this is just to allow me the speeding up of the research. To put your mind at ease, only trusted individuals will be allowed to look into them.”

“I would rather handle the task personally.” Kaname stated, not comfortable with the thought of their castle invaded by possible spies.

“Okay!” Cross nodded, “Zero?”

The silver hunter eyed the agreement and did not hesitate to sign it in a heartbeat. Cross had a sad smile looking at the back of his adoptive son as he left afterwards, knowing that he signed the paper because of his inability to go through his parents belongings yet. He expected as much when Ichiru had the exact same reaction as well.

“All right, back to work.” The wheat-haired male rolled up his sleeves and gathered the document before prancing back to his office.

 

   **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The hunter was walking fast and thinking about doing a mad dash. Only the stares of the people greeting him and looking at him as he walked down the hallway of the association prevented him from doing just that. His fist clenched as he felt the pureblood following not far behind him. He felt as if the exit was miles away through his straining nerves.

Kaname, on the other hand, was calmly but steadily walking behind him, waiting for the opportunity to stop the hunter without raising suspicions. The chance came sooner than expected when the hallway cleared out, leaving the both of them alone with the echo of their footsteps. Hurrying a bit he extended a hand and grabbed Zero’s arm, “Zero…” Kaname whispered as softly as possible.

*smack*

Kaname was not surprised by the stinging sensation on his cheek, neither by the disgusted look in violet orbs glaring at him while Zero squeezed his own arm that he yanked from Kaname’s grip, as if it might have been contaminated.

“Don’t you ever touch me, call my name or come anywhere near me.” Zero hissed before stomping as fast as he could in direction of the exit gate.

Kaname stared the palm that held the hunter’s arm seconds ago. With a heart bleeding at the realization of how much fear his reckless actions infused in the hunter, he walked with heavy feet towards the exit.

The trembling of Zero’s body and the erratic beating of his heart started subsiding only by the time he found himself outside with his Jeep parked in front of him, where Gin waved from the driver seat for him to notice. Letting out a sigh of relief, he wasted no time climbing in the vehicle and sinking in the seat, unaware of the gaze following him.

Grey eyes met red-brown ones for a moment before Gin looked to his side after a huffing Zero put on his seatbelt.

“Rough day?” he asked.

“Tell me about it.” Zero groaned, closing his eyes for a second while Gin rubbed his lower belly. It was awkward at first, but Zero got used to the need of bonding that made Gin latch on his stomach every chance he got.

“You did not give mommy too much trouble, did you, little one?” Gin cooed before ruffling Zero’s hair.

“Nah~ no weird incident, thankfully, but I am super hungry.” Zero announced.

“Hungry as in?” Gin frowned,

Rolling his eyes Zero answered, “Hungry as in hungry for food, not thirsty. The bite might still be stinging from this morning; I would not crave blood that fast.”

The teacher smiled brightly, “Cool! What is on your mind?”

“Jumbo pickles to dip in peanut butter, the crunchy one.” Zero chirped, eyes closed as if reveling about the feast he was about to have.

Grey eyes widened in horror, “Another new craving?”

“Better not comment on it.” Zero warned,

“I won’t” Gin raised both hands, “At least it is better than munching on soap bars.”

Zero chuckled, “Oh by the way! Yagari-sensei will be back in about ten days.”

“That is great news! And… Did you talk with your brother and Hanabusa about the pregnancy?” Gin asked, impatient to know if he was allowed to reveal the secret that Zero made him swear not to. His shoulder slumped in dejection when Zero shook his head.

“No… Ichiru was not there and I don’t want to explain it over the phone. Hanabusa, on the other hand, seemed to do his best to avoid me.”

“Why is that?”

“Complicated.”

“Okay… I won’t ask… However, you will not be hiding it forever, you know that?”

“I know! I know!” Zero groaned, “Let us go back to the hotel and eat already.”

“Got it! Are you sure you want to stay at the hotel and not go back to the campus.”

“Gin! You are giving me a headache with your questions.” Zero snapped.

“I know but I can’t help it.” Gin retorted as gently as possible, _The struggle is too real with his mood swings._

“I told them that I am going back to my place. I don’t feel like going there. Beside, we have the appointment with that doctor tomorrow, right?” Zero explained.

Gin giggled at the memory of them stopping at the gas station and Zero scaring him by coming back from the restrooms wearing a black wig and black contact lenses. He had to stifle a chuckle when the doctor called him by the name of Mamiya, but he behaved himself after that, happy that the hunter allowed him to be there for anything related to his pregnancy.

He started the car and drove in a happy mood, “I can’t wait for the appointment of the ultrasound. Why do we have to wait so long for it?”

“Because I already had my first one, and you already have that picture in your wallet.” Zero complained.

“I know~ but I was not there when it happened.” Gin whined

“Ugh! I got it. Just make sure not to embarrass me by crying like last time when you heard the heartbeat.” Zero teased the teacher about the time when the doctor slid a wand over his belly and increased the volume for Gin to hear the heartbeat. He smiled looking at his stomach when remembering the words of the noble vampire saying that the baby sounded healthier than the last time. Glancing sideway at the grey eyed man humming happily while driving, Zero could not help but tilt sideway and rest his head on Gin’s shoulder. His lips curled up when the bigger hand held his.

“I did not cry by the way.” Gin interrupted the pleasant silence.

“You did.”

“Did not”

“Your eyes were glistening.” Zero teased, taking his head away as not to hinder the driver.

“That is called being emotional, I could not help it, it was beautiful to hear the sound, the proof of the little one inside you that I have been chatting with practically every night.”

“That is still crying.”

“You certainly do not want to see me cry for real.” Gin warned.

Zero quirked an eyebrow, “Why do I feel like you might have a disgusting snotty look if you do?”

“That’s mean!” Gin cried out at the horrible sarcasm, sending Zero in a fit of laughter.

    **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back at the front gate of the association ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Kaname reached the car next to which Takuma and Aido were chatting.

Aido’s expression hardened as soon as he sensed the pureblood approaching.

“Well then, that should be everything for today. I will inform you if there is anything new. Welcome back, Kaname-sama.” Aido talked in an overly formal and strict way that made Kaname raise an inquisitive eyebrow.

“Thank you, Aido.” he answered, “Shall we leave?”

Hanabusa straightened from his bowing position, allowing Kaname to meet his cold gaze, “I assigned a driver that I trust personally to cater for your trips. He will be available around the clock. You will excuse my absence because I will be getting busier with the upcoming investigations and will have no time to assist you when Ichijou-san is unable to. My research reports and new findings will also be handled by email. Have a good day, Kaname-sama” Aido bowed again before turning to leave without waiting for an answer.

Takuma looked at the confused expression of his king while opening the door for him to get in the car. He sighed after sitting behind the driving wheel.

“Was that Aido blowing me off?” Kaname asked in a baffled tone

“It cannot be any more obvious.” Takuma trailed, “He informed me that he does not want to have any personal interaction with you for a while because you caused a lot of trouble in his family. I think that he meant the in-laws.” Takuma explained, omitting the harsh way that Aido formulated it.

_My loyalty never wavered all these years despite witnessing countless sins that Kaname-sama committed. I always find myself looking for an excuse to justify his actions. However, this time, I cannot bother looking for excuses because there is none. Kaname-sama almost broke a person dear to me; he almost destroyed my family even if it was not solely his fault. This time, I cannot bring myself to forgive his actions and I found myself unable to feel anything but disdain towards the man I once respected as my leader._

“I guess he made the right choice then. It will not be that much of an inconvenience since Seiran will be back soon. Make sure to dismiss the driver that he appointed. The last thing I need is a potential mole eavesdropping on my talk.” Kaname trailed as well after Takuma drove towards the Academy.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No evil cliffy this time. phew
> 
> To answer few question I was asked about last chapter.
> 
> No Zero did not sleep with Gin, they were about to but ended up just cuddling later. The reason for that would be a spoiler so I won’t say it.  
> The bracelet is a taming gadget for a vampire that anyone could carry because it only needed Zero’s blood to perform the ceremony and the contact with the tattoo to react regardless of the person using it.  
> This is a KaZe fiction and I am a sucker for happy ending. Do not be fooled by the angst and twists in it because the annoying couple (kidding I love them to bits) will have they fluffy sickeningly sweet happy ending that will stretch for at least four chapters of pure bliss XD but before that, Kaname will have to go to hell and back for what he did to poor little Zero while the hunter actually struggle with the pregnancy and the realization of the depth of his feeling towards the father of his child.  
>  
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, see you on the next one.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely readers!! It is always a pleasure for me to see so many of you enjoying the story and interacting with it.
> 
> I wanted to extend a special thank you to Irmina who made me realize that I uploaded the chapter without actually publishing it and I was wondering why there was no reviews, (silly me) :p hhhhhhh
> 
> The good thing about the mistake is that you will be having two chapters this time YAAAAAY, because I am actually editing the next one as you are reading this one.
> 
> Also, I would like to thank those who cared enough about the story to warn me about tags and warnings that I should put. I am fairly new to all this fanfiction and story writing, in case you thought otherwise, so your advices are highly appreciated.
> 
> Now about Gin, I think dear Senja suggested that I add the pairing in the tag for Gin/Zero just so that readers who have problems with oc pairing do not get surprised. I honestly have no idea how to put pairings in the tag part of this site. HECK! I was not able to fit in enough information in the summary and I did not know how to add more genres to give a clearer idea about the angst coming in this story when I published it at first. (I suddenly feel quite… stupid… *sigh*)
> 
> Anyways, for those worrying about Gin and Zero ending up together, that is not happening. For those cringing at their interaction, Zero is actually acting quite ooc because of the pregnancy and he needs someone neutral like Gin to lean on because he always suspect others to be judging him or second guessing his choices.
> 
> So, basically, the Gin/Zero relationship will not be the romantic and flying fluffy hearts you may be expecting, neither will it be as intimate as KanaZero moment. You will understand what I mean after reading what is coming next. I am still unsure about putting the pairing tag because I personally do not see them as actual couple in this story and think that it will be misleading to put it, but my opinions might be biased because I have the story completed in my head. I look forward to your constructive input about this matter because it will be very helpful. Thank you.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero pulled the car in front of the station and looked at the man sitting in the passenger seat.

“Well! I guess I won’t see you until next weekend.”

Gin reached to the back seat and grabbed his duffel bag.

“I guess so.” he sighed, “You are going to be okay, right?”

The hunter rolled his eyes at the worrywart, “You know damn right that I am going to be okay… Thanks to your persistence with the doctor, I now have a freezer full of your blood bags; it would be a miracle if you don’t turn anemic by the end of this pregnancy.”

Gin smirked, “Well… I would not sit there, folding my hands and not doing anything when he said that blood pills do not supplement the unborn child as much as regular blood. He did say that the best would be the father’s blood but… You will have to bear with mine for the time being.”

Zero quirked an eyebrow, “For the time being?”

Gin was about to open the door but let go of the handle, “Do not play innocent, Zero. It is obviously the best solution that you come clean about your pregnancy with your family, that way they can procure the needed blood. The doctor obviously told you that there was a blood bank, which would provide pregnant vampires with actual donated blood to ensure a smooth pregnancy. You went ahead and declined to fill the application form because you were using a fake ID. If you just-“

“That will not solve anything.” Zero interrupted, glaring at Gin for bringing up the conversation again, “I will not fill the application even if I used my own ID. I will never give those blood suckers the pleasure of knowing that I got knocked up.”

“Zero-“ Gin was about to argue.

“NO! Look, you offered… scratch that… you forced me into drinking your blood for the sake of my baby… I admit that I feel the improvement of doing so, be it in my health or the health of my child. However, if you are regretting it, feel free to take back that request. The blood pills may not be nutritious but they will not kill it either.”

“I do not mean it that way, Zero. You can have as much of my blood as you need; I have no problem with that… I just don’t understand the extreme measures you want to take just so that you do not tell anyone. At least your brother can know and help you. What is with giving birth in U.S and living there so that no one knows that you are pregnant… That is just crazy… You want to cut yourself off from everyone and live by yourself. Why does your child have to be deprived of the joy of being loved by his uncle and grow up in a good environment like the children  you are seeing around now? Give me one reason for which you do not want your pregnancy to be known?”

“BECAUSE A MALE VAMPIRE CANNOT BE IMPREGNATED BY A HUMAN, ONLY BY HIGHER RANKED VAMPIRES! THAT IS WHY!!!” Zero screamed, banging on the steering wheel and shocking Gin frozen.

“What?”

“Exactly as you heard,” Zero huffed, covering his face, “That is the only reason I have been aborting until now, because it is just not possible. If I were to divulge that I got pregnant, I would be telling the world that I slept with a vampire even if that was not the case. The other solution would be to reveal my secret and tell them that I am a freak of nature who has both genders, which allows a human male to knock me up. I would rather fucking die than say any of that.” He looked at Gin with a pained expression, “But I want to have this baby, I want to hold them in my arms and live for their sake.”

The grey-eyed male ruffled the silver hair and rested his head on the headrest of the seat. He checked the time to make sure that he would not miss the train, relieved to find that he still had enough time.

“Sorry,” Gin apologized, “I got ahead of myself without knowing half of that. I understand where you are coming from. However, I still think that it is reckless to do what you are planning on doing…” Gin paused for a moment before speaking again, with Zero observing him “Fine… Let us say that you keep your pregnancy a secret because you do not want them to think that you slept with a vampire, which would affect your pride and position as a hunter. I don’t have anything to say about that, but the second part is not an excuse.”

Zero sighed, knowing that Gin will not give up until he finished his argument, “How so?”

“Because there are people who already know about your special condition and that are capable of helping you through this even better than I can.”

“Gin-“

“Ichiru has to know, Zero! Come on~ he will do anything for your sake and I cannot begin to imagine how supportive he would be if he knew that he had a nephew on the way. I am sorry if I sound frustrated, but it annoys me how limited I am with what I can do to help and more than that, I do not want to see you struggle with a new life, no matter how amazing the experience would be, by yourself. I am sure that nobody would care about how ‘different’ you are after you explain it. Heck, Cross-san would be ecstatic, Kaito would be as proud as an uncle can get, your sensei will be the same as well, if he really cares about you as much as you said. Let’s not talk about Yuki-chan, she might throw a party on the spot-“

“NO! Just quit it… I will not tell anyone.” _she is the last person I need on my case._

“Fine, but think about what you will tell your child when they ask you about their family as they grow up.”

Zero paused for a moment. _Telling Ichiru is just out of question… If he knew that I did not go through with the abortion and tell Hanabusa… The loyal subordinate he is, he might just go and tell him- wait… What if-_

Zero’s head snapped suddenly, surprising Gin who was waiting for him to ponder, “w…What?” He stuttered.

“That plan of yours, about going overseas. How fast can you set it in motion?”

Gin mused for a moment, “Let’s see… I did get around six offers from three American universities, a Canadian one, and the one in Australia where I started teaching in the first place.”

“I have hard time believing that you are actually a Professor.” Zero drawled.

Gin chuckled, “I get told that a lot. It does help to be a prodigy who skipped most of his education to hold a degree at fifteen years old.” he bragged

Zero grunted in annoyance, “At fifteen, I was drowning in my suicidal thoughts while sleeping during most of my classes… Anyways… keep going.”

“As I said, Since the Japanese educational authorities revoked my qualifications and I am not allowed to teach in any university or governmental institution, I was planning on moving overseas. That is before the mess with my sister started. I declined the offers back then, but they kept coming. Now that the house is settled, I was thinking of working few years and pay the loan off in addition of earning some saving before coming back here again. Cross Academy pays well, but not enough to keep up for the long term I am aiming for.”

“I go it. When is the earliest you can move and where?” Zero urged.

“The earliest would be the starting of the next term by August; I would have to be there earlier to settle down of course. That would be in Australia because I do not need extra paperwork to go back to my home country.” Gin explained, “Why are you asking? I told you that I had no problem going to US until you settled down and do not need my help anymore. You might have to go first and I will follow soon after that.”

Zero shook his head, “No… I got a better idea… A plan that will allow me to tell Ichiru.”

Gin mouth slackened before speaking as fast as possible, “How, tell me?”

“ _You_ are the father.” Zero pointed a finger towards Gin.

“What? Zero… Your pregnancy brain is scaring me… We did not even have sex since the first time ages ago.”

Zero rolled his eyes at the sarcasm… “Too funny… What I meant that I would tell Ichiru that you are the father… That I am pregnant with your child, you idiot!” the hunter poked the stunned man.

Gin frowned, “Why go to such lengths?”

Zero shrugged, “Ichiru is extremely fussy and would want to pinpoint the father just so that I do not have to raise the child alone. Knowing that you are the father will spare me the headache.” _And the suspicion that it might be the child I did not abort._

Gin went silent for a while. He was surprised but Zero’s words confused him more because they did not make that much sense. Suddenly, the words written in the note came to mind. _Especially if you are suspecting the father to be that person_. Gin felt his heart sinking when he realized the meaning of the words that actually explained the reluctant attitude of the hunter. _Kuran Kaname!_

“So… You are saying that if I agree to play along with this pretend game, you will tell Ichiru and Hanabusa about your pregnancy?” Gin asked in a serious tone.

“Yes… And when I go overseas with you, they will not be suspicious because it is normal to be with the father of your child.” Zero explained.

“Zero… Do you understand what that means?”

“Yeah…”

“That you will have to pretend being in a relationship with me, that the child will be registered under my name, that-“

“I know… On second thought, forget about it! It is a stupid idea. It is not fair to drag you into my mess like that and the last thing you need is the burden of a pregnant partner.”

“Wait- no… I did not mean it like that… Zero, I do not want you to decide an important matter impulsively and come to regret it later… I also need time to think about it as well… It will not be easy to pretend to be the lover or whatever the status you give me when it is the person I have feelings for, who is involved… I am not sure if I can pull it off… So, here is what we are going to do… I am going back to my job, as a teacher now that the winter break is over, you will make sure to take the prenatal supplements, eat and drink the blood to keep the morning sickness at bay while assessing the pros and cons of the situation. I will be doing the same and we will make the final decision when I come over next weekend. Okay?”

Zero sighed and nodded, “Fine…”

Gin opened the door and got out of the vehicle, one last question nagged him, “Zero… What if your pregnancy was accidently revealed. What would you choose? Saying that you got impregnated by a vampire, or reveal that you are of the third gender and able to conceive with a human partner?”

Zero placed his chin on the steering wheel and thought about it for a brief moment, “I would rather go with the second. Being a freak of nature is a cheaper price to pay compared to losing my pride as a hunter.”

Gin nodded and parted ways with the silverette, already considering the request that he was highly reluctant to go along to, especially with the suspicions that it raised.

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Kaname sipped on the tea with calm and gracious movements, perfectly hiding his frustration and impatience. He knew very well that nothing would come out of the discussion if he came on too strong with the devious person he was facing.

Rosa, on the other hand, was enjoying her time as she dipped her ginger cookie in the tea and munched on it as if it was a delicacy from heaven. Kaname had hard time believing that the childish behavior belonged to this, thousands of years old, woman. Then again, Rosa’s existence itself is abnormal to begin with.

“Some DNA tests revealed that _he_ and I share a connection from a far past. A person related to both of us, who is contributing to the unpleasant events happening lately. I believe that you said that you enjoyed watching from the sideline the last time I came to visit?”

Rosa stopped her humming and gave him a sly smile, making Kaname’s eyebrow twitch as the action reminded him of another woman, “Heeeh! Science is reaching its peak once again, I see… But… Kana-chan… Isn’t that a confidential piece of information you are revealing? Wouldn’t it be bad if I was related to the incidents?” She asked curiously.

The innocent act did not go unnoticed by the pureblood, “Would anything good come from taking a roundabout way to approach it with you?” He quipped

Rosa chuckled softly, “That is quite true. So… What is your assumption on the matter? The one you probably did not divulge during the meeting.”

Kaname sighed, “Rika blocking my memories makes my theories quite unstable.”

“Shoot!” Rosa urged, pushing her teacup and cookies jar to show a serious stance for once.

“The first thought that came to mind was that it might be you…” Rosa looked into his eyes as he declared.

She did not flinch or show any sign of surprise or discomfort at the accusation, “What made you scratch that possibility?”

“You are not a pureblood and way older than the estimated age of the suspect. You also have no vampire genes in you.”

“Are you sure about that?” Rosa asked sarcastically, tilting her head with a smirk.

The action made Kaname frown, “How about you remind me of what you are so that we can move on to what is more productive?” he finally hit the point of his visit. Remembering the true nature of Rosa would certainly help solving the puzzle of the suspect. Kaname had that kind of feeling.

Rosa sighed, “Something that should not have existed in the first place. However, my birth must hold a meaning and I must have a duty that needed to be accomplished. That is what you told me a long time ago. It was those words that helped me cope with this immortal life of mine.”

Kaname rubbed his temple, “What are you, Rosa?”

“I am not a vampire.” She answered, “I am not a pureblood turned human, and I am not a hunter either.”

“So you are saying that you are merely a shapeshifter, an existence that was wiped out a long time ago?” Kaname stated, frustration starting to show in his voice.

Rosa startled at the mention, “You remembered?”

“What?” Kaname was confused for a moment.

Rosa leaned on the table with expectation shining in her eyes, “You said that I was a shapeshifter, that the existence of my kind was wiped out a long time ago… What else?”

Kaname frowned. He was not aware that he actually said that much and did not know where the information came from, concentrating a bit, he realized the bits that came back to him without noticing, “Shapeshifter… Apocalypse and extinction of supernatural species. Vampires rising to eradicate the remaining humans, the great War and the loss of my companion in the journey of saving the humans who were struggling to survive despite being weak and inferior to vampires.”

Rosa slumped back in her seat, disappointed, “Ugh! This is so infuriating. Why does it have to be so slow?”

“We would not be having this hard time if you just told me what you know.”

“I am not allowed, Kana-chan! No one is… It is part of-“

“Part of Rika’s plan. I know but I have the right to know my own past.” Kaname slammed a hand on the table, keeping himself in check as not to blow the whole building. The barrier vibrated in resonance with his menacing aura.

Rosa pressed her lips, “Nothing good will come out from you learning this early in the game.”

“Game? GAME?! Rosa! People are dying as we speak, my family is in danger, our cause is threatened by someone who obviously knows me too well to the point of mimicking my strategies to a scary perfection as well as staying ahead of me at all times. This is no game, this is the very seed of a bloody war.”

“I have nothing more to say. However, the one thing I assure you is that you will remember when the right time comes and you will be able to handle it just the way you should be. If you rush things too much, you might get too biased to see right from wrong. You are obviously on the right track to regain what you have lost and it will only be a matter of time.”

A shifting inside the house alerted the pureblood and he stood up to head in direction of the door without looking back at the silverette who was sipping her tea casually.

It was when he reached the door that an electrifying sensation ran through his body and an unbearable pressure pressed in the back of his head making him clutch it while doubling over in pain.

Placing her teacup in its saucer with grace, Rosa spoke without looking at the brunet, “Your barrier would not oppose your access. However, you are not strong enough as you are now to be able to access that one without explicit permission.”

Taking a couple of steps back, the pain and paralyzing feeling faded almost instantly. He gritted his teeth and looked at the back of the slender woman, “Why would you not allow me? Are you hiding more truth inside?” Kaname asked, eyeing the glass window that showed an empty living room.

“Did I say that I was the one who set up the barrier?” She stated in an innocent curiosity, while looking over her shoulder at the miffed pureblood.

“Rosa.” Kaname seethed.

“Oh my! Scary Kana-chan is a sight to enjoy,” She chuckled in amusement, “I can easily point you to the person casting that spell, but, as you are now, you have no chance of convincing him to take it down.”

“Him? What do you mean by not having any chance?”

Rosa stood up and pranced cutely in her baby blue dress, reminding Kaname of Yuki when she puts her hands behind her back and tilt her head. In Rosa’s case, the action was more intriguing than an act of cutesy… “I might have said something that put you on his bad side… Accidentally. That person can get quite temperamental when provoked. He also hates to lose the most.”

“Am I supposed to know this man from my past.” Kaname bit sarcastically, fed up with all the mystery figures surrounding him.

Rosa shook her head, “Naaah! He is far too young for you to know him or understand what he is capable of; He did not reach a couple of centuries yet, but his existence is quite intriguing, even for me. You might already have guessed it since I preferred to keep him as an ally.”

“I wonder if he is just an _ally.”_ Rosa followed Kaname’s gaze to the ring she was wearing. She gave him a small smile before going inside the house with the tray of empty cups in hands.

“Until our next meeting, Kana-chan!” Was the last of her words as she closed the door softly, leaving the pureblood standing outside.

Once the vampire was out of premises, Rosa slumped on a sofa. Her closed eyes fluttered open when the footsteps got closer.

“Was it wise to tell him about that person?”

She shrugged, “He is bound to know about him anyways. That man have been suppressing himself for far too long. I expect him to make his move soon, especially if he catches wind of what is going on. Therefore, his confrontation with Kana-chan is inevitable, but… Whether they face each other as enemies or allies will depend on those two only. I cannot do anything about it.”

Nao raised an eyebrow, “ _You_ cannot do anything about it? Hard to believe.”

Amethyst eyes stared into dark orbs of the prefect who was chilling around on the couch nearby. Her lips curled up “They are both unpredictable men. I would say that they are the hardest to figure out, yet the easiest to provoke.” Her eyes twinkled in amusement.

Nao, however, tensed all of a sudden. “It seems that your guest is awake.” He bit with venom obvious in his voice.

“Nao… Be respectful, please!” She reprimanded softly.

“Why should I? You would not have to go through all this agony if not for this person barging in on our lives as if they owned the place.” The prefect complained as he stood to leave.

“I can’t possibly throw them out either.” Rosa stated flatly, making the shoulder of the black-haired teen slump.

“You could have just asked him to help, or give him a better warning than that misleading speech.” He spoke, referring to Kaname. He did not miss the way that violet orbs lost their sparks.

“No… He is not ready to get involved yet.”

“Neither is nii-san?” He retorted.

“He must not know about this.” Rosa snapped in a commanding tone.

Nao groaned in frustration, “Don’t look at me that way. It is not like I can approach him casually and say, ‘hey nii-san, there is this annoying chick at home that you should kick out’. He is not one to take such action because someone asked, I am well aware of it.”

“That is not the only reason.” She added.

“I know!” Nao snapped more, “I know that he buried his old life and looking for a new start, I know…” Rosa pitied the teen as the painful expression tugged at her heartstrings… Nao wiped the tears that threatened to fall, “I know that we were bound to separate and go our own way one of these days. I know… but the way he did it is just too cruel, I can’t forgive him for that.”

She stood from her seat, picked a fruit knife as she approached her protégé. Slicing her wrist, she tugged his head so that he could have his fill before leaving. After taking a few gulps, Nao prickled his own finger and swiped his own blood over the wound, making it close up instantly. He wiped his bloodied mouth while staring at Rosa as she took on the shape of an old woman again.

He scoffed, “Going this far because they do not want to see your true form, what is so important about that guest.”

Rosa gave him a wistful wrinkly smile, “Go on! It would be bad if they realize that you sneaked out of school to come here. Be more careful from now on, and make sure to keep your distance from Kaname and the others. I do not want you involved in what is about to unfold, under any circumstance.”

Nao clenched his fist at the motherly tone that Rosa used, “Treating me like a kid again.”

“You are but a kid after all, my precious child.” Rosa cooed as she patted his cheek.

“I am not your child.” Nao bit back as he grabbed a jacket and stormed out of the house.

She sighed as the guest came into the living room just in time with Nao slamming the door shut, “As ungrateful as ever.” The suave feminine voice made her tense up for a second.

“I might not have given birth to them, but they are as precious as my own children would have been.”

The guest let out a mocking laughter, “Oh please!”

“Anyways…” Rosa was feeling an impeding migraine every time she dealt with this person, “How long are you going to keep this up. They are starting to close up on your little groupies.”

Calculating eyes bored into hers, “As long as it takes. The fun game is just starting, and I will not be satisfied until _he_ is back to how he used to be and more. The wimp I am seeing now disgusts me to no end.”

Rosa’s wrinkles deepened with her frown, “He has been always like that since the day I knew him.”

Another annoying laughter resonated before the woman in her living room spoke again with a seething aura as she casually checked her red painted nails, “Nah… _That_ is not my Kaname. It is all the fault of that hateful woman, toying around with him until she made him forget his true purpose. Besides, I have yet to pinpoint the vessel and the carrier to make my move.”

_Oh my! This seems to be taking a turn to the worse!_

Rosa pondered in her head. _What should I do now?... Oh well! it is going as expected anyways. I just hope that Rika-ma did not mess up somewhere. I am sure she would smack my head if I said that to her face. However, things are so discordant, that I am not sure how to proceed anymore at this stage. I hope Kana-chan has a good plan in that smart head of his. I can only observe and see how things unfold for now._

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

A week later, Gin sat in the train on his way to Zero’s place. They kept exchanging texts and few calls during the week to discuss all possible scenarios for Zero to announce his pregnancy in the way that he was comfortable with.

To be honest, Gin was not entirely confident to pull off the plan that they agreed on. He had a wild feeling that Zero will come to regret his decision eventually. The possibility of the truth being revealed was not null. The hunter was taking those around him for fools if he thinks that the act will go unnoticed. However, if it will get him to open up to those who cared about him, Gin was more than willing to take the dive and assume the consequences to come after it.

Upon coming out of the station, he had a huge smile on his face, as he walked faster, “You did not have to pick me up.”

“I was taking time off work and thought of going for a ride anyways.” Zero shrugged as he took a bite of the rice cracker.

Gin was relieved to see the hunter in a better shape than he expected.

Seeing that the train reached later than scheduled, they skipped going back to the apartment and went directly to K-bar, where Ichiru was waiting along with Kaito for them to have a drink together after so long. 

“I am still against you drinking.” Gin spoke suddenly, startling Zero who almost made a wrong turn because of that.

“We talked about this. The doctor already said it was fine as long as it did not contain silver wine. It will be just for this one time, I promise.” Zero reassured him and himself as well.

“Why don’t we just spill everything at once and get done with it.”

Zero groaned as he repeated the same thing over and over again, “ _Because…_ Ichiru would not buy it if I say that I started going out with you after you knocked me up. He will find it fishy because if it was the usual me, I would get an abortion in a heartbeat without bothering with what you have to say on the matter.”

“Just like what you did with Marco’s child.” Gin pointed. Seeing the way Zero pressed his lips looking at the road made him smack his head internally, “Sorry… That was not nice of me to bring up.”

“It is the truth after all.” Zero whispered, “Anyways… I was planning to give us a chance before the pregnancy came into the equation. I really can’t promise that a day would come where I return your feelings, but you have to know that I will be eternally gratefully for what you are willing to sacrifice for my child.” Zero explained in a serious tone that managed to chase away some of Gin’s anxiety.

“I do share some responsibility in the birth of this child, and I do not mind registering him under my name just so that you can protect him from those who might attack the weakness of not knowing his father. I do not mind partaking in raising him if you allow me, even if we are not ‘together’ at that point.”

Zero smiled at the mumbling, “You are quite amazing, you know that? Any other person would die just to have a partner like you… I guess that I am too ratchet to know your value.”

Gin scoffed, “Oh please! You are making me out to be a freaking angel. You are too careless, Zero! or should I say reckless? What would you do if I had a secret agenda by doing all of this?”

Zero pondered, “I would rather trust your words right now. I guess that I am being a bit less cautious than before because I am the one taking advantage of your kindness in this situation, in a very selfish way. However, if you were to backstab me one of these days, I would certainly make you regret the day you were born.”

Gin laughed hard at the scary menace. _I don’t think that would be possible since I am regretting that day since I came to understand what was going on around me!_

A wistful smile traced his lips as he looked at the reflection of his grey eyes in the side mirrors of the car.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At K-bar ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The four friends were having the time of their life joking and talking about the mundane, but funny things that happened in their life. None of them missed the chance of teasing Ichiru about getting married a second time and of course the incidents of walking on Kaito and Takuma were the highlights.

“Seriously, Dude! You have to keep it in your pants or the poor guy will end up with a stroke one of these days. How many people walked in on you pouncing him already?” Zero commented.

Kaito shrugged, “It is not like I am jumping him in public, I guess we just have bad luck with the timing.”

Ichiru rolled his eyes as Zero did at the same time, “Oh, please! How do you expect it not to happen when you go at it in the chairman office, in a freaking living room, in a kitchen and a bloody classroom?” Ichiru counted on his fingers the occasions that Kaito said to have been caught red handed.

The hunter had to stifle a laugh, “Okay, first of all, most of those were about you guys walking on us merely flirting. The one who got the short end of the stick was Yuki-chan.”

“I can’t imagine how she must have felt walking on that.” Gin paled at the thought.

“She was going from blue to green and back with a tied tongue and eyes bulging out when I found her.” Ichiru explained, sending them in a fit of horrified faces followed by stifled laughter.

“I guess we should be careful as well when we are staying over there, until you finish your house.” Zero casually spoke to gin who was feeding him the green olive of his martini, aware of Zero’s new craving for savory stuff.

“Huh?” “What?” “Wait a moment, you two!”

All eyes were on the couple as Gin exclamation went unnoticed by the surprised Ichiru and the stunned Kaito.

“Nii-san?”

“What?” Zero acted oblivious to their reaction as Gin composed himself after finally getting the hint.

“What, what?” Kaito pointed his glass towards the hunter, “You just said something about you two having to be careful when making out around campus.”

“So?” Zero tilted his head.

“Isn’t that normal when you are dating?” Gin pointed smoothly before faking a surprised expression, “Wait, Zero! Do not tell me that this is the first time you are mentioning it?”

“WHAT!” Ichiru had his eyes bulge out and go from Zero to Gin and back to Zero, looking for any sign that it might be a prank.

“Oh! I guess I did not. My bad… Now you know.” Zero informed flatly while sipping on his drink.

“Wait…. Just hold on a minute!” Ichiru stopped the whistling Kaito from welcoming his brother into the monogamous world, “Just when did this happen?”

“Why are you so surprised when you have been trying to hook us up for ages? Be happy.” Zero complained.

“I am but… Just answer the question.”

“It somehow started during your fight.” Gin said meekly, while Ichiru’s eyes widened again.

Looking at Zero again, “That was not a joke at that time?”

“Nope… I was making my decision at that point.” Zero winked.

“Can I have a minute, alone with you?” Ichiru pointed to the staff room. Zero followed as he gave a victorious wink to Gin who was busy pushing Kaito off him as the hunter teased him about it. His heart heavy with the guilt of starting an upcoming snow pile of lies.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the staff room ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“What is going on here?” Ichiru asked, arms crossed over his chest.

“What? I thought you would be happy with me finally settling down.” Zero complained

“Are you? really?” Ichiru’s voice was filled with doubt.

Zero gave the answer he rehearsed multiple times to perfection as he expected this to happen, “Yes, totally sure. I told you how I thought that he made a good boyfriend material. Besides, after that mess with Kuran and the fact that I almost lost you due to my irresponsibility, it hit me like a ton of brick… Gin was quite supportive and encouraging when I told him that I wanted to change for the better. I was the one asking him out as well…”

“Really?” Ichiru had both eyebrows raised in surprised when Zero nodded.

“I mean… If I was to quit my promiscuousness, you know that suppressing it will not do me any good and I would just end up falling back to the hold habits. Therefore, I thought that committing to a relationship might help me keep myself in check. Especially when it is with Gin. Unlike Marco, he is too good to me and I am sure that the thought of seeking the company of another man would leave me with a bad taste because I would be hurting a good man by doing so… I might not have romantic feelings towards him now, and I might not develop an affection as strong as the one he is showering me, but I am comfortable with him and optimistic about how this might work out in the future.” Zero spoke with the emotions he is feeling thinking of the wellbeing of his child instead of thinking of Gin, making Ichiru feel the care and assertiveness of the hunter, even if it was about the wrong person.

Ichiru was hesitant but happy for his brother nonetheless. “Is this the reason you went for an abortion?”

Zero pursed his lips and nodded, trying his best not to flinch at the mention.

Ichiru sighed as he threw an arm around his brother’s shoulder to guide him out while whispering, “What about _him?_ ”

“Kuran?” Zero spoke nonchalantly as Ichiru nodded, “He was just a good fuck.”

The crude remark earned him a smack on the head “That was for being vulgar”

“You asked, I answered.” Zero grunted

“Is that the only reason you kept seeing him, you sister’s mate?” Ichiru asked in a reprimanding tone.

The hunter scratched his head as he walked ahead of his brother, “The chemistry was addicting and I did not know how to stop myself from wanting it. I guess it took a shitty treatment for me to get over it.”

Ichiru observed his twin’s back, not buying the words totally but believing Zero’s weak will when faced with the right temptation, “So… You are saying that you would not go along anymore if he ever seduced you?”

The question made the hunter halt for a second before shaking his head, “Would anyone be pleased with a rapist going after them?”

“I guess not…” Ichiru trailed as he threw the hand back on Zero’s shoulder, tugging him back towards the others.   

“Let’s celebrate a new chapter in your life, which will hopefully be better than what preceded it. I can’t wait to tell Hana.” Excitement was coming back to the younger twin’s voice

Zero smirked and latched at the opportunity, “Please do! Oh! While you are at it, can you get him to make a bracelet for Gin or something to camouflage… you know…”

“What? You-“

Zero scratched the back of his head, trying to avoid Ichiru’s gaze, “It kind of happened in the heat of the moment. I did not expect it, but I am keeping it under control. He wants me to do it whenever I feel the need, something about feeling closer whenever I did.”

“You are sure you have it under control?” Ichiru inquired curiously, surprised that his brother was not feeling bad about drinking from Gin. _Maybe he is already falling for him without being aware of it._

“I promise.”

Ichiru gave an enthusiastic nod as they made their way out, “I will hand it over to him as soon as possible. Make sure to explain how it works, or should I do it?”

Zero shrugged, “Whatever. It is not as if it is that difficult to understand. He just have to hold it against his skin until wiping the blood off, not that hard to get.”

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ A week later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Zero and Gin were sitting at the farthest opposite edges of the sofa, each moping in his corner after the spat they had around breakfast that day. Zero squeezed the pillow he was hugging as tight as possible. The hunter was losing his nerves as the days went by and the time to tell Ichiru about the pregnancy grew closer. He came to the compromise with Gin that they keep going to the doctor he had been consulting, so that Aido does not realize that the progress does not fit the story. They agreed to just ask for the blood bags to be smuggled, one way or the other.

Today, Zero woke up with the coldest feet ever. The reason for that is the fact that they had to go back to welcome Yagari sensei who was coming back that night, alive, cured and well. Zero was as ecstatic to see his mentor, as he was nervous about taking the chance to tell his brother.

Therefore, he made the mistake of telling Gin that he is not ready to tell them yet. The teacher finally blew his top that morning. What fueled Gin more is the last visit to the doctor, who warned them about the heartbeat of the baby being unstable along the visits. Gin was convinced that Zero was holding back from drinking as much as he want of his blood, and he was worried that the blood pills were affecting the baby and its growth.

Gin was having a migraine by the time Zero expressed his fear. He was starting to lose his patience around the unreasonable hunter. He could not pinpoint the real reason behind the hunter’s fears, but he tried to push the annoyance on the pregnancy hormones and all the up and downs it may cause.

After taking a deep calming breath, Gin scooted closer to the hunter and ruffled his head, “Let’s leave this matter until after we come back from the dinner, Okay?”

Zero looked at him hesitantly, “I will tell them, I really want to… I just need time… That’s it.”

“I know.” Gin answered as he got up, he patted his pocket for a smoke but then remembered that he was trying to quit, “I am going for a walk, want to come along?”

“No. I am good.”

As anxious as he was, Zero could not sit still after Gin left. He finished his work earlier than expected and did not want to leave immediately because he would have to spend more time with the others. His bad episodes of puking and feeling dizzy subsided shortly after he started taking Gin’s blood, and he was certainly grateful for that. However, the nauseous feeling persisted along with having a parched throat, as if he was constantly thirsty and Gin seemed like a piece of steak moving around in front him.

He asked the doctor about it since he is an old vampire who seemed quite knowledgeable about the quirks of pregnancy. The answer was more disappointing when he figured out that the baby made him yearn for his father’s blood. He downed another batch of blood pills since Gin was not around to watch him and prayed that he gets through the night without mauling anyone.  

 

Gin took forever to come back, only to find that Zero emptied his cupboard and washing the already clean dishes. He sighed in exasperation at the obvious nervousness, and approached the hunter, “I will whip up something fast to eat before we leave.”

“Okay…” Zero answered without looking away from the poor plate he was scrubbing at the sink.

The lunch passed in silence, and they both cleared the mess before each going to change and leave. It was after they came to the agreement of the pretend dating that Gin surprised Zero by cleaning the guest room and announcing that he would be using it whenever he came over. Gin had hard time fighting the need to take back his decision when facing the dejected look of the hunter. He knew that Zero craved skinship for some reason but he was not confident enough to be around the hunter without getting tempted again.

Once done changing and putting his clothes away, he went to check if the hunter was done as well. The sight that greeted him warmed his heart no matter how many times he stumbled upon it. He leaned on the doorframe and watched as a topless Zero stood in front of the mirror checking his profile and rubbing the barely noticeable bump in his tight abdomen.

Zero glanced at the reflection of Gin and smiled before looking at his stomach again, “Hard to believe that I am thirteen weeks already, time sure flies.”

Gin chuckled as he closed in and took the chance to have his share of bonding, “And it is amazing how you are still not showing that much. My sister bulged almost immediately.”

Zero hummed as he looked at his reflection again, “Maybe because of my height. Wait, you have been watching your sister this way as well, that’s creepy.”

Gin chuckled at the weird look Zero gave him, “As if I would do something like that, she was fond of wearing crop tops at the time and showing off her bump. That is until stretch marks started showing. In your case, whether it is the height or something else, I guess it works well with your plans. Oh! I forgot to ask, will this be an excruciatingly long pregnancy like Yuki’s?” Gin asked, worry and trepidation obvious in his voice and expression.

Zero frowned, amusement obvious in his curled up lips, “Wait! You did not hear… Oh Yeah! You were getting me the prescription during that time. Nope… The doctor said that I will be having a regular nine months pregnancy like any other vampires apart from female purebloods.”

Gin eyebrows raised in surprise, “Really?”

“Honest.”

“Why is it the female pureblood only?” Gin inquired curiously.

Zero shrugged, “Who knows… As long as I don’t have to go through that, I am more than grateful. Shall we leave?” He concluded after slipping his jumper and grabbed a jacket and a scarf. He hated anything that chocked him but it was freezing cold that day.

“How is it that you dress so little in this weather, just looking at you chills my bone?” Zero complained about the taller man who wore a plain T-shirt and slipped a jacket over it before picking the car keys.

Gin smirked, “I just have higher body temperature than others.”

“Lucky bastard!” Zero grunted as he got into the elevator.

 

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Later after they reached Cross’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero found his amusement in Gin’s rare awkwardness around his adoptive father, who for once tried to act all serious and fatherly when learning that they were dating, courtesy of Ichiru’s blabbermouth.

There was some progress when Hanabusa actually greeted Zero, but the hunter knew that the golden-haired vampire was not comfortable enough yet to get back like old times. He needed his space as well because, if there were one person who could see through his act now, it would be the unnecessarily brilliant brother in law of his.

Things started going downhill for the hunter when the pureblood finally joined them. Kaname regretfully announced another delay in the flight due to bad weather’s conditions, but that the one-eyed hunter will be back in Japan later that night. There was a mix of anxiety and relief about meeting Yagari soon, and internal prayers that the flight is not delayed for another week like what happened before this.

Zero immediately averted Kaname’s gaze as it landed on him while he spoke to Cross who was standing next to the hunter. He quickly rushed to the kitchen, taking the chance that everyone were chatting in the living room in order to gulp a handful of blood tablets.

He could have sworn that his eyes were about to turn red as soon as the scent of the vampire hit his nose. Clutching his burning chest, Zero could hear his heart thrumming so loudly he could barely bear it. Clutching his belly in a loving way, he whispered, “Please… Just get me through this night and I promise that I will give you what you need and more… Please… baby… please…”

His shaky hands finally managed to bring the cup to his mouth in order for the red fake blood to stream down his parched throat. Minutes later, despite the need nagging at the back of his head, Zero could feel his sanity coming back.

He snapped to full awareness when a hand tapped on his shoulder. His daze lead to an exaggerated startle that freaked Kaito out. Gin, standing a distance away as he followed his friend into the kitchen, frowned at the reaction of the silverette and his eyes narrowed at the metallic pocket-sized box he recognized as the blood pills case.

“Dude! Are you in daze mode again?” Kaito exclaimed as he leaned next to Zero, catching his breath after dodging a mighty slug from his fellow hunter.

“Sorry! I was… not paying attention.” Zero mumbled.

Kaito huffed and lit up a cigarette near the open window, shivering at the cold breeze that hit him.

“Why bother opening it if you are feeling that cold?” Zero complained, feeling the chill as well.

“Why you ask? The first thing that the old coot had to say when he came into his house was how it stank of tobacco. He made me go over every corner with that fucking neutralizing spray. I kind of get why Sensei got a room at the faculty dorms even if he spent most of his time with Cross. The guy has a hound nose.”

Zero chuckled, “Tell me about it. He would pinpoint if I swung by the stable as soon as I passed through the door.”

“See?” Kaito insisted.

“Are his senses that sharp?” Gin inquired curiosity obvious in his tone.

Zero smirked, for once talking proudly about the ex-hunter, “As sharp as a fucking bloodsucker. I guess that is one of the reason he was called a vampire without fangs.”

“Oh Yeah! Zero did you know? That he was your father’s mentor?” Kaito asked, as surprised to know the fact as the silver hunter who had his eyes bulging out.

“What? Seriously? I never knew!” Zero exclaimed.

“Yep… We accidentally heard today.” Kaito teased

“How?”

“I was kind of complaining about getting rusty with no sparring partners available, he suggested to give it a shot. I was kind of hesitant to be honest. As expected ~ “

“He handed your ass back to you.” Zero finished his thought.

“Without breaking a sweat…. Anyways, putting my lame self aside, Ichiru joined and wanted to give it a go.”

“Oh man, why do I feel like I don’t want to hear what is coming.” Zero cringed.

“Actually you should… Your damn brother lasted longer than me by twenty seconds.”

“Huh?” Zero looked at Kaito as if he had grown another head.

“Stop giving me that stupid look. I am serious. Ichiru has been improving and managed to hold his ground against Cross longer than I could. That is when the old man commented on his swordsmanship, saying that it reminded him of how his father used to fight when he started mentoring him.”

Zero’s mouth flapped like a fish, he did not know what should surprise him more, that his adoptive father mentored his biological father and was not just a simple friend, or that his brother is getting stronger despite having most of his hunter’s powers stripped away from him.

“That is amazing!” Gin commented, “Does this mean that he going to hunter’s missions?”

Kaito shook his head lazily, “That guy seems like he is about to get rashes whenever the hunters come up in a conversation. His aversion is too real to expect him working hand in hand with them anytime soon.”

Zero nodded in agreement.

“Although he would make a better partner than you seeing how you have been lately.” Kaito pointed in a sarcastic way, making Zero give him a deadly glare.

“What do you mean?” Gin asked, eyes narrowing at the silver hunter’s reaction.

“Nothing, he is just being the usual jerk.” Zero answered quickly, jabbing Kaito who was about to answer.

“Yeah, the usual jerk who had to get a hit to my shoulder because you did not see that damn E coming to rip your head off.” Kaito grunted, rubbing the spot that Zero hit.

“Really…” Gin trailed, his eyes meeting violet one that averted his knowing gaze.

“He has been in a freaking daze lately, it is getting annoying.” Kaito complained, “If being lovesick leads to this, you gotta lay off the honeymoon or he may not come back home one of these days.” he teased as he crushed his cigarette, “Anyways, I am going to see if the flight arrival has been set. See ya.”

The kitchen fell in heavy silence as Gin and Zero stared at each other.

Gin was about to say something when Zero suddenly sprinted out of the room, mumbling under his breath, “Don’t start your preaching here because it is the last thing I need right now.”

The exit of the hunter was in time with the pureblood who came in from the door joined to the living room. Gin assumed that Zero felt him coming when he hurried through the corridor leading to the sleeping quarter and the office area. He did not waste time to follow him, oblivious to the garnet orbs that followed him until his back disappeared.

Kaname reached the cupboard for a cup of water, the glinting metal of the case in the corner of his eyes diverted his attention. Picking it up, he rubbed it and took a whiff of the smell he recognize as Zero’s. He frowned slightly when noticing how empty it was, knowing that the hunter always kept a full stash whenever he leaves the house. _Did he consume all of it in the past few hours?_

Putting it back where it originally was, Kaname poured the wine in a flute and made his way outside, looking for some fresh air after getting another blow when Takuma informed him that his beloved hunter started dating the hateful teacher. He unconsciously gritted his teeth each time he remembered it. More than having hard time dealing with his feeling and desires, Kaname was getting frustrated at the distance Zero was keeping from him. He could not blame him for it, but he could not help but be irritated, especially when the lurking enemy has something to do with the hunter and his agenda towards Zero was not a pleasant one so far. The last thing he needed was seeing him hurt without the chance of protecting him. Kaname’s lips curled up slightly at the thought of an angry silverette complaining about how Kaname was treating him as a damsel in distress instead of the notorious hunter he was.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Cross’s office quarter ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Gin sighed when he opened the door to find Zero standing beside it, fist clenching by his sides. He closed the door and walked around the room, finally stopping in front of the big old desk and leaning his back against it. He crossed his arms and looked at the hunter who was looking away, again.

Minutes later, Gin let out an exasperated sigh as he took off his jacket and yanked off the shirt he was wearing, making himself topless. “You are thirsty.” He stated flatly as the hunter’s gaze traveled slowly over his torso until it reached his eyes.

“I am not.” Zero answered stubbornly, ignoring the increasing heartbeat as he started imagining the blood pumping through the vein of Gin’s neck, where he wanted to sink his fangs, never taking them out.

Gin ran a hand through his messy bangs, and then clutched the edges of the desk, “Your eyes are red.”

Zero was surprised as he did not realize it, but it made sense since he was starting to actually see the blood flowing. Hugging himself in helpless attempt to get some self-control.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to hold back if you are too thirsty?” Gin reprimanded while beckoning the red eyed Zero to come closer.

”we are not at my place, I can’t-” Zero stuttered

“Come on Zero, stop hurting yourself, come here and drink as much as you need… Here, see, Ichiru already gave me this and I activated it as instructed. It is all good now…” Gin reassured him as he took out what seemed like a silver necklace that Zero recognized being the camouflaging talisman.

Still reluctant, Zero looked away and tightened the grip over his own arm while whispering, “Can’t we do it another way?”

“How?” Gin asked, confused.

“You know… Like the time you left me those blood bags. You can just draw the blood and I would drink it from the ba-“

“Denied.” Gin interrupted flatly.

”Wha… Why? It must hurt when I bite and I … I” Zero felt like crying on the spot. _Damn those freaking hormone making me look like some schoolgirl!_

“Come here Zero, please! Look at me …” Gin begged softly as Zero took a couple of steps in his direction.

Zero got a little closer and looked up to Gin’s soft loving eyes “Did I ever complain from your bite?”

“…no”

“I will let you on a secret. I absolutely enjoy it” Zero’s eyes widened in shock and then scowled when Gin’s eyes showed nothing but sincerity

“You really are a hardcore masochist, you know that?” snorted the silverette…

“Say whatever you like. For me, nothing compares to the cuteness of my little lover, even if he is pretending to be, when his breath tickle my neck, then that hot tongue licking the skin as if savoring it before those fangs sink deep and make my very core tremble knowing that I am becoming a part of you and our child. Oh! The best part is still about when you lick the pierced skin and kiss it as if to take the pain away. It makes me want you so bad I can barely hold back from mmmmphhh” a scarlet red Zero covered Gin’s mouth with both hands while looking down; felling as if his heart would burst from embarrassment,

“Ok! I got it, so don’t say anymore, I beg you” He mumbled. _Geez! This guy knows no shame when it comes to corny stuff._

“So you will drink without a fuss?” Gin inquired with a wide smile. Zero nodded his head twice and took a step closer to Gin putting his hands on either forearms. Gin lifted those hands on his shoulders and pulled Zero by the waist to have him pressed against his body with the silver head nestled in the crook of his neck. “Go ahead”

As Gin narrated, Zero prepared the skin as his fangs elongated and then pierced it, moaning as he took few hot gulp of the sweet blood feeling the gentleness and love Gins always felt for him. Once done, he did lick and kiss the injury and peered at Gin with tinted cheeks and mouth smeared with his blood.

The blue haired man let out a growl of frustration that startled the hunter from his daze, “Damnit! How can you manage to be this sexy even with your fangs out and blood dripping from that mouth?” He breathed out the words before he leaned quickly to peck the dirty lips cradling the silver head to cut his escape.

Zero could feel Gin getting aroused against him, which made him relieved to know that what he said about his bite being pleasant could only be true. _“still that only confirms he is a masochist, big time!”._

The two were so lost in their own world to the point that they missed the door opening and the people rushing into the room until they heard a gasp “Oh God!”

Zero immediately broke the kiss and looked behind him to find Yuuki standing close covering her mouth with both hands, shocked. Behind her stood Kaname with an expressionless face, Kaien, Kaito, Takuma, and all guests present in the house.

“Zero, what is the meaning of this?” Kaien asked in an anxious voice,

 “Moriya-san! Why did you not stop him with the taming bracelet I gave you?” shrieked Yuuki, knowing how much Zero gets disgusted with his lack of self-control after biting. As for Ichiru, he merely looked at the necklace sitting on the desk to understand what happened, making him give a deadly glare to the grey-eyed teacher who did not bother using the talisman.

Zero was about to speak when Gin pulled his head to his chest, hiding his face from the others and whispered in his ear “Forgive me…”, the tall human tightened his hold on the shaken hunter by wrapping an arm around his waist and pressing on his head to keep him in place.

“Yuki-chan… Everyone… it is not what you are suspecting. Letting him drink my blood is a privilege I am currently enjoying as the father of our unborn child”.

Zero froze in Gin’s arms as a panic attack seized him upon hearing several gasps and ‘what’ and ‘how’ springing from behind. _“No, please, no!”_

“What kind of joke is this?” Kaito was the one who broke the wave of confusion, taking a step more inside the room, ready to lash out at his friend from college days.

“It is no joke, Takamiya kun.” Gin answered calmly, while rubbing Zero’s head as he felt the hunter tremble like a leaf in his embrace. _This might be too much. He might seriously kill me once he recovers from the shock, but it has to be done or we will get nowhere._

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Next chapter is updated ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Gin’s hater, I hope you can bear with him a little longer because he is needed for the development of the plot as well as KanaZero relationship.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAAAAAAY! TWO CHAPTERS ON THE SAME DAY, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE I DID THIS????

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 “It is no joke, Takamiya kun.” Gin answered calmly, while rubbing Zero’s head as he felt the hunter tremble like a leaf in his embrace. _This might be too much. He might seriously kill me once he recovers from the shock, but it has to be done or we will get nowhere._

“Moriya-kun… I am sorry to burst your bubble, but… It is not possible for a male vampire to conceive from a human male… Even if he is an ex-human… If you are saying that Zero is pregnant… Then…” Cross explained in a soft voice, the last part was almost a whisper as he looked sadly at the back of his adoptive son.

“I think Aido-kun can explain how it is possible better than I can.” All eyes landed on Aido who was giving Gin the iciest deadly glare he could muster. However, it was Ichiru that snapped, startling the audience. 

“THERE IS NOTHING TO EXPLAIN! Nii-san is not pregnant, quit fooling around, Gin.” The younger twin was seething, desperate to force the older male into taking back his words rather than allow his lover to divulge the secret of his brother. His eyes communicated a clear message to Gin’s, _“How dare you toy with his pride you bastard, and what unborn child, are you fucking kidding me!”_. Ichiru walked forward to snatch Zero away from Gin and get him out of the stifling room. His face contorted in extreme anger at the man who was about to reveal one of the deepest secrets his brother kept hidden because of how much pain it brought him.

However, Cross intercepted him. The fact that Zero was not reacting like he would usually do, the snappy reaction of Ichiru and the tense look of Aido told him that there was more to it than what he was aware of.

“Hanabusa-kun… Can you explain what he meant?”

Aido gritted his teeth and took a shuddering breath, the fact that Zero was not snapping back meant that the pregnancy was a fact and that the hunter seems to be struggling with it if he drank from his boyfriend in such a risky place. Looking in knowing grey eyes, he understood Gin’s intention and decided to play along, although he was worried about the impact of it on the hunter.

Meanwhile, Takuma’s eyes immediately flew in Kaname’s direction when the news was announced, immediately suspecting the child to be Kaname’s since he is the only vampire Zero would have probably slept with. However, Kaname’s grim expression confused the noble even more. _Is it possible?_

After exhaling, Aido finally eased the tension of the anticipating crowd, “Zero is a hermaphrodite, and he has both fully functional male and female sets allowing him to bear children, regardless of the race of his partner.”

Eyes bulged out even more as they looked back at a smiling Gin. Kaname could barely contain himself as not to blow him in million pieces, finally understanding the reason behind the emptied pill’s container.

Ichiru pushed Cross aside, worried about how quiet Zero was and wanting to hurry and take him away when Yuki squealed and started jumping till she got near the couple.

“Oh my god! Oh my god! I am going to become an aunty, Oh my! That’s wonderful Zero,” everyone snapped out their stupor at her screams.

 Yuki pulled Gin’s hand away and tugged at Zero’s shirt to make him face her, her excitement quieted down when she saw her brother pale with teary face and felt him shake,

“Zero! What’s wrong, are you okay?”, Gin took her hand away gently and spoke “I think he is shocked since I did not warn him before telling you, maybe worried you might get grossed out or find him weird.”

Yuki looked from the taller man to Zero and back few time before smacking the hunter’s arm not so gently, leading to Zero giving her a sideway glare that lost his edge with the glistening amethyst. 

“No way!!” She yelled, with her hands on her hips “Zero will be Zero no matter what, if nothing, I am super happy for this! Nothing can make you happier than having a child of you own!... Neh Zero look at me… nobody is going to look at you weird or anything… we are all family here right? You never looked down on me when I gave birth to my brother’s child even though it is against the morals of hunter’s and human’s society? So why should I shun you because of your special… what is it called again… special… yes!… special physical condition…. let’s have it that way…. If I had to say something, it would be about how lucky you are to have what other people wish for. Right everyone?” all people present voiced their agreement apart from a pureblood who left the room and stood listening from outside.

“How far along are you, Zerorin?” asked an overexcited Kaien when Zero finally relaxed and turned around to face him. The first action indicating his return to normal was the loud smack to Cross head when the old hunter crouched in attempt to hug his abdomen.

Still shaken a little, he allowed himself to be wrapped in the reassuring embrace of Gin who wrapped one hand around his shoulder and the other hand rubbing his lower belly lovingly, with the ulterior motive of preventing anyone from touching the bump since Zero seemed vehemently against it.

“Um… a little over four weeks” (he lied because it has been almost three months). Kaien and Yuki swooned after calculating the expected due date. Eyes sparkling at the thought of a nephew and grandchild number two. 

“Does this mean that you have a vag- UGH!” Kaito’s question was interrupted by a smack on his chest that chased all air from his lungs from the impact. Takuma gave him a stern glare while whispering, “A little respect, could you afford that?”  

“Are you feeling alright? Kiryuu-kun” Takuma then asked with genuine concern. Special condition or not, pregnancy of a level D will always be a risky situation.

“Yeah…” Zero nodded, appreciating the intervention that saved him from shooting his insensitive fellow hunter, “apart from morning sickness and getting thirsty more often, nothing else seems to be going wrong. We already had our first appointment with a doctor and he assured us that the baby is healthy and doing well.”

Yuki sighed in relief as she was about to ask the same question as Takuma, and then she started giving orders “Thank goodness! All right, now that we are all aware of this, Aido-sempai! Make sure to prepare those supplements and whatever Zero might need for a smooth sailing pregnancy. Rima-chan! Would you be a sweetheart and call the doctor who took care of me during my pregnancy, I need you to book an appointment for him to check on Zero.”

The last bit alarmed both Zero and Gin and they immediately stuttered, “There is no need for another doctor, Yuki-chan!” Gin begged,

“Yeah, Yuki! I am comfortable with the one I found and he is a specialist when it comes to my particular condition.”  Zero tried convincing his stubborn sister who would not have it any other way.

With hands back on her hips, Yuki puffed here cheeks in annoyance before pointing a finger, “Let me guess, you are going there with an Alias, am I wrong?”

Zero clammed up and Gin quircked an eyebrow in surprise, “Is he that obvious?” Zero pinched him painfully when amusement was clear in his tone.

“Duh! Do you see Zero going to a hospital and say, ‘Hey! I am that notorious hunter coming here for a pregnancy appointment because I have a special condition… bla bla bla… And don’t worry, this doctor is all about confidentiality, he would not divulge anything if you absolutely do not want him to, even if it was onii-sama who threatens him, that is how I kept Ai’s gender secret from everyone. *wink*, last but not least, Zero, about the blood thirst. I know from my experience that it is hell to go through. I don’t know if the doctor mentioned it, but only drinking the father’s blood can sate you.”

Gin flinched at the new information that only made his suspicions grow when he remembered Zero’s fidgety behavior ever since Kuran came into the house.

“However, the father here being human might put him in great danger. So, whenever you feel like it is taking a toll on Moriya-san, do not hesitate to drink from me. Or better yet, let us setup a weekly routine for me to give you a considerable amount that will sustain you more. Instead of smuggling blood bags or going through those annoying procedure, I am sure that my blood can help much more-”

Gin interrupted “Yuki-chan… I am happy that you want to help and thank you for all that you will do for us, but, please do not take that privilege away from me. I am okay with him occasionally drinking blood that you draw for him, but he is only allowed to bite and drink directly from me. Okay?” said Gin as he rested his chin on the junction of Zero’s neck and hugged him protectively.

Zero rolled his eyes in annoyance with the cheesy man he chose as a partner in the farce that was taking a weird turn. However, as he started to relax more, he started to appreciate the idea of those around him being aware of it. He would certainly clobber the man later for not warning him beforehand, but he felt as if a heavy burden got lifted off his shoulder. Especially after seeing how excited and supporting those around him seemed to be.

Yuki blushed at the action and implication of what Gin meant, and nodded furiously making Zero laugh at her reaction. Gin let go of Zero when he was assured that the hunter is in better mood and the latter went to lean beside him on the desk.

By that time, the bubbly feeling inside Zero’s chest spread warmth all over his very being. He could care less if it was due to the hormones or anything else, he just wanted this relief to last forever.

Finally meeting the eyes of those around him, Zero smiled “thank you everyone and sorry for giving you such a shock!”

The beauty of the smiling hunter enchanted everyone present as most of them never witnessed such an expression. The fluffy atmosphere got cut by the gruff voice of one Kaito Takamiya “Dude, since when did you get into bodybuilding?”.

All eyes were now on the topless Gin. Seeing their reaction, Senri deadpanned in a flat voice “I think you look awesome, Moriya-san! However, I would like to ask you to put something on as the ladies seem so red they will either faint or get a nosebleed.”

Right on cue, Yuki’s nose started dripping as she gawked at him “I had a hunch, but you really are a hot stud” blurted the brunette before covering her mouth and looked away blushing.

Gin chuckled and took his shirt to put it on, giving the audience a show of his flexing ripped muscles. “It’s not much of bodybuilding than a healthier lifestyle, Takamiya-kun. The moment I learned about the baby and the blood, I decided to stop drinking and dropped the occasional smoke, then got into intense workout regimen and more nutritional diet. I was already on the bulky side to begin with.”

Kaito raised both eyebrows, fascinated by the dedication of the man “Since Zero will be drinking from me more often, the least I can do is provide the highest quality of blood I can by making it healthier and cleaner. I believe I am on the right track judging from his cute moans when he drinks it recently.” Teased the strapping man while caressing the cheek of a blushing Zero who glared at him

“You know you talk too much” Zero snapped as he slapped the annoying hand away, the reaction earned a few giggles.

“Yeah you always tell me that! But I have to since you talk too little” After some more embarrassing chatter and Kaien getting a beating from zero for trying to hug him again, everyone went back to the living room living Zero, Gin, Ichiru and Hanabusa in the room.

Aido glared at the human and snarled “What is the meaning of this, Moriya?”

Zero tried to explained but Gin stopped him “There are too many listeners around, if you want an explanation I will call you and set up a meeting outside some other time. For now, I would beg you not to ruin it by saying unnecessary things here.” Aido opened and closed his mouth repeatedly before shutting up and leaving the room with a huff.

Ichiru followed him after turning an anxious face to his twin “Are you sure about this?” Zero worried his lower lip, glanced at Gin before smiling and nodding at Ichiru.

Gin exhaled as he slumped on the sofa, “That was nerve wrecking…” He hid his face and closed his eyes, satisfied with his performance. 

*whack*

“OUCH!” Gin rubbed his head as if it will swell three times bigger from the hit of the furious hunter standing in front of him.

“That better hurt, you reckless, irresponsible, careless, idiotic, meddlesome… I don’t know what else… you stupid man!” Zero sputtered, whacking Gin some more while the other only laughed, irritating the hunter more.

Zero finally grabbed his face and planted a hard kiss that stunned Gin, stepping back toward the door, “That is my thank you.” The hunter spoke and left with a smile that he could not wipe off for the rest of the night.

“Ugh!!! I am a goner… Big time!” Gin groaned as he threw his head on the back of the sofa, his lips curling up in a huge smirk as well. _Now then, what is next?_

   **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

A couple of hours later after the hype of the pregnancy’s news quieted down, Kaien took the opportunity to bring everyone to agree on how to keep it a secret that will not spread to anyone other than those Zero wanted them to know. The old ex-hunter did not wait for his adoptive son to request such a measure to know how uncomfortable Zero would be about having the word spreading.

The hunter was grumbling when he was told to stop going on missions as soon as he hit the end of his second trimester, that is if he did not start showing before that. Kaito immediately pointed to his habit of going on solo mission that was forbidden from then on. The hazel-eyed hunter vowed to watch him like a hawk and be his partner if he ever insisted on going on a lightweight mission.

The serious atmosphere lightened up by an emotional Ichiru who had the truth finally sinking it, a bit later than the others. The  younger twin was beyond relieved to see his brother being accepted for who he was after hiding and struggling with himself all these years. He had hard time realizing how easy it was, but then again, none of it would have happened if Zero did not want to keep the baby.

Aido, on the other hand, was still skeptical about the situation. In the middle of the surprising turn of events earlier, he felt a detachment from the strong shock as well, that detachment allowed him to register every single word and gesture as if it was in slow motion. Thus, the reaction of the hunter to Yuki asking him to consult her family doctor did not go unnoticed, neither Gin effort to deter the brunette from such decision. The bad feeling he had stemmed from something deeper than just that reaction, it is the wild suspicion that Zero did not take the abortion drugs. _It is either he discovered that he was not pregnant afterwards, or…_

The golden haired noble decided to bury his doubts until he retired to his lab and made sure with solid proofs in order not to mess up again.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Later into the night, the kids have finally fallen asleep and most of the inner circle as well as Kaito and Cross were lounging lazily with drinks and snacks, watching a random movie while glancing at the clock as the waiting game began. By the time Zero slept against the shoulder of his brother, the only people present there were: Kaito, Takuma, Yuki along with a sleeping Ai in her crib, Keiichi who was tucked by Zero’s side after throwing a fit for his parents to allow him a sleepover, Gin along with his sister and niece. Cross Kaien who was wide awake and waiting for the car to pull in front of his house and bring his younger lover home, wished that time can accelerate so that he could tell him the amazing news. Knowing Yagari, the blond hunter was expecting a dumbfounded reaction and then a gruff pat on a silver head that will surely make Zero blush in embarrassment. Looking at the sleeping twins, he could not help but wish that their parents were around to witness how amazingly they had grown. _If they can see you from above, I am sure that Sakura-chan would be doing a happy dance and Takashi would be itching to be here and annoy the hell out of Zero at the thought of becoming a grandparent. I wonder if they were aware of his special condition though. That would actually explain how much of a mother hen Sakura was when it came to handling Zero as a baby._

Cross snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a stare probing his back, turning around, he smiled at the grey-eyed man who was observing him as he was watching the sleeping twins.

“They are adorable, aren’t they?” He whispered as Gin stood and walked closer.

“Yep… They sure are. Zero must be extremely tired after the excitement of today.” Gin whispered back.

“You are a brave one, you know that?” Cross nudged.

“Hmmm?...”

“It is a miracle that you did not turn black and blue after making him come out like that. He never appreciated others forcing him into making crucial decisions.” Cross explained as they made their way to the kitchen, “You must be quiet the smooth operator.”

Gin chuckled as he slid his jacket and picked his phone, “Look who is talking. A little bird told me that you have quiet the underhanded method to make him agree with you even if he shows strong opposition.”

Cross played his usual goofy fool card, “No way… He just feels obliged to agree with this poor old man when I end up bawling my eyes out.”

Gin joked around with him before excusing himself, “I think that I will go for a walk and bring in the luggage from the car afterwards. Do you think I should leave Zero in that position?”

Cross waved a dismissing hand, “Leave them be, they will be awake in no time anyways. Toga-chan will be here any minute now. Oh! Better be careful around him because he would be the ultimate father in-law when he hears about you two. I do not advise you to act cheeky around him if you want to be on his good side long enough for him to accept you.”

Gin smirked before leaving, “I will keep that in mind.”

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Gin walked leisurely inside the lush forest by the lake until he reached a clearing. He stopped abruptly when he came face to face with the pureblood king. Kaname had a solemn look on his face as he looked up at the full moon illuminating the sky. With hands in the pockets of his cashmere coat, the gaze of wine orbs slowly shifted until he met the one of grey eyes, glinting with the reflection of the moonlight.

“I assume that Yagari-san reached home if you are taking a stroll around here.” Gin spoke first. He lost track of how long he had been walking, but figured that he should go greet the recovering hunter soon.

“I guess so. He seemed to ask an awful lot of questions about you all the way here after Cross-san informed him about your relationship with Zero.” Kaname answered with a bored tone, his lips curling up in one corner at the thought of the gruff hunter giving this man a hard time because he did not seem pleased with the man hovering around his protégé.

“That must have been a hard conversation to keep up for _you…”_ Gin commented with a tone laced with sarcasm.

Kaname’s expression did not change, “Why would it bother me when I did not even bother with the little two man show you were pulling back there.”

“Someone is in denial, I see…” Gin added, internally surprised but kept a poker face because the pureblood was probably trying to shake him off.

“Should I sit back and believe that joke like everyone else? A joke that Zero actually chose to be with you in a matter of weeks? Please… We both know how unlikely that would be to happen.” Kaname talked in an amused tone, “Let us not mention the stunt of the pregnancy, which is just hilarious. What is the next chapter of the play… miscarriage? that would be a dramatic way to make up for the big lie.”

Gin chuckled at the indifferent tone of the pureblood, “Really… How delusional are you? Just because Zero rejected you and chose to stir away from you, you think that he will not chose anyone else. Do you see yourself as that great of a person that he would not be able to get over you that fast?” Gin was full on sarcastic, hardly keeping the mirth from his voice.

Kaname was silent, not bothering with the provocation.

Gin sighed at the thought of having to pull yet another stunt to prevent future mess with the hunter. _The joke has gone too far already anyways… Might as well make it real._

“I guess that you will have to wait for the doctor’s appointment to believe that he is indeed pregnant. I can provide a pregnancy test or a blood test if you want. However, once you are convinced, I want you I want you to stay away from my lover and never pester him again. Understood!” stated the human with a sharp look in his silver eyes.

Kaname sighed and smirked before replying in a sarcastic tone “lover? Really? Even when said lover did not bat an eye when he pleaded me to embrace him during the ball of my daughter, knowing that you are not that far away. I believe that you were in relationship already, judging from the way you acted around him.” Emphasized the pureblood with a more victorious smirk.

Gin chuckled and looked at him with an amused face that confused the pureblood “Oh you are talking about that time few months ago, huh? Yeah, at that time I was kind of pressuring him when he was still not used to all this relationship deal and monogamy and whatnot. We were not together at that time still. Nonetheless, even if he did cheat at the beginning of our relationship, I would still not blame him, seeing the life he led before that; that, my friend, is the critical difference between us….” Gin exhaled, satisfied with the frown he put on the face of the stoic brunet, “Well, after all what was said and done,  I would like to thank you for taking care of him that night. Whatever happened between you two must have pushed him to have the resolve and finally decide to become mine exclusively and promised not to seek anyone else again. I trust that even if you tried to lure him, he will refuse you right away….  What I am trying to say here is that Zero chose me and keeping my child is proof enough that he wants a family and a lifetime together with me, not you, never with you. Therefore, I hope that you keep out of our business, as you may know from your experience with your wife. A pregnant vampire is extremely sensitive to stress, and I do not want my lover to suffer unnecessarily anymore. Good night” Gin left a peeved Kaname and went back to Cross’s house with a smug look of victory on his face, even if he knew that not all of what he said was true.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞Meanwhile inside the house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero felt a familiar hand patting his hand, making him purr in his sleep as he snuggled up to the nostalgic scent. A low chuckle rumbling in the chest he rested his head on stirred him from his sleep. It took some time for his lazy brain to process just who is the person sitting beside him on the couch was. When he realized it, his eyes snapped open on time with raising his head to meet the all familiar blue eyes that sparkled with amusement at his reaction.

“M…Master?” Zero uttered hesitantly.

“Yo… Idiot disciple!” Yagari’s voice was full of mirth as he stifled a laughter at the dumb look that Zero gave him while blinking. Everyone else was awake by the time the recovered hunter entered the house, apart from Zero who refused to interrupt his precious snooze.

Like a koala, Zero jumped and hugged him as tightly as possible, almost choking him. He could feel that his sensei was still skin and bones but he looked much better than the last time he saw him.

After few tears and teasing, they finally calmed down and sat around the treats and drinks that Yuki fetched from the kitchen.

“Seriously, Nii-san… Your hormones are going haywire already, isn’t it too early for that?” Ichiru teased.

“Hormones?” Yagari picked on the words and gave Zero a scrutinizing look, making the hunter freeze in his spot. Zero tried to get his lips to move, tried to make a sound and tell the one he considered as the father figure he looked up to that he was carrying a child inside him. Cross, Yuki, and Ichiru were looking from behind the one-eyed hunter with eyes full of encouragement and fist balled in anticipation. After all, it was Zero’s request to be the one to tell him.

His mouth flapped few more times before he cursed a little too loudly, “Damnit! Where is Gin when I actually need his blabbermouth?”

The cheering trio let out sounds of groans and disappointment while Kaito rolled his eyes in annoyance giving them the ‘I told you’ look.

“Is there something I should know Zero? Beside you dating this Gin person…” Yagari grunted after hearing the name, still annoyed with the idea. He would not chase away the bad feeling he has about this until meeting and speaking to the guy in person.

“Yeah, that he got Zero pregnant soon after they started dating.” Kaito deadpanned, earning a gasping sound from Zero and the others.

Everyone fell silent, waiting for the raven-haired hunter to react as he looked at Zero sitting beside him. The first thing Yagari did was patting Zero’s chest, and touching his crotch lightly before retracting the hand, as the hunter gave a scandalized yelp.

 “What kind of sick joke is that? He is still flat as a board and obviously having a dick down there.” Yagari relaxed in his seat, resting his head on the back of it, the jetlag starting to catch up to him.

The anticlimactic reaction baffled those who were betting on a lot of different way for the one-eyed hunter to act.

“Wait… Old man! So you do not suspect that he might have gotten knocked up by a vampire?” Kaito suggested, wanting for his bet to be the winner.

“Only if hell froze over, otherwise, nope.” Yagari shrugged. Zero’s lips curled up in a tight smile, feeling a pang of guilt when faced with the complete trust and pride that Yagari held for him.

“But I am…” He whispered as he took the bony hand of the hunter and placed it on his bump. “I am pregnant, sensei… Do you find it gross, weird…?” Zero asked, biting his lips in an anxious wait.

Yagari’s eye widened as he felt the unmistakable bumpy hardness, he quickly shifted with both hands on Zero’s stomach, making Cross and Yuki whine in jealousy.

He then looked at Zero’s hesitant eyes, “Since when did your female part finished developing?”

“Well…” Zero started to answer before his eyes bulged out in time with every other person present, “Wait-WHAT?”

“You knew?” Cross asked in a scandalized manner.

“How?” Ichiru followed.

“Bummer…” Kaito trailed as he figured out that Yagari was aware of Zero’s gender issues.

Yagari looked at the group over his shoulder with a degrading look as he answered in a matter of fact tone, “Who do you think changed their diapers and bathed them when their parents had to leave them and go for common missions?”

Cross slammed a fist in his palm as he remembered the obvious while Ichiru face palmed himself for forgetting such a detail, “Of course!” Cross intonated “You were their self-proclaimed baby sitter since day one and Sakura would allow no one but you near Zero. How could I forget that?”

Zero gave a hilarious laugh when the tension in his body left at once, wiping the tears off his eyes as he smiled happily at the gruff hunter, “I was worried for nothing then…”

“That goes without saying…” Yagari grunted, “I did not expect you to have both though… Takashi was planning on making you have a surgery once the gender settles in.”

Ichiru and Zero listened intently as Yagari told them about few funny situations involving Zero’s gender as well as the crazy ways Sakura tried to dress him up as a girl at home in hope that he grew up to be female. Toga and their father would have a migraine after convincing her otherwise.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ A while later, when Gin was coming back to the house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Gin made his way back after unknowingly missing the fun of the reunion and what came after. He tugged his hands in the pockets of his pants, which reminded him that he had luggage to take care of when his fingers bumped into the car keys. He halted his footsteps when he saw a figure next to Zero’s Jeep.

He thought that it was the pureblood for a second, but this person seemed taller and more built. Upon closer inspection, he recognized the one eyed hunter as Toga Yagari. _Meeting so soon…_ Gin mused as his lips started tracing in a smirk.

“Glad to finally meet you Yagari Toga-san.” Gin stood in front of the hunter with a hand reached out as a greeting. Toga looked at the hand while twirling the toothpick in between his lips. After sizing Gin up and looking into his eyes, the hunter pushed himself off the vehicle and started walking toward the school building, leaving Gin standing with an outreached hand.

After few steps, he glanced over his shoulder after spitting the toothpick, “You coming? This place is not _private enough_ for our talk.” Yagari mumbled.

 _Dang!_ Gin cursed in his head, already having an idea about how this will turn out and not liking it. He silently followed the hunter until they made their way into an empty classroom.

Gin thanked the man who held the door open for him as he made his way inside the empty room he would usually find his students waiting inside of it. The eerie atmosphere soared when he could not dodge the fast movement of the hunter that had him bent over the desk with his arm painfully wrenched behind his back.

Being close in height, Yagari easily leaned and whispered against his ear, “Who are you? Mr. Impostor.”

Gin groaned as the grip on his twisted bone tightened, “Ara…” he let out a sound after panting to ease the pain, “I thought that I introduced myself not long ago…” he answered innocently, only to have a hand grip his head and slam his face against the desk.

“Moriya Gin… I thought you would be smart enough not to pull that stupid shit.” Yagari was hissing by now, his blue eye darkening with murderous intent.

 _That is Zero’s mentor for you…_ Gin smirked against the furniture.

Yagari put his guard up when the man relaxed despite the uncomfortable restraining posture. Taking a deep breath, Gin reacted in the blink of an eye, not allowing Toga enough time to restrain him. He grabbed the hand pinning his head with his free one, taking advantage of the momentarily distraction, he tackled the hunter with a back kick that upset the balance of the black haired man.

Yagari did not have time to even blink before finding himself slugged and thrown midair, his eye widened when he realized that it was the second time in his not so short life that someone slugged him with this sort of shoulder throw. The first time was certainly not by the Moriya Gin he ‘dated’ a brief period before college’s graduation. He barely had the time to brace himself for the impact of his back slamming against the wall.

“Quite the way to treat a recovering patient.” He huffed as he tried to rearrange himself in his position on the floor while glaring at the man towering over him.

Gin smirked as he crackled his stiff neck and eased the soreness of his arm, “For someone who managed to pin _me_ down that easily, I would say that you are well enough to handle that sort of rough up.” He crouched down in front of the hunter and stared at him while his hand rummaged with the inner pocket of his own jacket.

Toga’s eyes narrowed at the leather small notebook that Gin pulled, torn and faded. The hunter kept a hand close to his waist where a dagger was sheathed out of habit.

“Relax~ Toga-chan… Nothing good will come out from harming you.” Gin chirped as he flipped the pages, making a black eyebrow twitch in annoyance, “To tell you the truth, I did not expect you to catch on this fast. I am quite the doppelganger after all.”

“Hmph! Please~” Yagari nipped sarcastically

“But~ I guess _you_ would know better. Good thing I kept this on me just for today.” Gin spoke as he pulled a photograph from the pages and turned for Yagari to see.

The one eyed hunter felt his blood run cold when he recognized a woman in the photograph, with a child standing by her chair. He voiced the name in a hushed voice, “Priscilla?” it was not question… It was a statement as he grew up looking at that picture for years.

“This…” Gin pointed to the picture, “is my mother, she gave birth to me, her firstborn, on the second of XX month XXXX year. Does it ring a bell? Toga~ chan.” his voice was full of mirth and amusement at the way the hunter’s jaw slackened.

“You can’t be…” The hunter was unable to finish the unbelievable statement he was thinking of as he grabbed Gin’s hand who helped him stand on his feet. Gin then went to sit on the desk, putting a finger in front of his own lips, “How about you keep this secret of mine in exchange of me keeping that dirty little secret of yours that had you seeking me out in _private.”_ Gin spoke almost childishly.

“Why going through the trouble of keeping it hidden… It is not like…” The more Toga looked at the man, the more realization hit him hard.

Gin interrupted, “Tsk! Tsk! Because I did not come here to cause unnecessary trouble.” He shrugged.

“Trouble.” Toga scoffed, “You… wait what the heck is your name anyways?”

“Gin.”

“Stop the bullshit.”

“I won’t give you any other.”

“How about I call you shithead, then.” Yagari snapped, his patience growing thin.

“Quite immature, I have to say.” Gin commented offhandedly.

Yagari groaned in frustration, “What is your purpose in barging in our life and going after my disciple?”

“Getting right to the point now, are we? What is my name again?” Gin asked as a mean of confirmation.

Yagari placed a hand on the back of a chair to lean sideway on it as he sighed, “Moriya Gin.”

“Good!” Gin nodded, “Now we can get to the serious stuff, Toga-chan.”

“You piss me off.” The hunter pointed before twirling the chair and sitting on it to listen to what the other has to say.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next day ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

  Zero woke up in the comfort of his room in Cross’s house. Feeling the bed cramped, he thought that Gin slept over with him as well, so he turned to face him only to find his twin snuggling up to him. Caressing Ichiru’s face, Zero managed to wake him up.

“Always the light sleeper, aren’t you?” Zero sighed as his twin gave him a wide smile, “I hope my child does not take after you, I love my sleep.”

“Mornin’ grumpy mama bear.” Ichiru chirped as he hugged his brother under the blankets,

“Call me mama or mommy again and I will cut that tongue off.” Zero warned as he pinched a nose.

“Okay…” Ichiru answered with a nasal voice. He rubbed his nose when Zero let go of it, “Still… You will not believe how happy I am feeling… Was last night a dream?”

“Should I pinch you again?” Zero asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“But~ Nii-san, I can’t believe it still… Not only have you settled down, you are expecting a child, I do not have to be careful about your secret being revealed and everyone are so happy for you two… I always wished for you to be at peace with yourself, but, it just happened so fast I have yet to wrap my head over it. Oh! and sensei’s reaction was the best troll ever.” The chatterbox went on and on, not realizing the tender look Zero gave him until the hunter pulled him in a suffocating hug, “Although you screw up more than actually do good when it comes to me, I appreciate all that you have done for me so far, Ich. I love you, bro and I am sure as hell not going to lose you ever.”

Ichiru felt his eyes sting and mumbled, “Stupid! Where the hell did that come from? Who said anything about losing? You might be a pain in the butt, but it is a given that I will stick by your side like glue no matter how many times you push me away, more now than ever with a chibi Zero coming soon.”

“All right! Rise and shine.” Zero announced as he threw the covers off them and started pulling out his clothes, “I wonder if Gin brought them in.”

“Yep, along with your sleepy pregnant butt. It was quite the delicious sight to see, by so many.” Ichiru teased with wiggling eyebrows, making his brother blush at the thought, “That idiot!”

“By the way, is your pregnancy the reason you were acting weird during Yuki’s housewarming?” Ichiru inquired.

Zero paused to remember before groaning, “Fuck! I forgot about that.”

“What?” Ichiru startled at the frustrated sound.

“That stupid Yuki gave me the key to the unit in front of hers saying that it was mine and ran away like the freaking wind.”

“Seriously?!” Ichiru exclaimed, glee obvious in his voice.

“Pipe down… There is no way I am living there or anywhere near that nest of bloodsuckers.”

Ichiru pouted, “But it is just above ours, it would be so much fun having you that close.” He begged.

“Denied. Eternally.”

“Stubborn head.”

“So be it!” Zero retorted, _As if I would live there knowing that he is just a floor above mine._ “Speaking of the devil.”

Ichiru strained his neck to see the text message that Zero was reading. “Yuki-chan?”

“Yep…” Zero’s eyes narrowed on the words, “Come as soon as you finish breakfast, in need of your magic touch.”

Ichiru laughed hard to the point of doubling over, “Okay… If it was not Yuki-chan sending it, I would find that extremely and weirdly misleading.”

Zero sighed, “I feel like she screwed up where she cannot ask others for help. I hope she did not blast her new place.”

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ two hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Zero started to feel uncomfortable about acting chummy with Gin, especially with his mentor’s gaze following him like a hawk. His nervousness soared when they were left alone in the kitchen with him washing the dishes again. A vein popped in his temple when he realized that they had been leaving the particular chore to him a bit too much lately, but he shrugged it off in favor of the tasty breakfast that Gin concocted, making sure to cater to his cravings to the T.

 

“Are you sure about _Him.”_ Yagari’s question startled him and he looked at the taller hunter.

“What do you mean?” Zero inquired.

“Do you really want a family with that guy, do you know him well enough for that, you just started dat-“ Yagari stopped the argument when a pouty Kaien interrupted him.

“AAAA! I told you not to say that and you still went ahead and gave the father’s lecture… Zerorin… do not mind him… He is just jealous of the man taking his little boy away from him.”

“Oi… quit it!” Toga tried to retort but ended up being dragged out of the kitchen. His reluctance subsided when Zero spoke again with confidence, “I will certainly be fine, Sensei. Thank you!”

Cross finally had his lover alone away from the silverette, smiling at the dazed look on Yagari’s face, “What is with the sudden change of mood now?”

“Nothing.” Yagari composed himself and looked away.

“I know…” Cross smiled and patted on his shoulder, “It has been ages since I saw those cute dimples when he smiles wholeheartedly, as well.”

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero had two mind about sending Yuki a text saying “Go to hell with your emergency” but decided not to. He was helpless when it came to his clumsy sister, although he was worried more about it being something to do with Ai-chan rather than Yuki.

He felt awkward when Gin’s sister opened the door for him and guided him inside with the warmest smile on her face. He felt bad for making her expect a nephew as well, when they would not be blood related in any ways.

In the bedroom, a pajama clad Yuki finished dressing the baby Ai who was giggling and letting out the cutest noise that made Zero smile without meaning to do so. Yuki greeted him as cheerfully as always.

“Zero~ you came!” She clapped her hands in front of her face.

“Had two minds about ditching you.” he announced flatly as he made his way to Ai and picked her up.

 “Cruel.”

“And? What is the emergency that required my magic touch?” Zero reiterated sarcastically.

“Hair cut!” Yuki pulled a pair of scissor from her dresser and swung them in front of the hunter. Zero scowled at the tool.

“Why do you suddenly want to cut your hair? Why ask me when you can go to a professional now?” he added

Yuki pouted cutely, “Nuuuuh… Apart from the last time that I chopped it with a sword, you were always the one to cut it for me. I am not comfortable with others doing it… Please… Pretty pleaaaase… it is getting troublesome for me to keep it neat while taking care of Ai. You will save me big time, come on! Don’t be stingy”

“ I got it, I got it.”

“THANK YOU! You’re a lifesaver, ever since Ai-chan starting testing her grip, she has been tugging painfully at it.” Yuki chirped as she sat comfortably while Zero started snipping methodically at her curly locks.

“You just like it short.” Zero stated flatly, looking at their reflection when Yuki gave him a tongue out. He kept glancing to the bed to make sure that Ai is okay.

“She is a quiet baby, don’t worry… She did not take after me in that aspect.” Yuki complained.

Zero’s hand halted at the indirect mention of the brunet, he swallowed loudly and resumed his ministrations.

“When will it convenient to set up the doctor’s appointment? He does not live in town so I always schedule beforehand with him. He does have an assistant here, but the first consultation needs to be with him.” Yuki rambled.

“There is really no need for that. I am comfortable with the one I found and the place is quite close to my home.” Zero explained.

“Speaking of which, what are your plans Zero? Do you plan on having Gin-san go back and forth when you both have your own houses here at Cross city?”

“Yukiii, do you want me to chop your head off? Stop being nosy and trying to convince me when I said no to that offer. I have the key to return it as well.” Zero grunted sternly.

“Bummer.” Yuki pouted.

“I might move in with Gin when his house is done though.” Zero suggested, smirking at the way her head perked.

“YAAAY! Finally we can live closer and I can pester you more often, our kids will grow up together as well.” Yuki kept on daydreaming while Zero finished cutting her hair without saying another word.

Once done, he jumped to cuddle the giggling toddler who always smiled widely when around him. Gin’s word about how kids appreciated him came to mind as he kissed the small hand. He looked at Yuki who was checking herself in a mirror with a silly grin on her face.

“I hope your mate won’t complain since he likes it long.” He commented offhandedly as he picked Ai to put her in her crib.

 “Oh! that’s fine, Isaya-san likes it the best when I am comfortable in my owns skin so he let…me…choose…Oh dear!” Yuki covered her mouth when Zero gave her an open-mouthed stunned look.

“Isaya..san… as in Isaya Shouto, the pureblood? What—“

”Can you forget what I just said?” Yuki begged pitifully.

“No” Zero denied with a matter of fact tone. He carefully placed Ai in her crib and turned to face Yuki who was muttering an ‘I guess not’ under her breath as she meekly looked at the hunter crossing his arms as his eyes narrowed on the pureblood queen.

“Care to explain?” Zero bit sternly, making Yuki flinch.

“hum…   Where do I start from?” Yuki tried to derail the conversation again, unsure about how to say it without Zero blowing her head off.

“How about why you mentioned Shouto instead of Kuran when I asked about your _mate.”_ Zero suggested in exasperation.

“Because Isaya-san is my mate.” Yuki answered with confidence.

“Pardon?” Zero was shocked speechless.

Yuki raised a hand to stop him from lashing out, “Before you start let me explain. It happened recently, okay?”

“That is not the issue.” Zero bellowed.

“It is… Just let me talk Zero, Will you?” Yuki snapped, hating the habit of the hunter when he does not let others finish their words when he is getting frustrated.

Zero quickly rocked Ai who stirred when Yuki yelled all of a sudden. He beckoned his sister to go in another room as not to disturb her.

Sitting on opposite sofas, Yuki took a deep breath and started speaking, “I am sorry if it came as a shock. I was not sure about when I should tell you about it or anyone else for that matter. It was the most awkward situation when I had to tell onii-sama after Ai’s birth, although he was suspecting it from the time he reawakened it seems.” She sighed.

Zero raised an eyebrow, “He knew what exactly? I still don’t understand what you are getting at. Aren’t purebloods supposed to be mated for life, and you were already sharing a bond with Kuran?”

“I was. A bond is eternal because of the long life of a pureblood. That is why the saying of mated for life holds some truth. However, once a partner dies…” Yuki trailed, “The bond is broken.”

Zero’s eyes widened in realization, “You did not restore it?”

Yuki shook her head, “When Kaname reawakened, I was truly happy. I was careful around him in the beginning because he was a bit fragile with getting back to shape and the seal that we put on him. However, I was careless and he noticed the change of heart that happened during his slumber in the ice coffin.” She clapped her hands together on her lap.

“How?” The hunter urged only for Yuki to shake her head.

“I don’t know… It has always been like that. He can see right through me without effort. He did not push me into coming to term with my feelings or try to resume what we supposedly had or anything, instead, he provided me with his blood through medical transfusion. He also never asked to drink from me.”

Zero remained silent.

“At first, I thought that he did not want me to bite him. He surprised me sometime later by asking if I wanted to restore the bond. That is when I learned that it was broken in the first place. It was far too young for me to feel it to begin with. Long story short, he taught me how to drink from him while controlling my emotions so that a bond does not form. It was all for the sake of Ai’s growth only.”

“How did Shouto-san fit in the picture? I never even suspected.” Zero stated, slight fury brewing inside of him. “I always thought that you were in love with Kuran. At some point, I believed you might have had some feelings for me, and now you tell me you settled with another. Wha … how…” flailing hands before holding his head as if it was about to burst.

“I know it seems ridiculous and downright inconceivable. However, it happens that I had an unexpected change of heart. I always knew onii-san never truly loved me as a mate. While he was asleep, I kept reliving everything that happened since I awakened, and what I saw when Kaname let me inside his deepest memory. By the time he awakened, I had concluded that he cared about me out of pure obsession. He considered protecting me as a form of atonement for the previous sin when he was not able to protect the woman from his long past and having her die because of his ideal. That is how I was convinced that, no matter what I can do, I would not be able to stand on equal grounds with him as his lover. It is terrifying how easily I got over the crush I had for him and saw him as nothing more than a brother when I reached that closure.” Yuki took a deep breath, “By that time, I had already given up on you and me ever getting together since you made it clear that you did not want to have anything to do with me once Kaname came back into the picture. As for why it happened to be Isaya-san, I frankly cannot answer that because I still do not know what made me so attracted to him and going as far as pursuing him shamelessly with a kid of another growing inside me. It is ridiculous if you look at it from a third party point of view, but I don’t care, I am happy now zero. It might seem selfish, but I don’t want anyone else and I am the happiest because he accepted me with all my faults.”

“So you and Kuran?” Zero asked again as if to make sure that he heard her right.

“We are just a pair of dysfunctional siblings who happen to have a daughter they love to bits. Ai may have been the fruit of the one time he took pity on the me whom was infatuated and clung onto him desperately trying to prevent him from leaving me behind back then, but that does not deny the truth that she is the best parting gift he gave me. I guess that the realization was mutual since he does not thirst for my blood as well, so it is not like I am hurting him, thankfully.” Yuki answered, a slight blush dusting her cheeks.

Zero scoffed, “You have some serious issues, the three of you.”

“Look who is talking.” Yuki snapped back to her usual self.

“What about me?” Zero dared her, “Do you see me chasing guys thousands of years older.” he teased, hitting the nail on the head.

“Whatever… Ugh… this is so infuriating… and here I thought that you started having feelings for Kaname and being giddy about it by myself. I feel so stupid. But I am happy that you are with Moriya-san nonetheless, your happiness is what it counts.” Yuki quickly corrected herself when she saw how Zero paled at her words.

“I have to go…” The hunter stood and left after exchanging few random words.

“Did I say too much?” Yuki mused as she tapped on her mouth, cringing at the mess she may have caused if her assumptions were correct.

“This is exactly why I told you that it was not a good to voice that idea. It must be shocking enough for him to know about us.” Isaya Shouto appeared from a guest room where he made himself scarce after sensing the hunter coming. Yuki looked at him with a sheepish smile, “What is wrong with wanting the happiness of my two precious brothers?”

The pureblood male sighed in exasperation, “The only problem is that you are assuming a bit too much. I admit that I had the same suspicions as well but it does not give us the right to interfere.”

Yuki was checking her new haircut in the mirror as she answered, “hmmm…. But they were both so painfully obvious that I was itching to send them in a locked room to sort out their feelings. Maybe I did assume too much when I thought they were seeing each other in secret out of consideration for me at first. I might have gotten ahead of myself because of random clues. UGH!!!! I was so sure when I saw that earing and the key in Zero’s house… It is embarrassing to think that I was about to confront onii-sama about something that did not exist in the first place. I think he might have sent me flying if I actually voiced my suspicions.”

Isaya chuckled at that, “And you thought it would be a smart move to play the fool at first to let them bond with each other without unnecessary interference. Quite the interesting scenario.”

Her shoulders slumped in disappointment, “Now that Zero is settled down, I guess there is no point in holding on silly thoughts. I hope Kaname finds his own share of happiness someday.”

The male pureblood patted the head of his mate. He thought better than to let her on the condition he found her brother in when he went to discuss the issue of making their relation public that morning.

“By the way, Kaname-sama thinks that it is better for the current situation to pertain until we close the intriguing case going on. He thinks that it is better for the society to think that you two are still mates for your sake and Ai’s protection. I personally agree with his idea. Any enemy would take advantage of the breakup of the royal family in order to launch some sort of rebellion from within the allies. We cannot afford that now.”

Yuki exhaled, “I guess so… At least, now I can inform those close to us and not worry about being together privately. I am still surprised to see you taking the initiative of talking to onii-sama before even returning my feelings or giving me a hint that you actually considered my confession seriously. That was really mean.”

The old vampire laughed at the pouty brunette, “I am not some high schooler who can jump the gun as fast as you can.”

“Sorry for being a kid.”

“Ah! Now I feel like a perverted old man when you say that.” The pureblood pouted in return.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

While the silly couple were enjoying their budding relationship, Zero was having the crisis of his life. He walked to the elevator, his eyes unfocused as he tried to process what he was told minutes ago.

_Yuki and Kaname are not together_

_He slept with me knowing that his relationship with Yuki ended…. No… Technically he was suspecting at that stage._

_He left me agonizing about having an affair with my sister’s mate without saying a fucking word… Well… he would not talk about assumptions easily since he hates being wrong the most._

_Still… If he figured the whole truth by the time of the ball after Ai’s birth, he should have opened his fucking mouth and say something instead of going on and on about lovin-_

Amethyst eyes widened when he remembered their conversation just before Kaname snapped from his provocation.

_"Zero, I won't be cheating on Yuki because-"_

Zero’s hand stopped mid-air before he pressed the elevator button. “Was he trying to tell me about this?” he muttered softly. His finger flew from the ground button to the top floor in the blink of an eye.

He felt his heartbeat accelerating when he found himself in front of the penthouse where Kaname moved recently. He was not sure what he was going to say and what even pushed him to go meet the last person he wanted to deal with. However, the words ‘what if’ kept spinning in his head. He was not sure what he was trying to accomplish, but the hand resting on his stomach told him that whatever decision he will make after speaking with the pureblood would be for the sake of his child’s happiness, their child’s happiness.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ See ya next chapter ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is Kaname’s reaction? What will be Zero’s decision?
> 
> Next chapter will probably answer those question.
> 
> One mystery solved: YUKI AND KANAME WERE NOT ‘IN LOVE’ OR MATED IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!!!!! O.O
> 
> Who is Gin? that question will have to wait a bit, however, from Yagari’s reaction, he is probably not harmful, right? or is he?
> 
> Thank you for reading the chapter and I hope you enjoyed it, I feel like it was a bit choppy compared to the usual way I write but this one would turn in a story by itself if I elaborated on the emotions, details and action of everyone and everything, sorry about that.
> 
> LOVE YOU ALL GUYS, AND A BIG THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO READ, THOSE WHO CLICKED THE FAVORITE BUTTON AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING THE STORY.
> 
> YOU ARE THE BEST.


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOSH I LOVE YOU GUYS!!
> 
> I just saw the increasing number of Kudos as well as the awesome comments and feeling blessed. 
> 
> I have never been big on the statistics but numbers like this ought to be celebrated right? right?... Well here is my way of celebrating it which is a WHOOPING TRIPLE UPDATE!!!
> 
> Yes you read it right! I posted three chapters 44, 45, and 46 in one go!!!
> 
> (celebration and apology for the lagging as well :p)
> 
> I seriously never expected this story to have such awesome feedback, and I am thrilled to know that you are enjoying it.
> 
> I also received a couple of AMAZING pm, emails from readers that made me sooooo happy that I mustered the courage to start writing what had been brewing in my head for so long. I love sharing it with you guys!! You certainly make my days brighter and better XD 

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

Zero waited for a moment before turning to leave, thinking that the pureblood may not be in his penthouse in the first place. He took a single step away but halted. He turned around to face the door again. Zero stared at the knob for a moment as he focused his senses. _Damn this building is irritating with the distortion field surrounding it._

His eyes widened when he finally pinpointed the all too familiar aura behind the doors. Gritting his teeth, he twisted the knob and flung the door open.

“Well… Isn’t it the rude one who does not bother answering the door?” Zero snapped at the man pouring himself a glass of whiskey without looking at the intruder.

“I wonder who the rude one here is.” Kaname slurred, making Zero frown for a moment.

The brown hair covered his face and his hunched posture was unusual for the regal pureblood who always carried himself with grace. A sense of dread wrapped around the hunter. He was about to take a step back and leave, if the pureblood did not start speaking as he looked at him.

Zero relaxed a little when he noticed that his eyes were normal and no fangs were in sight. _What was that sensation?_

“Care for a drink?” Kaname swung an empty glass while looking at the hunter, his eyes not really meeting the amethyst orbs.

“No. I would rather not.” Zero answered formally, as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him but not straying far from it.

“Oh right! You should not; I almost forgot that you made the mistake of keeping a child this time.” Kaname replied with obvious sarcasm.

“It is not a mistake.” Zero felt irritated at the remark.

“My bad then, I never pegged you for someone to fall in love in the blink of an eye and start a family on a whim.” Kaname commented while snapping his finger to accentuate his idea.

“What are you getting at, Kuran!” Zero started forgetting the purpose of his visit.

“Nothing~~” Kaname slurred, in attempt to hide the pain of not hearing his name leave the silverette’s lips, thus, having a sense of alienation slapped to his face.

“Are you drunk?” Zero asked with a frown when the pureblood stepped closer to him, the smell of liquor was far too strong for someone who has been drinking casually.

“Does it matter? It is not as if I am underage…Oh! That could actually make a good joke actually.” Kaname shrugged as he downed the glass in one gulp, hissing at the pleasant burn it caused.

“You know what; I might have to come back when you are sober.” Zero announced as he turned to leave, only for the door to be slammed as soon as he opened it and a reeking pureblood whispering against his neck.

“Now… Now… I can’t let you leave just like that, Kiryuu~ kun,” Zero covered his ear from the shivers of Kaname’s whisper against it, “You obviously have serious matters to discuss for you to come here to meet your _rapist_ without your _escort.”_ Kaname finished his speech with a chuckle as he pushed himself away from the hunter and going to drink straight from the bottle while leaning against his gigantic desk.

Zero took a calming breath before turning and facing the pureblood with a stern expression, “I am glad to see that you are aware of your true calling.” He could not help but bite back the sarcasm, “Indeed I came here to discuss an important matter… A matter about your manipulative ass.”

The hunter felt like face palming himself when Kaname mocked him by actually straining his neck to look at his own behind. _This is pointless._

“Go on.” Kaname urged him.

“Why did you not tell me that you did not restore the bond with Yuki, that it was broken in the first place and that you were not mates anymore? Why did you not tell me that you were no longer together? Why did you lead me on and made me think that I was having an affair with my sister’s mate? Did you get such an amazing kick from seeing the guilt building up and laughed at me for not being able to resist you? Was it that much fun, Bastard?” Zero finally snapped, rage igniting inside him.

Kaname stilled for a moment, his head clearing up. He placed the bottle back on the desk and finally met the violet orbs darkened with anger.

“I told you.”

“Pardon?” Zero thought that he heard him wrong.

“I asked if you would sleep with me again if Yuki and I were not mates, before you pulled your gun in the chairman office.” Kaname stated with a flat tone and an unreadable expression.

Zero’s jaw slackened in shock as he blinked few times, “You call that telling me that you were not mated?”

“Would it have made a difference if I said it back then?” Kaname asked, already knowing the answer.

“Hell no.” Zero regretted his immediate reply when Kaname gave him the ‘I told you’ look, “but it would have if you actually said it later.”

It was Kaname’s turn to give him a baffled look, “Well… You might have to work on your communication skills as well as jugging your forgetful head to realize how many time I tried to bloody tell you that things WERE ENDING WITH YUKI!”

Zero flinched at the sudden rise in Kaname’s voice as well as his flaring aura that whipped around him. Feeling his throat tightening, he balled his fists and whispered, “How was I supposed to catch the fucking hints when you drop them in roundabouts way?”

“Well… Sorry for not being a straightforward, goofball like your hubby.”

“This has nothing to do with Gin. Stop pulling him in this conversation. I am trying to understand here.”

“THERE IS NOTHING TO UNDERSTAND, ZERO!” This time the pureblood moved in the blink of an eye and pushed Zero against the door with a slam, gripping the neck of the struggling hunter, “You wanted to confirm that I am a manipulative bastard who wants things to go his way without justifying his actions? Fine, I am the manipulative man who slept with you, enjoyed watching the guilt game and played the love fool while trying to make you his in the worst roundabout way. However, when things did not go as planned, he took his last supper by doing what he wanted to do without holding back one bit. Happy? NOW SCRAM!”

He finally let go of the windpipe he was about to crush if he pressed any harder.

“Why did you not tell me, Kaname?” Zero asked again with a croaky voice from catching his breath. He knew how bad of an idea it was to push the limits with the pureblood, but he needed answers.

The tone made the Kaname halt and turn to face the calm look of the hunter. His face morphing into a saddened expression.

“You really want to know why?” Kaname asked in return.

“Yes.” Zero affirmed as he straightened up.

“Because…” Kaname shrugged, “I don’t know.”

“What?” Zero frowned again.

“Because I did not know. I did not know where I was standing, neither with you nor with Yuki, because you both have the knack of sending mixed signals.”

Zero gave him an ‘o’ response with his mouth when it turned out as he expected. The answer only made him angrier,

“So basically…. You fucked me and agreed to the deal while you were debating on whether or not you should be with Yuki. Is that it? Did I get it wrong again? Were you still thinking that you could restore the bond again while you were trying to win me over? Were you still thinking of the possibility of having to be with Yuki forever when you told me that you loved me?”

“What difference will it make if I answered those questions?” Kaname inquired in a flat tone.

“A fucking lot.” Zero snapped, his hands trembling from anger.

“It does not matter” Kaname shrugged again, reluctant to give any answer.

“Who are you to decide for me what matters and what does not?” Zero could not take anymore and stomped forward to grab the collar of the pureblood who was ignoring his presence again for another drink.

Before his hands reached the fabric, Kaname grabbed his wrist painfully; flashes of the last night together came forth from the brutal handling as well as the fact that Kaname pressed Zero’s cheek with his finger to bring his chin up and talk uncomfortably close to the hunter’s face.

 “Why does it matter now? Are you saying that since I am not fucking Yuuki, I should fuck you? Is your man not satisfying you enough? Did you become more promiscuous because of the pregnancy? Is that it?” Kaname hissed

“Let go of me.” Zero spoke through puckered lips, fear gripping him. He was not in the best shape to rebuke the brunet if he snapped out of control again.

Kaname’s focus, however, shifted to his belly. Zero swallowed as the pureblood squinted his eyes looking down towards his hidden bump. The hunter got scared for a second thinking that Kaname might have realized somehow that the child was his, but he knew how impossible that was.

In the midst of his struggling, Zero missed the way Kaname’s eyes widened when his sharp hearing noticed the muffled heartbeat of his baby.

For a moment after that, Zero’s blood ran cold when he saw pure insanity in Kaname’s eyes as he smirked at him, “In that case, should I rid ? “ with his claws out, Kaname brushed against his bump almost tearing through the shirt.

“Don’t you dare hurt my baby, bastard!” Zero’s hiss and spitting on his face was the last straw that made Kaname throw the hunter with full force.

Zero thankfully found his balance and stood tall while catching his breath. He cradled his belly protectively while glaring daggers at the brunet.

He had hard time believing the reckless words that came out of his mouth later but did not regret them either, “What if I told you that it is yours?”

“Pardon?” Kaname grunted, giving the hunter one of his coldest look.

“What if I told you that the child I am carrying is yours? That you are the father and that Gin is acting like that for me because I wanted to hide the truth from you. What would you think, what would you do?” Zero challenged him.

Kaname snorted, making the verifying gesture with his hands as he approached the hunter slowly, “You are meaning to tell me that, whoever is growing inside you is the child that I thought you killed. Oh! Wait, maybe you will tell me that I impregnated you the last time I forced you. I don’t think so, since I did not use the ‘proper channel’ at that time.”

Zero gritted his teeth at the sarcasm, “It is indeed the child you thought I killed, Kaname.”

After a minute of complete silence, Kaname burst in a hilarious fit of laughter, shaking his head in disbelief.

“This has to be the joke of the year. Thank you for the good laugh.” The pureblood sputtered, looking at the hunter who narrowed his eyes in response.

“Do you really think that I would say such a thing as a _joke?”_ Zero deadpanned.

Still chuckling Kaname took a shuddering breath to make himself look more serious. However, he was unable to.

“Do you want to know what I would do if you are pregnant with my child? Okay, I will tell you.” The pureblood got closer to the wary hunter, his talons still aroused.

“If you are indeed pregnant with my child, I will simply wrench it from your insides, sparing the innocent soul the curse of having you as a parent.” Kaname grazed Zero’s cheek with the elongated nail before tracing it down his torso until his belly, “After all, you did open my eyes to the harsh reality. You made me realize how much of a mistake I was making when I desired a life with you, the one who is incapable of caring about anyone but himself. The worst kind of parents. I pity them…” Kaname gave a sympathizing look to Zero’s stomach, “and I pity the one who will end up taking care of them while you go moonlighting.”

At that point, Zero was shaking, flabbergasted and unable to breathe from shock.

“Are you still going to insist that you are carrying my child, Zero?” Kaname tilted his head, amused by the terrified look of the hunter. Zero swallowed loudly, stepping back until his back hit the door, unable to talk as his throat tightened and his eyes stung with threatening tears. _Hold it in! Don’t cry! Don’t give him that satisfaction!_

“The answer is no, I guess.” Kaname shrugged, both hands rising to accentuate his nonchalance as he stepped away from the hunter, “I do not even understand the point of telling me such a thing. Are you that desperate to have your favorite bed partner back? If that is the case, I am terribly sorry that I do not provide that kind of service anymore.”

“Wha-“ Zero stuttered.

“What? Or maayyy be, you wanted to switch roles now, where I become the paramour. Again, sorry I am not that low.” Kaname added leisurely

“No, it not like that-” Zero tried to get the words out, but every sound coming of the pureblood sent stabbing pain to his chest.

“What? Did you intend to leave your man for me? Oh! Give me a break, please. I am not interested in the leftover of others, let alone raising another man’s child. Leave!” Kaname spoke the last part with a disgusted expression while pointing to door.   


Zero was stunned at the selfishness and arrogance of the pureblood. There was just so much that his pride can take, which prevented him from pleading the brunet to hear him. Being described as cheap, leftover and a cheat was the cherry on top.

In a brisk movement, he turned and grabbed the doorknob while covering his mouth slightly so that the pureblood would not see his lips quivering. He opened the door with a firm resolution of going back to the man who truly wanted him, loved him and accepted him for who he is, even going as far as loving the child that was not his.

“You’re wrong, Kuran! I am not leaving my man who treasures me and will never stand calling me with degrading names every time things do not go his way. Farewell!”

 

*Slam*

Kaname stared blankly at the door, not bothering to move or react; the image of Zero’s back etched in his eyes as the hunter left him on the worst terms possible.

He gripped the glass bottle, intending to drown in the liquor when the door of his inner quarter clicked open. Takuma peeked shyly before entering and closing the door softly behind him.

The noble found himself in the most awkward situation possible when he used the private lift that led to Kaname’s living quarter in the penthouse, only for him to end up eavesdropping on a sensitive conversation. He guessed that Zero was unable to sense him thanks to the distortion field that Kaname kept active in his penthouse.

Forest green eyes landed on the hunched figure of the pureblood, his heart aching at the miserable sight of his friend. He was not surprised to find him in such a state after the initial shock of finding six emptied bottles of high-grade liquor potent with silver wine. A liquor strong enough to knock out any vampire regardless of their tolerance. Takuma was surprised that the pureblood was even standing, let alone capable of forming coherent thoughts. _Well… That is Kaname for you._

Taking careful step towards his lifelong friend, he reached a hand to pat softly on the shirt-clad shoulder. Takuma yelped slightly when Kaname shrugged his touch harshly and turned towards his bedroom without meeting his eyes.

“Kaname!” He could not afford leaving in such a state, but his words died out at the weak answer he received.

“Not now… Takuma… Not now… Please.” Kaname pleaded softly as he closed the door behind him.

Takuma flinched at the sound of glass shattering, assuming that the victim was the bottle of whiskey Kaname was holding.

Behind the closed doors of his bathroom. Kaname turned the cold showerhead and stood under the water like a statute. His clothes clung to his skin as the water soaked into the black fabric. With his forehead on the pristine white tiles, Kaname was unable to close his eyes as images of the hunter flashed through his mind.

No matter how much he tried to bury his feelings for Zero, no matter how many times he reminded himself of his betrayal, Kaname could only remember the sweetest things about the hunter. He only remembered their passion, Zero’s unexplained shyness when complimented, his obsession with tidiness that contrasted with his messed up personality, his attention to details and preferences of others when it comes to cooking Kaname’s favorite food, or making sure that his clothes were dry cleaned by his next visit so that he always had a change of clothes available.

He was not able to forget the warmth of the hunter’s body who would snuggle up to him after acting aloof and reluctant if Kaname makes the mistake of asking him to do so, nor did he forget the sweetest smile that graced his lips when the hunter was in his best moods.

The pureblood let out a dry chuckle when remembering the saying ‘curiosity kills the cat’. His curiosity certainly brought his demise when it comes to the hunter. His curiosity and eagerness to strip away the mask that he showed him for the past years. His eagerness to know more once he broke the first defenses, or last if anyone else were to judge.

He knew that he should be regretting ever allowing himself to fall for the silverette, but he did not. He will never regret falling for Zero, but he was not ready to face his feelings once again without reaching out to him. An action he could not afford as long as he will do nothing but hurt him, make him cry and feel miserable.

“How ironic for it to start in a drunken stupor and to end in another drunken stupor as well.” his whispered.

He might have been with Zero for few months only, but they felt like the most fulfilling moments he ever had in thousands of years. He could only imagine how special it could have been had he resolved himself to set the insecurities aside and face his fears in favor of a better future.

Truth being told, the moment he was reawakened, Kaname knew that he was a different person altogether.

He was a free man. Even with the seal taking away most of his powers, he still felt free. Free of the shackles from his past. He fulfilled his duty to his long lost companion. He protected Yuki just like he promised her parents. He was exempted from taking the lead and playing solo when it came to the ruling aspects.

The sensation was foreign yet welcomed. The first thought that crossed his blank mind was taking responsibility for the consequence of his impulsive actions. The seal was the punishment for his sins, and taking care of his unborn child was the redemption.

It was along with that resolve that realization hit him. Despite craving his blood, Yuki did not bite him… She did not ask for his affection… The sparkle in her big round eyes he always noticed when she met him as a prefect was gone.

Thinking that it was only a fragment of his imagination, he took the initiative by reusing their usual greeting. It was when their lips met and parted, the way she tensed, the way she looked away when he leaned back while stuttering, and the way she glanced over her shoulder with guilt weighing her doe eyes that made him realize it.

What he saw in her eyes was the goodbye for the crush she had for him and the welcome of the man she called ‘onii-sama’. The man she welcomed was not her mate; the man she was happy that he reawakened was her family, her brother.

Nonetheless, Yuki being Yuki. Kaname could not help but get confused by the mixed signals she emitted. One day she would be clingy and needy, the other day she would act distant and brooding while looking out of a window or tapping on her student’s notes. The pureblood was lost about what to make out of their relationship.

When he finally confronted her, she admitted being confused herself. She explained that it might be due to her pregnancy and that she would rather wait before she took a step ahead, as not to regret things afterwards. Frankly, Kaname thought she was talking about the two of them and their child.

It did not take long for him to take interest in the hunter after that. However, the excessive care that Yuki showed towards Zero made him question few things. He went as far as doubting that she wanted to leave him for the hunter.

Kaname suspected that it was at that point that his feelings for Zero started to take a different shape from curiosity and the experiencing of an exhilarating thrill.

Instead of feeling left out, defeated by the fact that he expected them to be together in the first place, Kaname found himself wanting the hunter for himself. He wanted Zero to want him, to need him, to look only at him and no one else. He wanted to be everything that the hunter needed, everything that he needed so that he would not leave him for another, not even for Yuki.

Another baffled laugh left the lips of the pureblood as he placed his palms against the tile. “How stupid could I have been?”

The remorse was too much to handle, the remorse that he did not realize it sooner. That the ones he thought he loved before were nothing but… _Obligations? Yes… I guess that I just felt compelled to stay by their side._

Sliding down on his knees, he let his hands fall on folded knees, staring as the drops of water gathered in his palms. The emptiness he had not felt in ages came back tenfold, as he lost that place, the place where he felt he truly belonged.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Cross’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

For those lounging in the living room, it felt like the calm before the storm. A storm called Kiryuu Zero stomping inside, grabbing everything he can get his hands on and storming out towards his car, only to storm back in because his car keys happened to be with a sleeping Gin who woke up from the ruckus.

“I am leaving!” Zero screamed while extending his hands asking for the keys.

“Wha… Zero…. what we agree-“

“I agreed to nothing! I AM NOT STAYING A FUCKING SECOND MORE!!! DO YOU HEAR ME! Now either you give me my keys or I will go by train.”

“Calm dow-“ Gin never had the chance to finish any of his words.

“I am not fucking calming down until I am out of here!” Zero flailed his hands in frustration before breaking in a fit of sobs. Ichiru was the first to rush upstairs and cradle him.

“Zero, what’s wrong!” the flustered twin gave Gin a questioning look while the grey eyed male shrugged and shook his head to show his ignorance of the matter. “Zero! Talk to me!”

“I want to go back.” The hunter sobbed, clutching Ichiru’s sleeve, “I want to go back home…” The whimpers finally made Gin give up on changing the hunter’s mind.

“Okay! I will take you home, come here…” He helped Zero up and welcomed him when the hunter clutched his arm. “Wait, I am coming with you.” Ichiru informed as he was about to fetch his jacket.

“No!” Zero’s order made him halt in shock, “Don’t.”

Gin finally got the hunter in the car and went back to the flabbergasted twin, “Ichiru? You know that he-“

“I know. The pregnancy can make him… weird. I know… Call me if anything happens… No… call me when u reach and tell me when he is… better.” Ichiru mumbled before going back inside. He should be glad that Zero was relying on Gin, but it felt weird not to be the one that his twin reached out to when distressed.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Zero’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

It practically took the whole day for the hunter to finally calm down and get some sleep. Gin was extremely distraught, as he could not understand what happened to Zero. The last thing he remembers before sleeping was the hunter having a good time with his family.

Once he tucked the sniffling mess in his bed, Gin finally retired to his own room for a much-needed rest.

Unfortunately, their troubles were only getting started.

In the middle of the silent dark night, Gin stirred from his sleep by the muffled screams of the hunter.

“Gin! Ginnn… help…” The last words or more precisely the last whine sent the blue haired man stumbling to Zero’s room.

He froze for a second at the state of the hunter. Zero was curled up on the bed, clutching the sheets in a death grip with one hand while the other clutched his stomach. The hunter’s face contorted in pain and panic.

“Ginn…UNGGHHHH!” The pained moan Zero let out as he threw his head backward snapped the grey-eyed man into action.

He quickly jumped to his side, wincing at the painful squeeze of Zero’s hand over his but forgetting about it when he tried to understand the words of the panting hunter.

“Zero! What is wrong?  Are you hurt?”

“haa… Baby… something… wrong. Hurts a lot!... uhnnn… Call doct… AaAAH!” Another bout of pain sent the silverette curling in a ball, face red and strained as the pain only increased.

Gin did not waste time to snatch the phone and speed dial the doctor’s number.

“Hello! Yes! This is Moriya Gin… Ki- No,  Mamiya-san’s partner.” Gin introduced himself fast as he rubbed Zero’s back. He put the phone on speaker at Zero’s demand.

“Yes… Is there a problem?”

“He is in a lot of pain.” Gin screamed.

“What kind of pain?” the doctor asked.

 _How the fuck would I know?_ He looked at the hunter who was unable to utter a word, judging from the position of his hands, Gin made his own assumption.

“He is having severe cramping, around the pelvic area. He is saying that something is wrong with the baby.” He chocked the words out wishing for them to be wrong.

“That must be the sensation of the uterus stretching and accommodating for the growth of the baby.” The doctor reassured.

A whimper that escaped the hunter made Gin snap, “Oh Really! You are telling me that something like that causes pain to the point he cannot even speak. We will be in the hospital in ten minutes. If you are not there, we will just have to switch to a different doctor who gives a shit about emergencies.” He hang up and rushed to the closet, picking random clothes to dress the hunter and keep him warm before throwing on his jacket and whisking Zero in his arms. The hardest part was putting Zero’s disguise because he was adamant about going there without.

  
As he said, Gin was in front of the hospital in no more than ten minutes. Without bothering with the wheelchair, he stormed inside with the hunter in his arms panting and sweating from the stabbing sensations. The doctor was waiting by the reception area, and then guided them to the room. He immediately hooked Zero with a blood bag and wired him with the monitor to ensure the baby’s health.

After the third blood bag, the ex-human calmed down enough to form coherent thoughts and take in his surroundings.

“How is my baby?” He asked weakly. Gin could not help but smile at the first question Zero asked after getting over the delirium.

“The baby is doing fine. Have you been neglecting the blood drinking lately, Mamiya-san?” The doctor asked as he ticked the form that he was holding.

  Gin frowned at the question, “I do not think so. He has been drinking frequently.”

“Yeah…” Zero licked his dry lips, “I feel like I have been indulging even more than before. This was just… sudden. I drank from Gin before going to sleep as well.” He added before taking the water than Gin offered with a thank you.

“Hmm….” The doctor paused for a moment, raising the anxiety of the couple. He looked at the hunter and his companion before speaking again. “Moriya-san, can you kindly give us a moment, please.”

Zero and Gin exchanged a worried glance before Zero nodded to comfort the man who stood to leave the room.

Zero tensed when the frown on the wrinkled forehead of the doctor deepened when their eyes met.

“He is not the father of this child, is he?” The doctor asked bluntly, making Zero jolt from the surprising question.

“Wha… What do you mean?” Zero stuttered.

“Mamiya-san! If you want to have a safe pregnancy, as your doctor, I need to be aware of every detail possible. The pregnancy of a level D vampire is an extremely sensitive process, not to mention that it is risky for both, the mother and the baby.”

Zero clammed up for a moment before asking another question, “What made you think that Gin is not the father?”

The doctor sighed at the stubborn patient. “What you are experiencing is called siphoning.”

“Siphoning?” Zero tilted his head, not understanding the point.

“Your baby is drawing life force from your blood.” the doctor tried to use simpler words only to confuse the hunter more.

“Isn’t that… normal?” Zero asked meekly.

“It is. However, it is happening too early and too quickly.” The doctor placed the paper on a table and sat on the chair Gin was using.

“No… I meant that a baby is supposed to get his nutriments off his carrier, right? Since conception.” Zero clarified his point.  

The doctor noticed the misunderstanding and elaborated. “Siphoning meant a different kind of sustenance. It is about the baby’s powers. He is siphoning the magic in your blood, storing it in his core which will be the seed to awakening his own element once he comes of age.”

Zero swallowed, dreading the answer to his next question. “What does this have to do with the father?”

The doctor fixed him with a steady gaze, “The frequency, intensity and starting point of the siphoning depends on how strong the baby will be, which of course depends on the parents. For a level D vampire, the strongest of their offspring would be a level C and rarely a level B noble. If the child’s parents were both Level D vampires, the offspring would be also a level D. If one parent is D and another is C, the offspring would most probably be a D as well. However, if the other party is a B ranked vampire, the offspring will most likely hover between B and C. The rare case of the taboo children between a pureblood and a level D may result in a level B vampire. In your specific case, Mamiya-san. The father is human, so I expected the siphoning not to happen at all because. However, what I am seeing is one of the earliest occurrence of the phenomenon, which tells me that not only the father of your child is a vampire, but also a high ranked one. I would not dare to say that it is a pureblood, but it is certainly a high level noble.”

Zero gritted his teeth at the discomfort. He never expected such a detail to expose him. He averted the scrutinizing eyes of the doctor.

Sighing, the old vampire continued his explanation, “Mamiya-san, can you please have a look at what is happening to you?” he instructed as he removed the blood transfusion from Zero’s arm. He held the hand of the hunter for him to see, pointing to his nails.

Zero eyes widened when he noticed the color changing and his skin paling more before a grim texture covered it. His nails were the first to turn to dust before the doctor plugged the blood transfusion of the fourth blood bag.

“I hope you do understand what this means. If you do not drink from the father or from a vampire as strong as him, not only will you not be able to carry the pregnancy to term, but you will most likely perish along with your unborn child.”

Zero was shaking like a leaf, tears flowing already as the doctor spoke and his head whipped from left to right in attempt to deny the horrible truth he was told.

The old noble sat back on the chair and sighed, fist balled over his knees.

“Do you not have any intention to tell the father about your pregnancy?” He asked with a whisper.

Zero denied silently, teary eyes begging the doctor for any solution possible.

Wiping his own face, he announced the verdict, “In that case, we need to terminate your pregnancy as soon as possible in order to save your life.”

“no! No! NO!”

“Mamiya-san-“

“I said no!” Zero sat up straight, yanking the needles and straps from his body, anger fueled him with enough energy to stand and threatened the doctor who was trying to get him in bed again, “You fucking asshole are not coming anywhere near my baby!” He barked continuously as he made his way to the door, cradling his still flat stomach “Fuck the siphoning, fuck the father… Fuck you all… I am going to survive and have my baby and you can go eat shit! Termination, you say? You want to terminate my pregnancy, kill my baby, _my life?”_ Despite his anger, Zero’s panic was obvious in his sobbing voice.

“What happened?” Gin did not waste time coming in when he heard the hunter screaming.

“I am going home.” Zero deadpanned.

“Mamiya-san! Please do not be reckless; you are only putting yourself in fatal danger!” The doctor pleaded as he grabbed Zero’s hand.

“So what? You should be glad since you bunch of aristocrat never liked ex-humans anyways.” Zero snorted, but the strengthening grip of the doctor did not loosen.

“Two more bags.” The doctor whispered.

“What?” Zero snapped back.

“I would like to understand what is going on here?” Gin interjected, confused on what stance should he take towards the situation.

“Allow two more bags of blood in your body before leaving.” The doctor was pleading at this point. The hunter did not know the hurt he caused the man who had been dedicating most of his life to the weakest and abused vampires in his society.

The hunter scoffed, “Yeah right! So that you can put the abortion potion in them and achieve what you aimed for.”

The word abortion made Gin grab the doctor’s hand with a menacing look in his eyes. “I would really appreciate an explanation.”

Both sighed and Zero allowed the doctor to explain by clarifying that the teacher was aware that he was not the father.

Gin felt his knees crumble and had to hold onto the chair for support. He understood Zero’s outburst and was of the same opinion, but he feared for his beloved’s safety all the same. The conflicting emotions left him frozen in place.

“Okay, here is the last suggestion, please consider it Mamiya-san: I will draw blood from Gin-san here for you to drink until I am sure that you are out of danger for the rest of the night, at least. That should be enough time for you to decide whether to risk your life for a doomed future, or spare yourself the slow agonizing death by earning few more years to live. The both of you can still build a family and I am sure that the pregnancy will be less risky than-”

“Just… Stop it!.... Stop talking.” The doctor was surprised to see that Gin was the one cutting him off. He was left dumbfounded when the human grabbed Zero’s hand and dragged him out of the room and out of the hospital without looking back.

Gin’s face was a twist of pain and anger as Zero’s sobs echoed from behind him. The first thing he did was feeding the hunter in the parking lot. Zero reluctantly kept drinking until Gin started feeling dizzy before stopping. The desiccation of his body stopped indeed, but the stabbing pain persisted nonetheless.

They looked at each other, fear and agony reflecting through silver and violet orbs before Gin took a deep breath and drove away from the sinister place. Halfway, the pain increased, leaving Zero as a crying mess to the point that he had to pull over.

“Drink more!” Gin ordered as he extended his wrist, only for Zero to shake his head in denial.

“Enough…” Zero managed to utter in between sobs. He was frightened, panicked and could not think straight. The only thing going through his brain was a simple sentence, _I can’t lose my baby!_

Exasperated, cornered and alarmed, Gin pulled his phone and dialed the first number. The action caught Zero’s attention and he asked about it.

“Calling Ichiru, I don’t have Aido’s number.” Gin answered, cursing when Ichiru’s phone was out of reach.

Zero grabbed his wrist painfully when he was about to dial the number again. The action annoyed the grey-eyed man, making him snap despite trying to be considerate of his partner’s disposition, “Break a bone if you want, but I am still calling him.”

“No…nnnnnh” Zero opposed weakly, a long pained moaned escaping him as he doubled over, “yy…yu… Yukkiii…” He trailed the name long enough for Gin to get his point.

Grey eyes widened at the realization and his fingers flew to contact the brunette pureblood, “Hello… Yuki-chan? Thank goodness! We need help! Ze-“ Gin stopped midsentence when the hunter tugged at his sleeve. On his demand, the phone was put on speakers.

“Moshi Moshi? Moriya-san, is something wrong? Is Zero okay?” Yuki’s panicked voice rang through the humming vehicle.

“I am not!” Zero groaned loud enough for her to hear.

“Zero?”

“Baby… fucking siphoning…” the hunter grunted.

“WHAT?” Zero felt his ear ringing at the shriek. “How, when? WHAT?”

“Shit… UNGHH!” Zero all but screamed as a sensation of stabbing then squeezing wrapped around his inside feeling as if he might rupture any moment, through his clenched hand, he could see the desiccation starting again, which made his tears flow uncontrollably.

“We just came out of the hospital and the doctor was asking for a pregnancy termination because Zero may not be able to make it through the night.” Gin explained as calmly and clearly as possible.

“Ha?”

Zero rolled his eyes at the dumb look Yuki must be having after saying that.

“What kind of retarded quack were you consulting?” She finally found her words after being tongue tied for a few seconds.

“I don’t… want…. to….” Zero uttered between pants, knowing that she could hear him.

“OF COURSE YOU DON’T WANT TO AND YOU WON’T HAVE TO! GOSH, THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE?” She screamed over the phone and a sound of shuffling could be heard afterwards.

A spark of hope ran through both men simultaneously.

“What do you mean?” Gin asked in a hurry.

There was a bit of static and interrupted signal before the call picked up again, “What I mean is that I am now inside Zero’s apartment with my pureblood pouring inside a jug and you better bring him here faster than you ever can.” Yuki ordered in the most serious tone she ever used in her life. 

Without wasting a second more, Gin stepped on it to the point that the car was flying across the road, the pained groans of Zero only urged him to go faster. By the time they reached, the ex-human already lost control over his limbs and his arms swayed as Gin ran to the apartment, thankful that Yuki opened the door just in time.

The gasp of the brunette did not stop her from hurrying into action. She followed them to the bedroom and held the straw for Zero to drink the blood from the cup. She worried more when the hunter’s eyes glowed red but his fangs were not aroused. It was proof of how weakened her adoptive brother was.

Gin was sitting on the bed making his own body into an armchair to hold Zero in a sitting position while Yuki sat in front of the hunter, feeding him one cup after another. At one point, Gin was regretting ever dragging Zero out of the hospital because of how fast his state deteriorated. The fear of losing the hunter for good haunted his thoughts until the first positive sign of recovery manifested.

Both sighed in relief when Zero’s hand finally twitched, his gulps got louder and he managed to hold the glass by himself a few minutes later. Throwing the straw, he chugged the crimson liquid down with gusto, especially when he felt the stabbing cramps subsiding considerably. _You will need the blood of the father or that of a vampire just as powerful!_

Glowing eyes landed on the brunet, marveled by the power dwelling in her pureblood. _She may not be as strong, but she is certainly powerful enough to save me!_

Zero lips curled up in the corner, the irony of being saved by the girl that he spent most of his life protecting lifted his spirit in a weird way. The brown haired pureblood was oblivious to the grateful look that her brother gave her as her eyes landed on the empty jug that she planned on filling up again.

She startled when Zero grabbed her wrist, albeit weakly and gave her the empty glass. “No more, I am feeling much better.”

“Are you sure? You know that I don’t mind giving-“

“I know… Thanks Yuki.” Zero gave a faint smile with a tear sliding on his cheek as the reality came crashing down on him after his muddled head cleared up.

Yuki instantly jumped and hugged him tight, unintentionally pushing Gin away. The ethic teacher did not bother commenting or bringing his presence into attention, he simply slipped out of the bed and took the bloodied utensils to the kitchen, relieved that the worse had passed by.

The two sobbing messes finally let go of each other, Zero muttered curses under his breath about his crazy hormones while Yuki giggled at the usual attitude that she welcomed after the rollercoaster of emotions.

“Oh, that’s right! This is not the end of it. We have one more thing to make sure of.” She snapped the hunter attention back to her as she spoke, “The baby’s heartbeat.”

Zero’s eyes widened at the realization. It is true that he made it out safely, but is it the same for his baby?

 The hunter started focusing his senses, looking for the muffled galloping sound he loved to hear as much as meditating.

“No… No…. nonono… I can’t hear… This can’t be true” He started to panic and eyes glistening again for another bout of crying if Yuki did not slap both cheeks at once.

“Baaaaka! How can you hear it when you are still not fully recovered? Your senses are going haywire and your body is still adjusting to my blood.”

The stunned silverette watched as Yuki fumbled with her bag and pulled an instrument that he recognized as the one that the doctor used to listen to the heartbeat.

“I beg you not to say anything. I suck at tuning out sounds and I am guilty of using this to listen to my daughter’s heartbeat during the pregnancy, despite being a pureblood.” Yuki stated in a tone forbidding Zero from making fun of her.

The hunter held his breath as she lifted his shirt and started gliding the probe over his almost flat stomach, turning it around every corner. The panic started to rise again when she took too long without results.

“Found it!” The usual cheerful call of his sister brought him out of the darkness and he met her twinkling eyes as she looked up at him. She made sure to keep the device in place and extend the earpiece to Zero who took it with shaky hands and placed it against his ear.

*Thump*

*Thump*

*Thump*

*Thump*

The sound that came of his mouth was a mix of sob, laugh and gasp at the same time. It was more ironic that the first time he listened to the sound; he saw the end of the world. Listening to it now, it felt like he was given another shot at a better life.

By now, Zero was lying on his back keeping the device stuck to his ear as his baby’s heart beat lulled him to sleep along with Yuki’s fingers lacing through his hair.  Instead of feeling more energized, he was feeling sleepy and warm.

“Thank you.” He whispered again, glancing at his sister who was lying on her side. That is when he noticed that she was in her pajamas.

“Were you about to go to sleep when we called you?” He asked curiously.

“Hmm…” She hummed while checking his hands, eyes and complexion. Finally satisfied that her brother was out of danger zone, she replied with a teasing tone, “Yeaaaah! I was getting ready to cuddle with my hubby when my annoying brother decided to interrupt some rare sweet time with the busy man.”

She giggled louder when Zero gave a cringing grimace followed by an apologetic look. “Relax… I was joking. I finished teaching early, and was lounging around taking care of Ai. Isaya-san did come indeed, but we were busy with her. He should be done bottle-feeding and tucked her in bed by now. That girl seems to like men more than her own mother, it kind of pisses me off.”

She stopped her blabbering when Zero gave a heartfelt laugh at her dilemma. Sighing in relief, she adjusted the pillow under his head and pulled another for herself.

“Ne, Zero!”

“What?” he answered after taking a deep breath to stop laughing.

“You are not going to change your mind about the doctor appointment I am trying to set up. Will you be okay with going back to the same doctor after today?” She asked, worry visible in her big round eyes.

Zero bit the inside of his cheek. Now that he had calmed down, the thought of consulting the same doctor seemed distasteful to him. He knew that the man’s decision was in his best interest, and that he wanted to save his life. However, the fact that he was aware that Gin was not the father made Zero uncomfortable. Moreover, this crisis really showed him the drawback of using a fake ID and disguise. It would have been scandalous if his wig or contact lenses came off, as trivial as it may sound.

On the other hand, consulting Yuki’s doctor had more pros than cons. He would be aware of the siphoning, and Yuki would make sure to rule out the termination option. He will be aware of Zero’s identity and already sworn to secrecy with the Kuran household. The hunter knew that the man could be trusted even if he never met him. Yuki’s pregnancy and safe delivery was proof of his achievement seeing that she went through the most difficult part of her pregnancy without the father as well.

He glanced at her once before closing his eyes and sighing, “Before that, do you know anything about what happened to me today. I never heard of this siphoning thing before. Did it happen with Ai?”

Yuki groaned at what seemed like an unpleasant memory, “You bet! Do you even know the reason why female pureblood carry their babies for so long?”

“Nope.” Zero deadpanned, shifting on his side to give her his full curious attention.

“The siphoning happens at a far slower rate for us. Actually, our body is lethal to our offspring. I later learned that it tries to suppress or kill the unborn child as soon as it is conceived.”

Zero’s eyes widened at the shocking information. Yuki nodded, “That is probably the reason for the countless miscarriage pureblood females endure when they partner with a lower ranking vampire. Anyways, a child like Ai would fight back by absorbing a good amount of the pureblood poison channeled through the placenta.”

“So they start siphoning since day one?” Zero tried to understand.

“Exactly… It starts by absorbing the poison that will determine their pureblood status as well as their survival in the mother’s womb and they will slowly absorb magic along the way until strong enough to not be killed. That is when the mother actually start feeling the toll of the siphoning. For me, that marks the time I attacked you in the basement when you saved Yori-chan from my attack.”

“Oh!”

“Siphoning makes you crave blood; precisely the father’s blood more than ever because the child wants to complete its DNA and seal its power as they grow. Any other blood would be fine, but in far larger amount.”

Zero remembered how many blood bags and drinking from vampires other than him, Yuki had to go through. He cringed at the thought of seeking more blood but she soon put his mind at ease.

“You will probably be fine because you are not carrying a pureblood offspring. However, I will be setting up the routine we talked about in order to provide you with powerful blood that will sustain the siphoning until the baby’s powers are sealed.”

Zero cleared his throat, “Is it true that it does not normally happen with Level D?”

Yuki blinked twice before raising an eyebrow, “Oh! You were using an alias.”

“What does that have to do with the question?”  Zero pondered loudly.

“Because the doctor did not know that it was Zero Kiryuu carrying a child, not your run of the mills ex-human of hunter origin.” Yuki beamed proudly.

Zero frowned, not getting the point. She huffed at his ignorance, “Zero… You have the ability to awaken powerful weapons; your stability is unmatchable despite not drinking from your master, not to mention that you have reached a terrifying balance between your hunter half and you vampire half. I would not be surprised if your child developed a certain element of powerful affinity as well…” Yuki paused a second, replaying her words, “Well… That was quite the smart observation…” She nodded to herself, making Zero chuckle at the fact that she was praising herself.

He had to admit that it was a cunning question. What he wanted to know was not whether it was possible or not. He wanted to see how others will react to it if it came out that his unborn child was actually absorbing magic.

His musing stopped when Yuki took her turn with the questions, or suggestions to be more precise. Her serious tone made Zero equally serious.

“All jokes aside. Zero, I will talk to my doctor and have him check on you as soon as possible. We need to make sure to avoid another dangerous episode like today’s. I promise that he will not question you or annoy you in anyways. I will also not be around during the consultation if it makes you uncomfortable. I feel at ease as long as Moriya-san is by your side. Also, I will not be nosy about anything other than what you tell me, I promise.” She pressed her teeth into a comical smile while crossing her fingers, a gesture she always used to promise something she would be doing reluctantly, but she will still keep the promise.

Zero exhaled loudly and nodded, his eyes droopy with sleep. With a victorious smile, Yuki watched her brother drift to sleep peacefully, grateful that she was there for him once after a lifetime of being under his protection.

She eyed the uncovered stomach with a mischievous glint as she scooted close to it. She gave a testing rub. When Zero did not react, she latched on the opportunity of having some bonding time with her nephew/niece to be without Zero kicking her away.

“Hey there! Oh? Aren’t you a big one, already bulging out at this age. You gave us a fright today, you know that?” She cooed in a silly voice, “Yes you know it, naughty little one… And you are happy that aunty came to the rescue aren’t you… Was the treat tasty?... Yes it was, I know and it will not be the only time… Don’t worry… As long as you don’t trouble mommy, I will give you as many treats as you need to grow big and healthy before I squeeze the hell out of you once you are born…. Ugh! I can’t wait!”

 

Having had enough of the silly talk, she covered the stomach, and tucked Zero under the warm blanket before heading to the kitchen.

Sitting on the table, Gin rubbed his reddened eyes as soon as the little woman came in sight. He stood in a hurry and tucked his hands in pockets to hide the nervous way he was clenching and unclenching his fists.

Yuki rolled her eyes and scoffed, “I really pity the child for being surrounded with crybabies.” She rubbed her own eyes to get the point across, making Gin chuckle.

“Sorry… It just… It kind of all came out at once… How is he?” Yuki felt bad for the taller man, especially after hearing his scratchy voice. _It must have been frustrating to see him suffer with nothing he can do to help…_

She kept her thoughts to herself and answered with a cheerful voice, “Aunt Yuki here saved the day!” She grinned while clutching her nonexistent bicep.

“I can’t thank you enough… really.” Gin commented tiredly as he filled a glass of water and dropped few blood pills from Zero’s stash.

Yuki accepted the drink gratefully and continued her animated chatter, “He is sleeping comfortably now. Don’t worry! The amount he drank should sustain him for few days and I will make sure to come provide him with more blood before he even feels the pain. He also agreed to consult my doctor, which will make things easier for you two. He will not have to disguise or use an alias and this doctor has enough influence to provide anything without going through the legal channels that might reveal Zero’s condition. Aido-sempai will probably assist him since he seems knowledgeable about Zero’s condition. In short, we will make sure that you two will go through a smooth sailing pregnancy from now on.”

Gin was not able to register everything said, but he was glad about the measures Yuki was taking to ensure the safety of the hunter as well as his comfort.

“All right! I have a baby of my own that I need to check on. See you soo-“

“Yuki-chan, wait!” Gin spoke fast before she could concentrate on teleporting.

“Hmm?”

“I don’t know how to ask this without sounding pushy.” He scratched his head.

“Be pushy, please!” She quipped.

“Can you spend the night, just in case… you know…” Gin shifted his head in direction of the bedroom, unable to say the foreboding sentence.

Yuki hesitated for a second. She understood what he meant and wanted to reassure him, but she knew that she would not be able to settle down at her place either after seeing her brother in that condition.

She finally gave him a reassuring smile and spoke, “Okay! I don’t mind! Let me go check on Ai and I will be back in… Let us say… half an hour?”

Gin’s shoulder relaxed in relief and he could not stop thanking her until she vanished.

Once alone again, his jaw locked and face morphed in a more stern expression as he pulled his phone and dialed to make his own phone calls.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Yuki’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Hello! Sensei? How are you?” She spoke softly while touching the small fingers of her daughter sleeping in the crib.

“Yuki-sama! I am good. How are you, is everything okay with Ai-hime?” The worried tone made her smack herself inwardly. _Of course, he would think it was an emergency… What was I thinking calling him in the wee hours of the morning?_

Her flustered answer made Isaya chuckle from the couch where he was going through some documents after putting Ai to sleep.

“No… Uhm… Ai is doing great and so am I… I actually called you about my brother.”

“… Lord Kaname?” The doctor was skeptical, he might be the family doctor but he was a pediatrician.

_Damn it!_

“No… Actually… The whole story is… My adoptive brother is pregnant. It is slightly complicated because his partner is actually human and he is a stable Level D vampire.” She spoke fast.

A long pause preceded the cautious question, “You adoptive brother… as in Kiryuu Zero?”

She sighed, “The one and only.”

“Oh my!” The old man exclaimed at the situation.

“Exactly. I think you understand why I am seeking your assistance.”

“Ab… Absolutely.”

“Confidentiality is your virtue and I do not want you to feel offended if we asked for an oath of secrecy. My brother is eager to have this child, but his life might get targeted if words got out.” She stated the obvious in a serious tone. It was well known that vampires are in the most vulnerable at the beginning of their pregnancy. Zero has enough enemies after him as it is, she cannot afford giving them the golden opportunity of attacking him at his weakest.

“Of course Yuki-sama. I am honored to be entrusted with such a task. Seeing that I am out of town, when will be a good time to set the appointment?”

“As soon as possible.”

“Very well. I am driving mother to the estate in three days and I have a conference right after. I can swing by as soon as I am done.”

“That would be perfect. Thank you so much, and I hope to meet Midori-sensei if it is not too much to ask.”

“No such a thing. She was planning to visit you from the start. She cannot wait to meet Ai-hime.”

“I wish she was present at the delivery.”

“Yeah… She was disappointed that her trip abroad came at such an inconvenient time. She was looking forward to delivering a third generation of Kuran’s offspring. She is proud of being the one to assist the birth of Juri-sama and her children as well.”

Yuki smiled at the memory of the snobbish yet gentle old noble vampire.

“That is good to know. Oh! I forgot the most important part. Zero was consulting a different doctor before. However, he decided to switch to you because the previous one requested the termination of the pregnancy. The reason for it is that the child started siphoning. Now, I know that you will share the same opinion as your colleague but I will stop you right away. I will be supplementing him with my blood and I will be doing anything possible to keep him out of harm. This is not a request but an order. Under no circumstance will you suggest killing the unborn child and you will be using every knowledge possible to ensure a smooth sailing pregnancy. My brother is important to me and I want to see his child come to life.” Yuki was harsh and demanding like the pureblood queen she was. Isaya listened to her with pride swelling inside him at how much she had matured over the years. She reminded him more and more of her late mother.

“Understood, Yuki-sama. With your assistance, I am sure that the problem will not burden him too much. I will also find a way to supplement him with blood without bringing his name into the picture. I hope that you can turn blind eye towards any underhanded method I might use.” The old man stated in a joking manner.

Yuki chuckled, feeling more confident about her choice, “Of course, you have my permission to do whatever is needed.”

After a little more chattering, she hang up and stood, looking at her mate with an apologetic look.

“Don’t look so guilty. It is not as if I am mad or anything. I would have told you to go as well if you did not ask.” Isaya beat her to the talk.

That part of him when he seemed like he was reading her thoughts like an open book always made her flustered but happy nonetheless. She took light steps and placed a kiss on his cheeks before speaking, “Sorry for dumping the trouble on you. I pumped enough milk to last her the night and the head maid will come in about five hours.”

“Just go and take care of your brother. I believe that I am old enough to know how to handle a child without causing a catastrophe.”

“I know how amazing you can be. However, if you find that she is acting up a little too much even after feeding, do take her to onii-sama. He is the one with the magic touch when it comes to his stubborn daughter.”

“Will do.”

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More is coming. I will be doing the shout out at chapter 46 because I am proofreading right now.
> 
> As for the reason of my absence. Well My life sucks big time!!!
> 
> On top of being sick, and having to live on instant noodles for about a month. I was close to being evicted from my place (I am still moving out even if the eviction was avoided). Once that problem got settled, the awesome bills dropped and I was too broke to pay them, hence they cut off my internet service which I managed to pay yesterday YAAAAAAAAAY!!!
> 
> If that was not bad enough, I am getting dismissed from my job by the end of the month. UGH! Can this month get any better.
> 
> Anyways, thanks to the support of those around me and those checking on me through email and Pm’s (You know who you are and I truly appreciate it), I am keeping a positive attitude and hoping for a better tomorrow.
> 
> I wanted to thank you guys because I was completely blown away when I saw the statistics for this story on both FFNET and AO3. Just knowing that so many of you are enjoying it makes my life brighter because this writing is literally my escape from the stressful days and I enjoy knowing that it is making other people out there just as pleased.
> 
> Thank you soo much and I hope that we keep enjoying this bumpy journey together XD
> 
> One last note, my inbox was jam packed with messages and reviews and it is really hard to know those I replied to from those that I did not reply to, so I am sorry if I missed a PM or a review you wrote me. My internet dying on me really did a bad number.
> 
>  


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> STOP RIGHT THERE!!!
> 
> DID YOU READ CHAPTER 44!!!
> 
> IF NOT GO AND READ IT BECAUSE I DID A TRIPLE UPDATE!!!
> 
> I POSTED CHAPTER 44, 45, 46 ON THE SAME DAY!!
> 
> ENJOY! XD

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next morning ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Amethyst eyes fluttered open as the rays of sun filtering from the wall-sized window tickled them.

A soft groan alerted the hunter of the other presence in his usually empty bed. He shifted slightly and faced his adoptive sister who was clutching the pillow with a slight frown knitting her eyebrows while deep asleep.

A smile curled Zero’s lips despite feeling bad for worrying her to the point that she abandoned her own family to stay by his side, even for one night.

Resting his head on the pillow again, he observed the funny expressions of the female pureblood as the bothersome sun slid across her face. He forgot his intentions of shutting the curtains in favor of musing on her features, subconsciously.

Asleep, Yuki had eyelashes as long as Kaname’s, coupled with the trademark thin but dark and perfectly traced eyebrows. The shape might be slightly different but Zero was remembering instead of comparing. In his vision, the nose bridge elongated a bit and became more refined. The slightly pouty lips became thinner in line but plump and lascivious. The round face and soft cheekbones sharpened and shifted. Thus marked the beginning of the pleasant memory.

****

****

**_Flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞_ **

The pleasant ache throbbing through his body made him forfeit leaving the bed, especially with the delicious sight that greeted him. There, next to him, the naked pureblood slept soundly on his back with a hand close to Zero’s head indicating that he slept while massaging the silver head. His other hand was draped lazily over his naked midsection as his toned chest rose slowly every now and then.

Zero traced soft circles on the palm next to his head before the naughty hand extended and started tracing the perfect features of the serene pureblood who ravaged him like a beast barely few hours ago.

A big yawn escaped him, looking at the time, he realized that he barely caught any sleep. _that explains why I woke up before he did._

He pondered as he traced the length of a delicate finger, before scooting closer and resting his head over the strong chest. He would never admit it to anyone, but he found himself sleeping the best in Kaname’s embrace. His presence was enough to chase away his worst nightmares. No, Zero would not admit it because the last thing he wanted was to depend on a man he was meant to let go of eventually.

A kiss on top of his head snapped him out of the daze, his lips curled in a faint smile as he looked up to see the sleepy look on Kaname. Zero always cursed at how unfair it was that the pureblood looked his best waking up from sleep. He whimpered softly when Kaname shifted his sore body to wrap him in his arms.

“Good morning…”

“Mornin’…” Zero nuzzled the collarbone, tickling Kaname on purpose, “It is pretty rare for you to wake up after I do… “

“hmmm… That’s true… You do sleep quite a lot.”

“Jerk! You are the one who does not sleep at all.” Zero snapped at the sarcasm, looking up to scowl at the man who cut him off with a soft kiss. Zero was tempted to chase after the lips when they detached from his if Kaname did not stretch and reached out for his ringing phone.

While the brunet answered his phone, Zero taunted him with lewd caresses across his chest, nibbling his ear and lips to the point of making him chuckle and apologize to the person he was talking so formally to.

As soon as he hung up, Kaname went into a full on tickle torture, leaving the hunter red and breathless.

“All right! That should be enough.” He chuckled before claiming the hunter’s lips for a deeper kiss, “I need to get ready and go.”

Zero’s hold over his neck slackened and he sunk back onto the mattress.

Hearing the sound of the shower made him a bit melancholic. He did not understand why, he did not want to understand why. Therefore, he kicked the sheet and slid on a fresh pair of boxers before going to make some coffee.

He was sitting on the stool by the kitchen island when the regal pureblood joined him in his crisp suit and immaculate look, ready to put on the façade of the vampire king.

“That was fast…. Here I was thinking about giving you a back scrub.” He quipped.

Kaname’s eyebrow quirked up in amusement, he stepped closer and snatched the cup from Zero’s hand to take a sip while the hunter took the initiative of tightening the loose tie.

Zero took the chance to pull Kaname down and kiss him one more time while clutching the jacket so that the pureblood does not break it before he got his fill.

Kaname welcomed the action like in every rare occasion Zero claimed some affection after they fulfilled their lustful desires.

Whispering against his lips, “See you soon…”

The pureblood smiled but halted right after, “Oh! I am actually going on a business trip,” He had to hold himself from pouncing the hunter when Zero gave him a cute pout, “I will come over as soon as I get back. It will probably be by the end of the week though.”

Zero pondered for a second before his shoulder slumped in disappointment, “I have an undercover mission next week. Sucks!”

Kaname was silent but Zero could see dejection flittering across his eyes. Their meetings have always been sporadic. There would be times where they would go at it like bunnies almost every day, but there are also time where they would go for over a week without seeing each other. Kaname hated those periods the most and Zero knew that was because he believed that the hunter would be looking for another man to warm his bed in his absence.

Pulling on the tie again, “I don’t mind waiting as long as there is a next time…” he teased as he kissed, bit and dragged the lower lip of the pureblood.

Chuckling at the growl, he allowed Kaname to hold the back of his head and claim his mouth in a deeper, hotter kiss before groaning as he separated their swollen lips “There will be a next time and one after and another after, but I really have to go now…” The pureblood had two minds about cancelling all arrangement for the rest of eternity if the hunter ever made the crazy request, even as a joke.

“Go.” Zero whispered as he pushed the reluctant brunet gently.   

**_end of Flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞_ **

Zero felt his throat tighten and gasped for the breath he did not know that he was holding. He stopped his hand in time before it caressed the cheek of his sister and he quickly left the bed, closed the curtains and escaped from the room that was choking him with the bittersweet memories.

In the hallway, he peeked at the guestroom and saw the shape of Gin bundled in the bed. Quietly, he tiptoed and sneaked under the cover to join him.

Zero startled when the grey-eyed man caged him in a bear hug. He reciprocated and inhaled loudly, trying to find a soothing scent that would erase the one from his memories, to no avail.

Catching on his tense posture, Gin quickly chased the sleepiness away “are you okay?”

Zero nodded against his chest.

“Bad dream?” He asked again, hoping that he hunter had a good night sleep after yesterday’s dilemma.

Zero shook his head, “No… I just… I just felt like being here, with you.”

A long pause followed.

“That is quite cruel of you to say.” Gin chuckled, letting go of the hunter and ruffling the silver hair.

He sat on the bed, running a palm across his own face before inhaling deeply. He felt the need to remind himself that Zero would not mean those words the way he wished he would. Glancing at the silverette, he let out an internal squeal at the cuteness he showed by grabbing the hem of his shirt.

He lied back on his side and stroked the small head gently, “Did you sleep well?”

“uhm… I did. I am feeling much better actually.” Zero mumbled with a lazy yawn.

“Sleep some more if you need to. I am going to whip up some breakfast. Any idea about what Yuki-chan likes?” Gin asked, remembering the other guest.

“Scrambled eggs, sausages and …. uhm… I don’t know… She has cereal sometime… but that is years ago, dunno about now…” Zero wondered, realizing that he was ignoring his sister a little too much lately, and wincing at the thought.

“I will see what I can do. Any cravings?” Gin teased.

“Do we still have rice crackers?” Zero mumbled, rubbing his sleepy eye.

“Do you feel nauseous?” Gin got worried because that is what Zero took to suppress a little of the morning sickness.

“Sort of… I don’t think it is the morning sickness though. Just adapting to this new phase.”  Zero explained when Gin noticed his feverish skin.

“Yeah…” Gin trailed, “Yuki-chan did say that it should be temporary until you both adjust to a certain pace.”

Zero frowned, “It seems you had a good talk.”

The human grinned, “Yeah we watched a movie since none of us could sleep until we made sure that you would be fine for the rest of the night.”

“Sorry about that.” Zero grimaced, getting into a sitting position next to Gin who already sat on the edge of the bed to stand up.

“Don’t be… I learned quite a few things thanks to that and I think that I will be more useful with the pregnancy from now on.” Gin quipped. He then remembered a detail, “Oh! By the way, she was going on about how you will be having a big baby judging from the bump and stuff. Now that I think about it. That approximation you gave was a little too off. What are you planning to do when you are supposed to be thirteen weeks and saying that you are four or five. I mean, won’t it be weird when the premature baby is born healthy and well. What if, god forbid, you go into premature labor, that would be even more awkward. Not to mention that we are consulting a different doctor-“ Gin was panicking as he poured more information to the point that Zero had to cover his mouth to stop him.

“I know… I sort of screw up there….” Zero’s shoulder slumped, “I would have thought of a better timeframe if you gave me some heads up” he glowered at the guilty man.

He then sighed, “I will think about it later, I want to go back to sleep for now.”

Gin pulled the cover over the hunter and headed to the bathroom. Zero, on the other hand, was wide-awake with millions of dreadful scenarios going through his head.

 

_ ****author note: the use of they does not mean twins but it is referring to the child because Zero does not know the gender and does not want to refer to his child as it**** _

_I can’t give birth to my child here obviously, we need to arrange the travelling at the earliest. I hope this siphoning will not be a problem by that time._

_Now that they are aware of the pregnancy, I can’t possibly hide the existence of this child. I just hope they take after me not after… their father._

His throat tightened and he squeezed the cover over his head as a fear creeped up to him.

_What if they look like him, what if they grow up to look like their father? How will I explain it? What will I tell my child when they notice it? What if he decides to take them away from me? No… NO… That cannot happen, he can’t do that… Can he?_

Hunter threw himself in a fit of anxiety and panic until he heard the bathroom door open again. Closing his eyes, he sighed at the feel of Gin rubbing his head after hovering over him for a second. _It will be fine, we will work it out somehow._

Zero could not help but ponder about the reason why he decided to keep the baby in the first place. Sure, Gin gave the final encouraging push, but something inside him was against the abortion in the first place. Unlike the time, he was carrying Marco’s child when he did not second-guess his decision. Zero felt as if he had an internal prayer for someone to stop him from doing the irreversible. He wanted to keep this baby for reasons he could not comprehend. He was aware of the risks and repercussions of this pregnancy; he wanted to end it when he first heard the erratic heartbeat.

However, somewhere along the lines, he started to feel the little existence inside of him grow… Every time he rubbed his lower abdomen, he would imagine what it would be like to feel the kick against his hands few months later. Every time he closed his eyes and listened to the muffled heartbeat, he would feel a serenity he never felt before… He loved this little precious existence and the more he struggled to protect it the more he confirmed that he wanted nothing more than to welcome this baby and give them all the happiness of the world. The love, the bond forming between them and all other new emotions overruled any doubt or pondering in Zero’s mind as to why he wanted to keep this baby. The only truth he cared about is that he is about to enjoy a fulfilled life for his child and looking forward to a much brighter future with them. He could care less about any other issue right now.

Violet eyes fluttered, dozing off to a much pleasant sleep. The exhausted hunter did not notice the small figure tiptoeing inside the room and swooning with a silent squeal when she saw the smile on his peacefully sleeping face. Yuki hurriedly dragged Gin to show him and they both chuckled without making too much noise before going for breakfast.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next day ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Gin! Come on~ Don’t be so boring… I want to tag along… It is not like I will do some intense workout or anything… I will just help around and-“

“I said no.” Gin interrupted the whining silverette as he put on his jacket and snatched the car keys before Zero could abduct them.

Pointing his finger between Zero’s eyebrows, he lectured, “I know that you are not allowed to go on missions, I know that you have about a week off thanks to overworking yourself unreasonably and I know that you will be bored moping around at home by yourself. However, I have to go to work and will swing by the house, then come back on the same day. Someone who just went through a life-threatening situation should not make such a tiring trip. Besides, what if I got held up and had to stay over at Cross Academy for the night. You surely do not seem like you want to go anywhere near campus.”

“I can stay at-“

“Hotel? Hello no! wait!” Gin raised a hand to stop the incoming argument so that he checks the message he received on his phone. A grin signaling the rescue traced his lips and he looked at the curious hunter. “Yuki is on the way… She will be here in less than an hour with an overnight bag and Ai-chan in her arms. She will be staying over until your doctor’s appointment. She said that it will be in three days.”

Zero perked at the news. He was extremely reluctant about staying by himself at his place, and it sucked that Ichiru was at Cross Academy. Therefore, Gin leaving seemed to get his stress level a little higher than usual. Yuki basically saved the day by camping over at his place, and the thought of his favorite niece around made Zero forget about Gin leaving.

The grey eyed man observed he excited pregnant vampire who immediately went to tidy the already tidy apartment and thinking of a convenient sleeping arrangement.

Closing the door, Gin shook his head in exasperation. _Selfish and capricious, can it get any better._

He finally wiped off the silly grin and sent a thank you message to Yuki with a note about what to expect because of the strange mood swings.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At the lab ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Aido’s lips pressed in a thin line when he saw the message blinking besides the computer he was working on. He glanced over his shoulder to see Kaname going through some paperwork with the head of the nutrition research division, and back at the phone.

The noble sighed upon hearing the murmur of the slacking lab trainees who were swooning and wondering about the reason for the sudden visit of the king himself. _That would be because the one who was in charge of his tasks, namely myself, dumped those back at him._

Feeling the impeding headache from days to come, he gathered an envelope along with his phone and car keys. He did not bother notifying anyone about his leave since he assumed that it will not take long for him to come back.

Swinging by his apartment, he smiled at the sight of a sleepy Ichiru who just woke up in his loose pajama bottom.

“Do you think you can get ready in about ten minutes?” Aido’s serious tone immediately alerted his lover to his tense mood. All sleep chased away, Ichiru frowned. Due to their inverted schedule, it was not weird for him to wake up alone knowing that his geek of a lover was cooped up in his lab. However, on the rare occurrence that Hanabusa would take some time off, he would inform his lover beforehand to make plans and enjoy the time to the fullest.

Today, not only the tense atmosphere worried Ichiru, but the impromptu request that he accompanied him as well. His eyes widened all of a sudden as a thought flashed through his head, “is something wrong with Zero?”

He immediately assumed the worst seeing that Hanabusa confiscated his phone when he kept bugging Gin about Zero’s health. He found it highly suspicious for Yuki to suddenly go stay over at his place when she never bothered before. What was more suspicious was the fact that she prevented him from tagging along, saying that Zero will come over in just a few days. It is true that he had a lot on his plate, but he would toss away anything in a heartbeat when it comes to his brother.

Aido shook his head, “Yes and no! No, nothing is wrong with your brother, but yes this does concern him. I am going to meet Moriya-san right now and I want you to tag along because I want us to be on the same page when it comes to your brother. Don’t think that I did not notice your irritation about watching from the sideline. I am sure that will end today,” he explained firmly.

“What do you mean?” Ichiru asked curiously as he washed his face with Hanabusa standing by the door. “It is just a hunch. However, the one thing I am sure of is that your brother will need you mother hen care a lot.”

Ichiru chuckled at the teasing remark. He had a feeling that his lover was not telling him everything but he let it slide since it seems that meeting Gin will clear everything up.

 

They drove for less than ten minutes and parked in front of the American style family house situated in a community area. The location was conveniently situated between the city and the campus allowing a short drive to both destinations. It was their first time visiting the house that Gin purchased and Hanabusa could not help but whistle at the size of it.

“Does a teacher salary allow such luxury?” Ichiru wondered. For the building to impress his wealthy noble of a lover, the place was indeed impressive despite the simple design of it.

It did not take long for the automatic gate to slide open and reveal the one who invited them.

Gin whipped his head in direction of the house. “Come on in. Sorry for dragging all the way out here.”

Ichiru and Hanabusa greeted back while following Gin inside. Refreshments, breakfast as well as a perfectly organized living room greeted them. They sat on the comfortable couch ornamented with mahogany wood carved in intricate yet abstract details.

“Nice place! Quite fancy for a teacher, don’t you think?” Hanabusa could not help but drop the remark. In his aristocratic eye, everything screamed of high-grade luxury furniture, antique, custom made from some of the rare and sought after materials from around the world. Ichiru, on the other hand, was not as intrigued as his lover because he had no idea that he was sitting in a room that would cost his weight in gold.

Gin’s lips curled up, amused by the sharp eyes of the noble vampire, “I was quite the young master coming from a rich household who ended up with a hefty inheritance. Does that explain it enough?” the lighthearted manner of speech gritted on the vampire’s nerve. Ichiru picked on the vibe because the usual Hanabusa would tease and joke back about this kind of thing.

Gin sighed at the reaction that he honestly did not expect. “I guess we should get right to the point, seeing that I have classes in about…” checking his watch, “an hour, you have work and Ichiru is quite busy at it is.”

“Please.” The silverette answered in a begging fashion, the mood of his lover was starting to make him uncomfortable.

“What kind of foul play are you trying to pull, Moriya-san?” Aido was the first to speak, sparing Gin the introductory speech he was about to start.

Both Gin and Ichiru startled at the venom filled tone with which Hanabusa broke the silence.

“Pardon?”

“Here.” Hanabusa threw the envelope he was holding. Gin did not bother pulling the paper fully when he saw the first few lines.

Rubbing his temples, “I don’t need to beat around the bush then. I see now why he wanted you guys to stay out of the loop.”

“What?” Ichiru looked quizzically between his lover and the lover of his brother.

“Can I assume that the part about you being together is also a lie?” Aido deadpanned as he laid back on the couch with arm crossed over his chest.

“WHAT?” Ichiru shrieked, “Can somebody tell this ignorant me about what exactly is going on here?” he finally snapped, having enough of the enigmatic communication.

“Your man here,” Gin gestured to Aido, “is apparently furious because he discovered that I am not the biological father of Zero’s child.”

Ichiru frowned, “Is that some kind of Joke?”

Gin did not answer but handed the report under the hawk like glare of electric blue eyes. Neither of them commented on the way that Ichiru’s face paled at the realization nor on the gasp that escaped his lips.

“We would really appreciate an explanation, a thorough explanation.” Aido stated with a grave voice, the result of the tests and the comparison he made were haunting him every second of the last couple of days. However, he did not want to be as reckless as before and act harshly without understanding the actual situation.

“It is actually a relief that you figured it out beforehand, because this is the very reason I called you out. Ichiru-kun, I do not wish for you to hold this against your brother because I am sure that he, himself is not aware of the gravity of his decisions.”

Gin started explaining the events from the day he stopped the abortion until the incident of the night before. Ichiru’s face went through all the shade of stupefaction, sadness, offense…

Hanabusa, on the other hand, was taking everything in stride and keeping his expression blank. His mind was another story, crackling at the speed of light; various gruesome scenario went through his head. The final straw snapped when he learned about the siphoning.

Slamming his hands on the table, he spoke through gritted teeth, “Do you realize what you took part in? Do you realize what would have happened if Yuki-sama did not act that fast? Do you have any idea about what your ‘heroic’ interference could have led to? You should have let that doctor do as he said, you should not have taken him out, you were about to bloody kill him and carry his ashes back to us because you wanted to respect his wish to keep the baby? Bullshit!!!” The noble vampire was livid, especially when Ichiru seemed as if received an attack from Medusa.

Gin clammed up, unable to retort, “I admit-“

“You admit shit! That is what you admit. Get off your high horse, Mister!” Aido was literally standing and pacing the room at this point. All to control himself from freezing the man and blasting him in pieces. “Who do you think you are? What do you think you are doing? You knew Zero for barely few months. You got introduced to the worlds of vampires and their law for a little more than a year.” He spoke while making an ‘are you insane’ gesture, “Does that make you entitled to judge and act on your own accord, deciding what is best in a situation that you don’t even have a clue of the extend of it? Give me a break!” He ran his finger through his hair, inhaling sharply to dissipate the anger.

Meanwhile, Ichiru was slowly assimilating the shocking situation.

“You knew that he was seeing Kaname Kuran.” The silver haired twin whispered with a blank expression.

Gin cringed at the statement, but nodded.

“Since when?” Accusing violet orbs finally met his hesitant grey eyes. The stare spoke lengths about the dire consequences of another lie.

“I… I just found out a while ago, by coincidence.” Gin tried to dismiss the matter, but Ichiru refused to let go.

“When? Where? And how?” He snapped, fist clenched and face dark with anger.

Gin finally gave in, careful about every word leaving his mouth, “I stumbled upon them kissing. Zero was not aware that I saw them, but Kuran did notice.”

“Where?” Aido was the one who pushed this time.

“At the chairman’s house, the door of his room was ajar and they were standing close to it.” Gin worded his answer while chasing away the actual situation where he confirmed the nature of their relationship later on.

The tightness of Ichiru’s throat was noticeable through his strained voice, “When?”

“After he visited you at the hospital, when…” He paused, “Both of you were attacked at the association.”

Ichiru gasped for air and cradled his head in his palms while Hanabusa sat on the armrest and patted on his trembling shoulders. In the back of his mind, Ichiru wanted to believe that Zero was not serious when he told him that Kaname and him were seeing each other that often. He wanted to believe that his brother was forced into it somehow, maybe blackmailed. That the tension of it finally snapped and caused the ruckus and the hurt Zero suffered from the savage handling of Kaname. He did not want to consider the possibility that his brother was genuinely attracted to the pureblood. He did not want his suspicion, when he saw the look in Zero’s eyes as he told him about his affair, to rise more.

Sliding his hands to cover his mouth. He felt a burn in the back of his head, as if his brain was on fire. Not only did his brother have a consensual torrid affair with the brown haired vampire, he is actually keeping the child he impregnated him. In Ichiru’s head, it could only mean one thing, that his suspicions were spot on. However, he also knew that his brother could be dumb enough not to realize it.

Looking back at the man sitting in front of him, who was waiting for any reaction. Ichiru felt his fury ran amok again, glancing at his lover; he found a darkened look that mirrored his emotions.

“Why did you not say anything? Or do you have a hobby to hear what others tell you but do not bother spouting the important knowledge you acquire?” He stated sarcastically, without looking at Gin.

The older man answered in a heartbeat, “It is not my place to judge, or take action about what Zero does with his life and with whom he decides to do it.”

“He was fucking his sister’s mate!!!” Ichiru slammed a hand on the couch in frustration.

“All the more reason for me not to say any careless remark!!” Gin slammed back, “What good would it do to rise unnecessary animosity when I was not sure about what was going on. It could have been a one time thing, I could have been mistaken in my assumption… Do you expect me to come out and say ‘Hey Ichiru! I saw Zero kissing Kuran, are they together?’… Are you that naïve to think that I would go screw up his life when he was obviously keeping it concealed?”

Ichiru locked his jaw, understanding the point but refusing to admit it. For the sole reason that it could have prevented the worse from happening.

“Looking out for his best interest seems like the constant argument you have.” Hanabusa mocked Gin, who tightened his jaw as well, feeling the sting of the remark because he was well aware that his discretion contributed to the escalation of the situation.

“Is this trial court over yet? I believe that we have more pressing matters to discuss than whether I should have brought their affair to light, or said that I was not the father of the child, or that I certainly keep Zero’s happiness in mind even through my careless judging mistakes.”

The firm tone and the hands balled together put an end to the bratty sulking of the lovers and brought their attention to the issues at hand.

“Zero needs to abort the baby and you need to find a way to convince him. He is not going to hear from either of us because he knows that we would not normally ask him to do such a thing.” Hanabusa stated.

“That is out of question.” Gin denied flatly.

“As I said, you have no right-“

“I do! As I said… Aborting the child would be devastating for Zero at this stage. He will crumble and sink in a state I cannot begin to imagine. It is only because he is keeping you at arm length that you did not notice yet, but he grew too attached to his child that he does not mind dying just to protect it. The moment he started desiccating, he immediately thought of Yuki, for reasons I am sure you can figure out.”

“Because she is as powerful as Kuran and her blood can save him.” Ichiru whispered.

Frustrated, Hanabusa sat on the couch again and started drawing patterns on the table as he explained, “Let me just make one thing clear. Zero will not be able to carry this pregnancy to term as long as he is keeping Kaname-sama out of the loop. His body might go into self-preservation and do a spontaneous abortion even with Yuki-sama’s blood, or he might die because the baby overpowers his own mother and consumes him totally, at a faster rate than what you saw last night. A level D, no matter how stable he can be was never meant to carry a pureblood’s offspring. There is a reason why the previous council considered it taboo. They cannot survive it.” He tapped on the wood, looking at the observing human to get his point across.

“But Nii-san is not your run of the mills level D.” Grey eyes widened slightly at the unexpected remark Ichiru dropped along with the calm tone of it, “I mean… He faired quite well before when-“

“That is different!” Aido cut him off with an icy glare, “At that time, your brother was pumped full of the power he absorbed from you, Kaname-sama and the newly awakened Yuki-sama. His body was empowered with enough magic to sustain him. Your brother at the present time is only relying on his own energy. His body is empty compared to before. He is strong enough to be a legendary hunter, and he has enough experience under his belt to take down the strongest rebel. However, the one thing neither of you knows just yet about vampires pregnancy is this one crucial point.” He paused with a finger pointing out.

“Apart from purebloods, every other vampire of any class needs to prepare for a pregnancy and they never, ever risk an unplanned one.”

Ichiru raised an eyebrow about the new information he never knew about.

“What do you mean?” Gin voiced the question.

“For a vampire, especially a male one to carry an offspring. They need to adjust their bodies. To nourish it enough in order to handle the strain of the pregnancy. Before, they used to drain humans dry. That carnage stopped thanks to the new laws. Now, they consume from their partner without reciprocating in order to conserve the life energy to be absorbed later. As soon as they declare the pregnancy, they are supplied with hefty amounts of blood bags in order to prevent them from turning into killing machines.”

Ichiru and Gin listened intently, the horror of the current situation downing more and more.

However, both of them were set against the idea of terminating things, to Aido’s dismay.

“There has to be a way to make it work. Look, he will be consulting Yuki’s doctor, I am sure that she will take extra measures to help.”

“That is another issue to look into. Sorry to burst your bubble.” Ichiru slumped when he caught the drift of the teacher.

Aido rubbed his temples, “There is no way he will not figure out the wrong timeframe.”

“I know; that is where I need your help to keep the confidentiality of the matter. Also, I believe that the reason Zero is comfortable with me knowing about the intricate details is solely because he thinks that I do not know about his relationship with Kuran. I would like to keep it that way. The last thing we need is for him to run away from all of us because he thinks that we are taking him for a fool or judging him.”

“I agree.” Ichiru nodded. He already assumed that it was the reason that scared Zero about revealing the truth of his pregnancy and he was not about to antagonize his vulnerable brother. Ichiru had already set aside the offense he took about being left on the sideline and decided to be smarter in his ways of supporting his brother. His head on and nosy approach never led to anything good anyways. He was also starting to get skeptical about Gin’s motives behind the caring mask, but he was not about to say his words aloud. Not when he was the obvious pillar supporting his brother’s mental state.

He did not suspect the genuine care of the man towards Zero, but he was surprised to see him _that_ supportive for a child that was not his own.

“You agree?” Aido stared in disbelief at the comedy show that was about to unfold.

They argued for much longer than planned and parted ways without coming down to a definite decision. Gin felt worse than before he spoke to them, but the burden of carrying the secret lessened considerably and he believed that this will do Zero more good than harm. He was confident that both men cared deeply for the hunter despite the different ways they showed it.

Drinking his strong coffee as he rushed to class, he could not wipe off the smirk as he replayed Hanabusa’s behavior. _That guy might be more overprotective towards Zero than any of his close friends and family members! I seriously felt the killing intent when we cornered him into letting Zero go on with the pregnancy… It is obvious that he is prioritizing Zero’s life and safety above anything else, even his own moral and personal opinion on the matter. The roundabout way he goes through to express it is quite ‘endearing’ as Ichiru said._

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The day of the doctor’s appointment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero was jittery all the way back to Cross town. He hated the fact that he will be having the appointment at Yuki’s place. However, for the sake of the secrecy and discretion, his sister went as far as setting up a mini clinic in one of her rooms just for him. He certainly could not feel anything but gratefulness towards that.

Despite Yuki reassuring him that his decisions will be respected and whatever he wanted to keep confidential will stay as so, the hunter was extremely nervous about meeting another doctor after the fall out with the previous one. He was worried that this one will reach the same conclusion of terminating his pregnancy; he was scared that he would divulge the actual progress of the pregnancy after refusing to go along with the lie of being four to five weeks along. So many facts swam in his aching head as Gin drove them in the parking of his house.

Zero unbuckled his seatbelt and grabbed his duffel bag in a hurry to get ready and go. They were already late as it is because of his unexpected bout of morning sickness, and he hated not being punctual the most.

Gin, on the other hand, was feeling drained. Juggling between his teaching, finishing up the house, and travelling back and forth to check on Zero were chores for a hundred men. He would never complain though, since he knew that the hunter would definitely take it the wrong way.

After guiding the hunter to the bathroom to take the shower he could not take at his place, he checked his phone repeatedly, hoping to find a reply to the message he sent. He informed both Hanabusa and Ichiru about the meeting time and place with the doctor, but he did not get any affirmation of them coming, neither did he receive any news on how were they planning to proceed in light of their last conversation. Nerve-wrecking was the least that can be used to describe his mental state at the moment.

Thankfully, Zero did not take long to come out, fresh and dressed. On his way downstairs, he glanced sideway and caught a glimpse of a room being remodeled. He would normally not pay it too much attention as half of the house was undergoing maintenance, but the set up prickled his curiosity.

“Gin!!” He called out, not knowing where his partner in crime was. _This place is freaking huge!_

“Yees!” The trailed answer came soon after.

“Do you mind coming here for a second?” Zero spoke again, loudly because the grey-eyed man seemed like he was outside.

He chuckled when Gin sprinted back to him with a worried expression, feeling slightly guilty for worrying him. The haunting look in grey eyes did not escape the hunter and he knew that all his nervousness and capriciousness was taking a toll on the older man. He was willing to compromise if it makes it easier, but Gin left no room for him to act reserved at all.

 “I am fine… I was going to ask you about this room. Last time I checked, you were planning on having it as guest room. This does not look like a setup for one to me.” Zero spoke first to make it short.

“Oh!” Gin rubbed his head, relieved that nothing was wrong but hesitant about breaching the topic of the room during such tight schedule, “hmm… Actually, I was planning to tell you about it after getting back from the appointment.” Gin stated.

“About what?” Zero tilted his head.

“You know how reluctant you are about going anywhere near campus. I won’t ask for the reason whatsoever, don’t worry. I was just looking for ways of having you close while keeping you comfortable…. I mean… Screw it!... What I am trying to say…” Gin ran a nervous hand through his shaggy dark blue locks and looked sheepishly at Zero, “I was setting up a working area where I will be shifting your equipment in Cross’s house to here so that you can stay here when I am unable to go to your place because of work… I am not asking you to move in with me, don’t worry! I am just trying to…”

“I will.” Zero cut off the stuttering man with a deadpan expression.

Confused, Gin paused before clarifying, “You will? You will what?”

“I am moving in with you.” Zero stated again with a smirk.

Grey eyes widened the size of a saucer, disbelief written on the human’s face, “Zero… You don’t have to push yourself…”

“Idiot! Do you think I did not notice how drained you have been?… Do you think it pleases me to see you that way?… Just to make things clear, this decision has no hidden meaning. I don’t want to get your hopes up.” Zero explained with an apologetic tone and expression, “I just see it as a good choice. It is not as if my work is bound by any location, unlike yours. I can be closer to Yuki and Ichiru. I don’t have to prepare three days ahead for the doctor’s appointment and I can have you around most of the time.” He gave a bright smile that sent warmth inside Gin.

The bittersweet feeling of Zero depending on him that much pleased and antagonized him all the same. Unable to hold back, he stole a kiss from the smiling lips and dragged a chuckling Zero out to leave.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Yuki’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

Instead of an improvised room, Zero felt as if he stepped in an actual clinic.

Glancing at his beaming sister with a raised eyebrow, “You went all out.” a gruff statement failed to hide the gratefulness in his eyes.

“That is for my own pleasure.” She beamed even more, pointing to all the machinery, the bed, the screens and the maternity decoration around. “I have to admit that it was not an easy task to pull in less than a week but I am certainly surrounded by capable people.”

“Let me guess… Ruka.” Zero rolled his eyes.

Yuki nodded furiously with a huge grin on her face.

He sighed and sat on the bed, Gin did not take long before joining them.

Few minutes later, Yuki received a call signaling the arrival of the doctor. She left them to get him.

Their eyes met nervously as Zero clutched the medical mattress. Gin kept calm despite freaking out on the inside in order to soothe the hunter.

“It will be okay…” He whispered close to his ear as he rubbed the silver hair.

“Can’t be sure about that.” Zero scoffed, ready to lash out if the doctor did as much as insinuate the hopelessness of his situation.

The murmur on the other side of the door quieted them and they watched as Yuki entered leaving the door ajar. Zero felt a sense of déjà vu from the action.

“Zero, Moriya-san! I would like to introduce Kuma-sensei whom I trust that he will ensure a smooth sailing pregnancy from now on.”

“Hello-“

For a second, the air in the room stilled and the temperature dropped when the introduction halted.

The pureblood female sensed the vibe. She tensed and looked from one man to another. She did not understand the reason for it, but something was obviously off about the situation.

“Moriya-san? Does this mean that you are… Mamiya-“

“This has got to be a fucking joke!” Zero jumped off the bed and seethed at the doctor, the same blond old noble vampire who requested the termination of his pregnancy, who doomed it before even trying to salvage it.

 “Wait… what?” Yuki was confused. She had hard time wrapping her head about how they knew each other.

“I should have connected the dots when Yuki-chan told me your name. However, I failed to do so because it was quite common.” Gin sighed, holding Zero’s arm in attempt to prevent him from leaving,  “As you can see, the name he used was an alias and he used to consult you in disguise. Now if you will excuse us. I don’t see a need for this meeting when we already heard your verdict about the situation beforehand. I am sorry that your effort were in vain, Yuki-chan.”

“Just hold on a second, young man.” A croaky voice snapped all attention to the wrinkled short woman in a kimono standing by the door. Despite her advanced age, she kept a graceful stance, with a straight back and refined hands holding her clutch.

“Son?” She looked at the doctor.

“They consulted me at the clinic. I suggested the termination because I did not know the identity of the patient nor what kind of help they will get.” He answered, glancing at the female pureblood fixing him with an unpleasant look.

Yuki sighed. Finally understanding the weird reaction at the introduction.

Midori-sensei, a renowned old noble vampire who swore her allegiance to the Kuran family since the generation of Yuki’s grandparents, observed Zero with her wise and experienced eye. She then looked at Gin who was waiting for her as she requested.

“Hmm… Well… I can see where the animosity is coming from. However, I would like to request that you give my stupid son here another chance. If you are still uncomfortable, I would be glad to be the one in charge of overseeing your health. Would that be satisfying?” Her snobbish expression switched to a motherly tender look that left no room for argument.

Seeing that the tension magically dissipated, Yuki excused herself to guide Midori-sensei to see Ai-chan before meeting Kaname.

Another awkward silence filled the room as Kuma-sensei sighed in exasperation from his mother’s antic. Patient trust is a crucial point especially during a tricky pregnancy. Seeing that Zero reacted that badly to him only dampened his expectation towards the progress they can make. It was obvious that the best choice would have been for his mother to take over instead, but he knew that the stubborn woman does not practice anymore from the moment he inherited the business and the only patient she would oversee would be the bearers of the Kuran’s offspring, only.

“Kiryuu-sama.” He broke the silence.

“I am not aborting.” Zero seethed back.

“I will not ask you to do so. Please understand that I suggested it because I had no way of procuring blood powerful enough to help you at that time. Had I known that Yuki-sama was willing to provide her blood, the thought of terminating the pregnancy would not have crossed my mind.” He reassured as he took out his papers and tools.

Putting on his lab coat, he sat on the high chair next to the bed and waited for the hunter who was still standing a couple of feet away, listening and observing him intently.

“Yuki-chan bragged to us about your confidentiality. How far can we trust that?” Gin was the one to ask the most important question.

“If you are asking me about whether I can help keeping the secret that you are far more than five weeks along in your progress, it is going to be tricky. I honestly do not understand the reason for such a lie in the first place.”

Gin was about to answer but startled as another voice he did not expect resonated in the room as soon as the door opened.

“Because it fits the time these two got together and we need to keep the identity of the actual father a secret. A secret that can lead to a scandal if divulged.” Aido closed the door and activated the distortion field to ensure the privacy of the discussion. “Thus, Kuma-sensei, you are to keep all files and information about this pregnancy to yourself and relay all reports to me. This case must not, by any mean, be registered in the central system. I will personally perform any analysis and tests needed.”

“Young master?” The doctor’s mouth gaped and he blinked several times.

Hanabusa explained to the confused couple that the doctor came from an old bloodline that actually branched out of the Aido clan. In addition to the rules of vampire society, each one of the top noble clan had their own set of rules to maintain the order in the families and branches. The Aido clan is known to hold the talented scientist, doctors and professors that strived in the knowledge and evolution in order to preserve their race. It was around the generation of Yuki’s grandfather that the aim of the main family shifted to seeking peace with humans and find ways to avoid killing them. The practice bore its fruit when the heir of the current head honed the composition of the substance that sustained vampires from thirsting and killing humans in the haze of bloodlust.

Everyone in the Aido clan worshipped and revered the heir, their future head despite the opposing faction who always looked into his flaws such as having a human as a partner. The power Hanabusa Aido held over the members of his clan rivaled his father’s. Kuma-sensei gulped and Zero frowned at the tense reaction of the doctor.

The lighter shade of blue in his eyes flickered in worry when Hanabusa pulled a paper from an envelope, which looked like a contract for the doctor to sign.

“I believe that you understand the repercussion of going against a non-disclosure agreement stamped with the seal of the main family emblem on it.” Hanabusa confirmed before putting the paper on the table and waiting for the shaky hand to scribble on it. Neither Gin nor Zero knew at that moment that the doctor was signing on a potential death row if he ever dug and revealed the truth behind the hunter’s pregnancy.

Aido sighed internally, thankful that the doctor was technically an underling even if it made him sound like a Yakuza boss. However, the fact that he is of a branch family allowed him to override the allegiance towards the Kuran because his words would be more absolute in such a situation. Especially when his brother-in-law is the center of the situation.

After a more detailed explanation, Hanabusa helped Zero on the bed, chuckling at the fidgety hunter who seemed as if he wanted to squeeze him into a hug when he reassured him that everything was going to be okay. It was at that moment that a breathless Ichiru barged in, shouting a ‘sorry I am late’ before scurrying next to his brother and immediately holding his hand.

Zero had to blink back few tears when he felt the reassuring squeeze and the pat on his head as the doctor set up the screen and computer for the consultation.

He gave a glance towards Gin who was leaning on the bed from the chair he was sitting on with the silliest grin on his face when the screen showed the already formed child inside of him.

The gasp Ichiru gave did not escape him after sensing the harder squeeze he gave him. As for Aido, he immediately took the liberty of switching on the volume, drowning the room in a melodious heartbeat that brought a lot of mixed emotions.

The most obvious on was the tears spilling from Ichiru’s eyes as he hugged his brother, and kissed his head from behind. Zero was too happy to have them around and feeling their support to notice that they were aware of more than what they let on.

“I see that your little peanut is developing quite nicely…. hmmm they might be more of the size of a lemon now”

A breathy chuckle left Zero’s lips, the size comparison always left him cracking up.

“Aw… here…” The doctor quickly snapped a three dimensional picture that showed a frowning face, “seems like a grumpy thing already.”

All nervousness, fear and suspiciousness was thrown out of the window as the mood lightened and the fun of seeing every part of the baby and discussing their health and progress started.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Meanwhile in Kaname’s penthouse ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Well it was good to see you doing well. You have a wonderful daughter and I believe that she might need some more daddy time if you know what I mean.”

Kaname raised an amused eyebrow at the old woman sitting on the couch next to his, “I see that Yuki did not leave a rock unturned.”

The old woman scoffed, “That girl is just too easy to figure out. She also told me about the new arrangement, mainly because we found Isaya-sama in the nursery room.”

Kaname’s lips curled up, amused while imagining the awkwardness of Yuki trying to hide a secret from this perceptive woman. She has always been a sort of mother figure after the Kuran couple died and was the first to endorse Yuki after awakening again.

“I wish I could say the same about her adoptive brother though.” She sighed after sipping on her tea.

Kaname startled at that and tried to gauge more out of her. He was aware that Yuki was acting fussy about Zero more than usual since the pregnancy announcement, however, he did not hear about the hunter being unwell.

“What do you mean?”

The light colored eyes met his, “You both go a long way back don’t you?” She asked instead of answering.

Kaname chose to play along, “Yeah… Since Cross-san adopted him. We had a strained but stable interaction because of Yuki since then.”

“Hmmm?...” Kaname felt slightly uncomfortable under the intense gaze of the woman, “Who would have thought that you would show interest in anyone other than your beloved sister?”

The pureblood slumped, reverting to his childhood, “Midori-san… Could you please not tease me about the sister complex every chance you get.” He pleaded with a dazzling smile.

“Oh well… Back to the hunter/vampire or whatever you want to call him.”

“Kiryuu-kun would be fine.”

“Good… Ok. Kiryuu is already hosting a conflicting set of blood types, genders and it seems to me that he not one to appreciate drinking blood.”

“I should not be impressed by your accurate information.” Kaname stated as he nodded.

“Unfortunately, the fact that the child’s father is human only adds to the dilemma.” She declared flatly.

“How?”

“A third blood type in the mix is obviously a recipe for disaster.”

Kaname’s curiosity peaked, “What if the father was a vampire?”

“hmm?”

“Just asking.” he shrugged.

“Well it would make things easier. However, that man would certainly not allow any vampire around him that intimately. He is notorious for the hate he harbors to the point that it amazes me that he is living in this nest of our race.”

_Well you are actually sitting with the vampire he allowed to mingle with him intimately._

“I see… Could you tell me more about why you are so apprehensive about this pregnancy?”

“I am sure that I cannot say this to Yuki because of how upset she might get, but I do not think her blood alone would suffice in appeasing the siphoning. He will need a lot more and more frequently than once a week, which she cannot afford seeing that she is still nursing Ai-hime. Human blood would not do much when it comes to that phenomenon.”

A long pause stretched before Kaname blurted the words that made the woman freeze in shock.

“Would my blood help?”

“Huh?”

“I am asking if I assisted Yuki, would it change any dire consequence you are anticipating.” Kaname insisted. The idea of Zero perishing or suffering from the pregnancy was simply unacceptable for him.

“I … I guess so… Your blood is after all… I mean…” The old noble who was aware of the secret stuttered. She was the one who helped deliver the actual Kaname Kuran and it was not hard for her to notice when the child perished in order to awaken the ancestor. Just thinking of Zero drinking such pure and powerful blood made her mind go blank.

“Midori-san?” Kaname jolted her from her daze.

“Yes Kaname-sama. I believe that your blood would definitely help him, greatly.”

Kaname nodded, pleased by the information.

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> STOP! STOP! STOP!
> 
> GO BACK TO READ CHAPTER 44 AND 45 IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY READ THEM BECAUSE I UPDATED ALL THREE OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME XD
> 
> ENJOY!

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back in Gin’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

An overly excited Yuki shrieked at the news of Zero’s plan to move closer. After a bubbly conversation, she up and left like the wind.

In the living room, Zero dropped on the comfortable couch, drained by the events of the day while Gin went to place their luggage in their respective rooms. The hunter was shaken up when Ichiru pulled him aside and informed him that they were aware of the little act they were pulling. He expected the worst when his twin brought up the issue of the blood samples they took at the last meeting which Hanabusa used to confirm the identity of the father through DNA testing.

However, what Ichiru said next blew his mind away, “I just want you to know that Hana and I will be there for you as long as you are happy. Seeing and hearing the little one today made it feel all the more real and we want to be part of it, even with whatever consequence it might incur. We just don’t care! Okay?”

He glanced at his twin who was talking on the phone to his lover.

“Okay! I will be there in a minute.”

“Was that Hanabusa?” Zero asked with a frown.

“Yeah! He came to pick me up; we are going to check out that place I told you about.”

“hmm… Why is he not coming in? It is not like you are in a rush or anything.” He asked while checking the time on the wall clock.

Ichiru winced at that, “Actually… I think that Hana is still a little bit awkward after he… You know… bashed you in some way… Don’t take that bossy act he pulled today for granted. He practically did not sleep and was unable to work since he figured it out and he was blasting my head off with what can go wrong and stuff like that to the point that he was having nightmare in his sleep. I have never saw him that stressed out before. However, he would clam up and hide in his little corner when I ask him to talk to you instead since that would be more productive. You get the idea.”

Zero chuckled at the comical scenario. His spats with the golden haired vampire had always turned childish because of his awkwardness when it comes to making up. Hanabusa never knew how to actually set things straight despite his flamboyant personality.

Zero stood and pulled Ichiru to the front porch when he heard a car pull up.

“You should be resting.” Aido grounded as soon as he saw Zero coming out.

The hunter rolled his eyes, “Relax, I am not going to be the third wheel. Ichiru rescheduled the appointment and you have the afternoon free to spend together with us.”

Aido startled and looked at his lover who just shrugged, catching the drift of his brother.

“If that is the case, I will just get back to work and Ichiru can stay-“ He stuttered while trying to get back in the car.

“Nope, Nope… that ain’t happening.” Zero grabbed his arms and slammed him back against the car in a trapping motion. It was not aggressive but strong enough to get his attention.

“Look!” violet orbs fixed electric blue ones with a steady gaze, “I screwed up… big time… and I deserved every shit thrown my way and more. Heck! I don’t know how you were so patient with me up until now.”

“Zero, it is not-“ Hanabusa tried to wiggle out of his grip but the similar build hindered the action.

 “No it is.”

“I overdid it without knowing half of the truth… I just- God! What if something happened to the baby when I was beating the crap out of you… What if I lost it and killed you had Ichiru not stop me in time… What if… I just saw black and it is inexcusable.” Aido finally snapped and poured what was gnawing at his conscience, “I would never forgive myself if I harmed you… and I did.. badly… The physical wounds were one thing, but… what I said-“

“Just stop it okay?” Zero shook him out of his depressing thought, “I am okay! I am happy! You are finally having the married life you always wanted. Ichiru is in pure bliss now that I am moving closer and we will be together more often. Look at the bright side, that night was probably a wakeup call for each one of us.”

Aido’s shoulder slumped in defeat, “I still want to say that I am sorry… for everything.” He mumbled, looking away.

Zero finally let go of his arms and hugged his midsection, resting his head on Aido’s clavicle and startling the vampire with the sudden show of affection. Even Ichiru had to raise an eyebrow at the action, albeit an amused one.

“No comment, pregnancy hormones.” Zero mumbled in a voice that let Hanabusa know what the hunter meant, especially with the sob that followed.

The noble vampire reciprocated by awkwardly wrapping an arm around Zero’s shoulder and the used the free hand to pat on the silver head. He found it slightly weird how different it felt from hugging his lover despite them being identical twins.

As if what Zero felt became contagious, both Ichiru and Hanabusa felt their eyes prickle with unshed tears, tears of relief that the rift that suddenly appeared vanished, bringing the family together once again with a sweet addition to look forward to.

“Damn, this stuff might seriously be contagious.” Aido sniffled as Zero pulled away but not far as he still leaned into the side hug. “Can I?” Aido asked hesitantly, pointing to the clothed stomach.

With a happy nod from Zero he placed a hand on it, “Hmm?... I was expecting it to pop a bit more… I guess you are not one to show too early.”

Ichiru rolled his eyes, “Quite the time for a medical diagnosis.”

Hanabusa pouted, “What? I can’t help it… For your information…” he pointed to Zero, “The frequency of checkups will be increasing, so you better move in here as soon as possible.”

Zero groaned, “Why does that sound terrifying coming from you instead of reassuring?”

“Because you know that I will be monitoring you like a hawk to make sure you both make it to the delivery safe and healthy. I am going to make sure that he is born as a happy strong little boy.” Hanabusa explained, smirking at the gasp he earned from the twins.

“What did you just say?” Zero breathed out the question, still stunned.

Licking his own lips and grinning as he answered, “Oh! Did I forget to say that I figured out the gender along with the identity of the father?”

The innocent look earned him a joking punch to the shoulder and a happily sobbing parent-to-be against his chest with his lover joining in the group hug.

Hearing Ichiru’s squeal and the laughter, Gin curiously joined the crowd only to be glomped by an over ecstatic hunter screaming ‘it’s boy’ while hanging from his neck.

Everyone present would agree that Zero never looked any happier at that moment. Knowing the gender of his child made all the more real and exciting somehow.

With few more tears and hugs, they finally calmed down.

Gin clapped his hands, “All right! How about you guys head inside while I run to the store and grab some drinks and snacks. I completely forgot that the fridge was empty.”

“Oh! Does the store have a Mexican aisle?” Zero perked.

Gin squinted, not wanting to guess it right when it came to this particular craving. “Guacamole?”

Zero nodded.

“Marshmallows?”

Zero nodded again, making Gin grimace and whisper the last one, “Do you need the mustard.”

“Yeeep!” Zero grinned, whereas Gin looked like he was suffering as he walked away.

Looking around, the hunter found a pair of green faced men looking at him weird. “What?” He tilted his head.

Ichiru and Hanabusa looked at each other and decided to go inside the house without saying a word.

“What???” Zero flailed his hands as he followed, giving up when receiving a curt ‘nothing’ and a rude ‘drop it’.

Sitting on the kitchen table. Zero pulled the papers, grinning as he saw the gender on the test report, a grin that faded slightly when he saw the name written in the father’s spot.

He quickly discarded it as not to dampen the mood and looked up to find a pair of electric blue eyes boring into his.

“Okay… What is it now?” Zero trailed, resting his chin on his palm supported by an elbow on the table.

“What?” Aido startled, realizing that he was staring a bit too much.

“It is obvious you have something you are dying to ask.” Zero deadpanned.

Ichiru looked at his husband and then at his brother. He had a wild guess about what was gnawing at Hanabusa, since the same question was bugging him. However, they were both unsure about how they will handle the answer.

 “Why did you keep it… him?” Aido stuttered for a moment.

A long silence stretched painfully as Zero scowled at the innocent table, searching for the right answer, the truth as to why he did not abort.

A long sigh startled Hanabusa and Ichiru and they looked expectantly at the hunter who gave them a defeated smile and shrugged, “I guess I just fell in love.”

The way both paled made Zero realize what went through their head, “Noo no no! NOT THAT! Stupid idiots!” his hands were flailing all over the place as if to chase away the misunderstanding, “I fell in love with him.” He clarified pointing a finger to his abdomen.

“Oh~” was the common relieved response he got from his guests.

“DUH!” Zero rolled his eyes, relaxing after the tense moment. He ran a hand over his hard lower belly and smiled as he spoke, “I was really set on the abortion when Ichiru first brought the medicine. Oh! I forgot to thank you and scold you about the risk you were taking… I just learned the penalty of providing it.” Zero looked at Hanabusa with worry written all over the place.

Aido shrugged with a grin on his face, “It is not a big deal. It is not like you will go around spreading it.”

“I guess so.” Zero winked.

“What?” Ichiru started to get irritated at being the one out of the loop and it showed in his tone.

“Your hubby here was providing the abortion drug without written legal consent which can easily lead to the death penalty if revealed.” Zero explained, pointing to Aido.

Ichiru was flabbergasted and stared at his lover with a horrified face, “And you did not bother telling me?”

“You would freak out unnecessarily, just as you are doing right now.” Aido spoke flatly.

“Of course I would freak out because I actually told Gin at one point and God knows if I slipped with someone else.” Ichiru shrieked as he covered his face.

Both Zero and Aido had their eyes bulge out for a second and looked at each other and then at Ichiru before sighing in exasperation.

“Love.” Aido tapped a hunched shoulder to make Ichiru look up.

“You seriously need to work on that blabbermouth of yours.” Zero finished the noble vampire’s thoughts in a jokingly scolding tone.

Ichiru suddenly felt small under their reprimanding gaze and only nodded pitifully.

“Back to what you were saying?” Hanabusa dropped the subject smoothly. He was aware of the risks, but he also knew the loopholes he could use to escape any accusation unscathed. He was confident that his cousin could easily get him out of this mischief, as the world-renowned attorney, Akatsuki Kain.

He was always conflicted about that choice of career since it did not fit his cousin’s wild image, but he guessed that Kain had the right disposition after years of dealing with Aido’s troublesome personality.

“As I said, I was dead set on it at first. However, I had some pressing work to finish before suffering the aftermath for a good couple of days.” Zero started explaining.

Both listener nodded, urging him to continue, “I guess it was around that time. The longer I felt the pregnancy, the more my feelings shifted. I can’t really explain it, but I find myself getting attached to the tiny existence that made me see hell during those days. I could not help but remember the rollercoaster we had to go through and the stress inducing situations. I think I was amazed that my boy actually survived all that and was still fighting for his life. I was still going through with the abortion, but the closer I got to that time the more apprehensive I was. However, the final straw was Gin barging in at the moment of hesitation. I guess his words, whether purposely said or not, pushed the right switch that made me drop the idea of getting rid of the baby. I am truly glad he did. I might be taking advantage of his weird sense of responsibility, but I am glad that he has been there to help me out and push me to do the right thing. Although he does overdo it sometime.”

Hanabusa groaned at that, “Tell me about it! I was seriously about to clobber him bad after I realized the masquerade you guys were pulling.”

Zero looked guilty as charged, “It was either that or I disappear from the face of earth to give birth and raise my child alone. He did not want that. I guess it would have been impossible if I ever went with that plan.”

The surprising piece of information relieved the couple instead of sending them in an anger strike. It was actually the missing piece of the puzzle to understand the motive behind Gin’s stealthy ways of supporting Zero.

“I guess it all turned out for the best.” Ichiru clapped happily.

“Anyways… I am glad to hear it directly from you. However, we have more pressing matters that we need to attend to. You do realize what you are getting into, right? If we do not want a repeat of that previous pregnancy, you will have to be extra careful and ask for assistance at the tiniest discomfort.”

Biting the inside of his cheek, Zero nodded.

“We also need to do something about the messy timeline. We can just bump it up few more weeks and drop the blame on the fact that the baby was tiny at first and it confused the doctor. As for the cover story. Let’s see… We can make it as if you got together because of the pregnancy and you did not want to admit it.” Aido explained.

“But that will raise the unwanted suspicions that nii-san is trying to avoid.”

“That’s right, Hanabusa. I really do not want _that man_ to even have the doubt about it. The last thing I need is having him back in my life, or worse, taking my child away from me.” Zero worded his worries that Hanabusa could not deny. Knowing his leader, if worse came to worst. The pureblood would certainly use the right as a father to force Zero into giving in. The idea disturbed him greatly.

“It will be fine. We can just reduce those first weeks. It is better to have a premature baby at seven or eight months than at five. That would be simply ridiculous.”

“What would happen if he looked like him?” Ichiru could not help but wonder, “I mean… The Kuran genes are pretty strong, especially his, since he is an ancestor… Ai-chan is already taking so much after him…”

After a slight pause, Hanabusa pointed, “Yeah but… She is pureblooded and Yuki-sama looks a lot like him as well… So…”

“NO… He has a point.” Zero whispered. The thought haunted ever since the pregnancy was revealed in Cross’s house. “We do know that it is a highly likely scenario… This is not the first child I am having under such circumstances… Although this time is more… comfortabl-”

“What?” All three head snapped to the door, shocked to see Gin with shopping bags in both hands. _CRAP!_  was the thought swimming in three heads.

“Welcome back.” Zero spoke calmly.

Gin stepped in carefully, placing the bags on the kitchen counter before pulling the chair next to Zero and sit on it. Hanabusa and Ichiru gulped and tensed as Zero and Gin stared at each other intently.

“What do you mean that this is not your first child?” Gin narrowed his eyes. His gut feeling told him that he was not going to like what is coming next.

Seeing that Zero was taking a while to answer, Ichiru’s brain raced all over the place to look for a cover story, or a joke to brush the suspicion aside.

“Actually!” He perked, “We were just-“ His performance was cut short by the curt and firm answer that Zero provided.

“Keiichi is my first son.”

The silent made the sound from a whooshing gust of wind too obvious for comfort.

“Pardon?” Gin had to hear it twice, as unbelievable as it sounded. The human was amongst those who only knew the story that plagued the news when Keiichi was revealed as Shiki’s son.

“Shiki Keiichi, who is in reality Kiryuu Keiichi, is my firstborn.” Zero clarified.

Gin blinked twice, “Wait… I am confused… Are you saying that you and Senri-kun-“

“Hell NO!” Zero shrieked at the scandalous thought.

The reaction made Aido stifle a laughter and put on a serious face when Zero gave him a deadly glare. “You think this is funny? Why don’t you do the explanation, then?”

“But-“ Hanabusa jolted at the order but did not refute when faced with a hormone crazed grumpy and livid hunter.

The noble sighed and looked at the confused human, “As he said. The truth of the matter is that Kei-chan is actually the child of Zero who got impregnated by Rido Kuran before he left to the U.S. He realized too late that he was pregnant and abortion was out of question in that situation as it would kill Zero along with the baby. I used underground connections and a lot of bribing to ensure that they reach a stage safe enough for the baby to be delivered. Thus, Keiichi was born prematurely through a c-section and kept in a N.I.C.U that I set up in an abandoned house. When he survived the worst and became strong enough, we brought him back to Japan and…” Aido explained the events up until the adoption and how Zero did not know of his existence until recently.

Zero was grateful that his brother in law did not bother with the gruesome details, as he did not want to remember any of it. He was impressed to know about what actually happened after the child he loathed at the time was taking out of his womb. He admired the effort and dedication they put in saving Keiichi and was amused when remembering how Ichiru made him think that they were having some ‘couple time’ when he asked about where they disappeared almost every day.

Gin remained stunned, frozen and confused for quite a while before composing himself and clearing his throat. “Rido… Kuran?”

Zero jolted at the name. The name of the monster who plagued his nightmares for years. The man who triggered the miserable life he was leading so far. The leech he would kill a hundred times over if he could.

The same rage coursed through Ichiru’s vein at the mention of the pureblooded vampire who took away every ounce of happiness he could have enjoyed as a child and a brother.

“It is the uncle of Yuki and Kaname-sama.” Aido clarified, assuming that the man did not know about him as he died long before Gin was introduced to the vampire world.

“How?” Gin finally asked, looking at the grim looking Zero.

The hunter scoffed bitterness obvious in his voice, “The short version would be… Let’s see… He was the first man I ever had sex with, and before you start imagining disturbing things. I will tell you one thing; it was not consensual. He raped me in a dungeon and left me to an imminent death.” Zero deadpanned before pushing the chair and go lay down on the couch after having a cup of water. “I would appreciate if this was the last time you asked about it because I have no intention of remembering any detail of it.” He called out from his spot.

With subtle movements, Gin, Ichiru and Aido exchanged knowing glances and surrounded the grumpy hunter in comfortable silence.

Ichiru made Zero rest his head on his lap and Aido sat on the carpet with his back against the couch. Gin was the last to join with a plate of the gruesome craving that Zero did not wait to dig in.

The mood lightened when Zero gave a sweet moan as the taste he was craving hit his is buds. The action horrified them but elicited a fit of laughter nonetheless.

The rest of the evening was pleasant as they had a quick tour of the house and discussed various arrangement. Zero was surprised to know that Ichiru was already setting up a second bar in the city because he was not planning to become a househusband, to Hanabusa’s dismay. The only request that the hunter stated was for there to be a piano as well.

When it was about time to leave, Zero pulled Hanabusa aside for a quick question.

“About Keiichi…” Zero whispered as he glanced at his brother who was conversing with Gin on the couch. “What happened with the bullet in his head?”

Stupefied was the least that can be used to describe Hanabusa’s expression, he narrowed his eyes when he realized where the hunter was coming from, “Did Kaname-sama tell you about it?” He asked, fully knowing that he did not tell anyone, not even Ichiru about it as not to burden them with guilt. He used the fact of having no biological parents around as a scapegoat to explain the stunted growth. However, if there is one person who can have access to Keiichi’s health file without his explicit permission, that would be his boss. He did not expect Kaname to dig into it though, and was grateful he kept the most crucial truth in his head instead of a computer.

“Yes, but he did not figure out the link. He just made up a whole dramatic story about it, which was quite the script now that I think about it.” Zero answered humorously before getting serious again, “So… What about it?”

“What about it…” Aido raised both hands, “That thing is the bane of my existence. I spent eight years waiting for it to budge a little bit from that spot to try and extract it but it is stuck like glue.” The noble voiced the frustration he held for so long.

“Can you explain more? Using simpler words.” Zero urged, crossing his arms and giving his full attention.

“It is located in a position that is not easy to reach without damaging critical brain tissues.”

“But he can heal later by drinking blood-“ Zero started

“The area is the one responsible of triggering the healing process. If damaged, he will not.”

“Oh!”

“Moreover… The bullet did not activate. That is the only reason Keiichi survived this far. If touched by a vampire…”

“The spell will detonate and… Oh my god!” a horrified Zero had a hand covering his lips, horrified at the image of the bullet actually blowing the little head of his son, no matter how unwanted the child was.

“It would have been easier if I can get a hunter surgeon to perform. However… The engraving on the bullet would give you away and a migraine inducing case will be opened up to reveal the connection between you two.” Aido sighed in exasperation.

“Can I do it?” Aido startled at the suggestion. His eyes bulging out when facing the determined expression of the hunter.

“Zero… This is not-“

“Game? I know… However, think about it… I am a hunter… The bullet is from my weapon and it will not activate when there is a risk of harming its master. It all fits. I am no surgeon but you can guide me through it. I can handle the blood and gore that comes with it. Please… Hanabusa… I need to do this… For him and for me… We are all aware that his stunted growth is starting to affect his personality and I do not want that negativity to haunt him.” The desperation in his voice made the noble vampire waver.

“Give me a few days to think about it… I need to-“

“Do whatever you need to do; I will be ready anytime you give me the go ahead.” Zero squeezed his shoulder and went to join his brother and pretend lover with lighter heart.

Hanabusa observed the hunter, his lips curling up in a soft smile. _So… this is the changing for the better that Ichiru was talking about._

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ A week later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

It was, hands down, the most hellish week of their lives. In the rushed decision of Zero moving in with Gin, two teams formed to ensure that the overzealous hunter does not take the matter in his hands. Yuki abducted Zero in the confines of his apartment where his only role was to point towards the things they had to pack in the boxes. Ichiru and Kaito handled the labor work.

In Gin’s house, Takuma drove the pickup that transported the equipment from Cross’s house to its destination and helped with the initial set up so that Zero only had to plug in the complicated cabling. This happened in the first couple of days. The rest of the week consisted of unpacking, settling down, a small housewarming party, and a gender reveal.

The DNA testing was not suspicious because the way Aido fussed over the hunter would easily explain his impatience to know the gender as well, and the only guest who did not come to the party was Kaname who made sure to be away by that time.

Few days later, when everything finally settled down. Zero stretched on his seat and headed to the living room where he found Gin on the couch watching TV.

Flopping next to him, he nudged him so that the bigger man adjusted himself and Zero could use his lap as a pillow.

Shutting off the noisy screen, Gin looked down at the exhausted silverette who pulled an all-nighter yet again.

“You need to do something about work… Going at this pace will do you no good.”

With another yawn, Zero rubbed his temple and grumbled, “It is not like I have anything better to do.”

“Still…”

“I am getting plenty of rest… Don’t worry.” the hunter put a finger on Gin’s lips to stop the lecturing, smiling with gratitude shining in his eyes, “Besides, I get to have tasty meals waiting for me, and awesome pampering massage whenever I feel sore and cranky. Aren’t I the luckiest?”

“Are you sure about that?” Gin asked seriously.

“hmm?”

“Are you really happy with all this?”

Zero tilted his head quizzically as Gin traced his jaw, “I mean… Are you sure that you did not make this drastic move just out of consideration for me? The last thing I need is for you to feel uncomfortable…”

“Come on!!! You are bringing that up again… Gin! I will have you know that if I did not like it, I am selfish enough to pack up and leave right away.”

“Good, because that is exactly what I want you to do.” Gin spoke in a flat tone, startling the hunter whose eyes widened but had no chance to react until the grey eyed male hovering over him finished talking, “I want you to know that, in the unfortunate case that you do not want to do this anymore, I will not object the decision of calling it off. If you want to put an end to the pretend game anytime, know that I will not be bitter about it. You don’t have to be considerate about how I feel if you decide to live your life differently, because all I want is to be there for you when you need me.”

Zero frowned, “Why do you put yourself down that much?” he shifted in a way that made him practically sit on Gin’s lap. “You make it sound like it is okay for me to toss you aside if I do not need you anymore?”

Gin gave him a wistful smile, “That is exactly what I am saying. I am not putting myself down or anything, quite the opposite actually. I am just protecting myself by this selfish request. You surely do not notice it, but I feel like the line between pretend and real gets blurry at times. It confuses me and I do not want to get over my head and hurt you by taking things seriously.”

 

Zero sighed, resting his head on Gin’s chest and letting him rest a chin on top of his head, he mumbled an ‘I am sorry’ under his breath leading to the larger man squeezing him in a hug.

The pretend was taking a toll on both of them and Zero did find it tiring to be on the lookout more often now that they lived closer to the others. They did not know who would pop out at their front door and expected more visits from their friends. The only two other people they can relax and act ‘normal’ around were Ichiru and Hanabusa for obvious reasons.

In addition, Zero noticed the hungry look in Gin’s eyes that flickered sometimes when he flirted with him in front of others. He knew that it was cruel to provoke a man who already confessed his love repeatedly. Zero was confident that the actual reason that pushed Gin to say such a thing is the few unexpected moments that happened the past week. Like the spontaneous kiss, they shared while cooking dinner together, or the fact that Zero insisted on sleeping together because he could not settle in a room alone.

Gin was not the only one who sensed the blurring of that line. Zero felt confused just as much. However, his pregnancy might be playing tricks on him and he refused to lead Gin on because of temporary impulses. An image of the brown-haired pureblood, father of his child flickered in his head for a moment but he dismissed it soon after, like every time it happened.

 

*RING**RING**RING**RING*

Zero shifted a bit after Gin broke the embrace. Pulling his phone from the back pocket, he answered in a lazy tone, “Hiiii!”

“You sound sooo energetic.” Aido commented sarcastically.

“Give me four hours of sleep and I will come kick your sorry ass.” Zero grunted as he stood from Gin’s lap.

“I can give you about… Let’s see… three… no, make it two and a half before you bring your sorry ass to the hospital’s address that I will be sending you.”

Violet eyes widened, “They agreed?”

Aido paused before speaking in a relieved voice, “Papers signed, sealed and delivered. The operation room will be ready and they are already in the hospital with him since last night. They are currently preparing Keiichi for the upcoming operation. Of course, your involvement will be kept anonymous.” Aido explained, trepidation getting the best of him because of the delicate procedure they were about to embark in. He punched himself internally for not informing Zero earlier so that the hunter gets the proper rest.

“You are an idiot!” Zero drawled, annoyed at the last minute request which was so unlike his brother-in-law.

“I know… Things have been hectic.”

“I won’t be able to settle down and sleep knowing this. Anyways, Yuki should be here any minute with the weekly dose she has promised. My energy should be replenished enough with that.” Zero spoke as he reached the bedroom and started pulling clothes to wear after taking a refreshing shower, Gin was on his trail.

“That is perfect.” Aido chirped before hanging up.

“Is everything okay?” Gin asked, worried about the tense way Zero was acting.

The hunter bit the inside of his lips before facing him, “Do you have any plans this afternoon?”

“Not really.” Gin frowned at the question.

Zero then explained the situation to the minute detail, stunning the man even more. He appreciated that Gin did not turn offensive when he told him how he actually pointed the gun to his own pregnant stomach and pulled the trigger in hope to get rid of what he considered a monster growing inside him at the time. Aido sugarcoated the truth when saying that Keiichi was born prematurely. The truth was that the golden haired vampire had to open him up and wrench the child from inside him for a chance to save both their lives.

True to her words, Yuki came in time with a couple of warm bags filled with freshly drawn pureblood.

It was not hard to get her to leave soon after since they were dressed up and obviously heading out.

A couple of hours later, Zero found himself at the hospital he last visited to check on his sick mentor before he left to Germany. Taking a deep breath, he stepped in and found Ichiru waiting for him in the lobby. They silently took the staff elevator thanks to the badge Ichiru held, and avoided any encounter with the Shikis at first.

Unfortunately, Zero had to bump into Senri when he used the restroom after an extensive, nerve-wrecking explanation about what he is about to do. He thanked the heavens for the years of practicing a poker face that he used on the maroon haired vampire. He got off the hook with the excuse of coming over for some pregnancy-related testing.

Back in the room, his breath caught at the sight of a drowsy Kei-chan dressed in a tiny hospital gown with a fanning out circle adjusted over his scalp. The sound of the shaver indicated the final preparation and Zero immediately slipped in the clothes that the nurse gave him. The gory part of the procedure was the least of his worries, as he was scared of hurting the precious child or worse… He shook his head, chasing the negative thoughts as he stroked his gun that Aido manage to smuggle inside the operating room.

It was not a scalpel or any surgical instrument that the hunter intended to use. According to the explanation he received, the best bet is to use the actual weapon in order to retrieve the bullet. Moreover, the hunter was confident in his control over it more than over a shaky blade.

“Rero?” The soft whisper snapped him out of his thought and made him realize that he stood too close that Keiichi noticed him.

“Hey you…” Zero cooed softly. Now that the harm was done, he found no reason not to comfort the little man.

“You come… say… hi?” The slurred word were more difficult to make out with the heavier tongue.

Zero smiled, “Of course!”

“H..jii… said… I wi… songer...” Keiichi’s finger twitched as he tried to finish the sentence before the anesthesia finally kicked in.

“You will become stronger, I promise.” Zero whispered as he placed a kiss on the small forehead through the mask, “I will make things right this time.”

Aido signaled for him to step aside so that the procedure may begin.

Zero had to wonder about how the golden haired noble managed the c-section years ago when he turned green at the sight of Keiichi’s brain showing as the surgeon made careful incisions to provide a safe passage.

The procedure went smoothly. The only tense moment stretched when Zero was concentrating ultra-hard in guiding the vein growing from Bloody Rose inside the child’s head. As restless as the vampires around were, their eyes were fixed in amazement at the rendering from the micro camera. They all but gasped at the moment the veins grew thinner and wrapped around the bullet before tugging it out gently and smoothly in one direction. The sparkled of burning flesh scared the crap out of them but they soon relaxed when all was well and done. A huge round of applause erupted when the bloody bullet hit the ground with an echo and Zero slumped to the floor, exhausted.

He did not relax until he saw Aido hooking the bag of his own blood to Keiichi’s IV drip. Moments later, the wound closed completely and the eyelids twitched as a sign that he healed up completely.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ an hour later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Thanks to receiving his biological parent’s blood, Keiichi experienced a speedy recovery from the anesthesia.

He was already in his assigned hospital room when his crystal blue eyes fluttered open to find his parents observing him intently.

Rima was holding his hand while Senri clutched the side of the bed, nervously waiting for his son to wake up. Aido was monitoring his parameters while Ichiru stood in a corner, occasionally glancing up at the surveillance camera that was modified. He knew that his brother was not far, sitting in another room facing the screen connected to the device and watching just as nervously. The only reason he could stay calm was that Gin accompanied his twin.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the adjacent room ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Zero squeezed Gin’s hand painfully when he noticed that Keiichi was waking up. He did not know what to expect, no one knew. However, Aido mentioned that the definite sign of success would be a better articulation of his words. Keiichi has been suffering greatly from the inability to pronounce long words and certain letters are hard for his slow moving tongue to pronounce.

Gin rubbed his hand and arm in attempt to calm him down but he figured that it was useless from the way Zero’s eyes were glued to the screen.

In the other room, the surgeon was checking Keiichi’s vitals while getting him to focus.

“Hello Keiichi.” The doctor asked with a smile.

Confused, the child tilted his head, “Hello.” he answered as he rubbed his sleepy eye.

“Can you tell me who this person is?” The man asked pointing to Rima whose lips were quivering in a nervous smile.

“Mommy.” She did not waste time to cradle him in a hug while minding the I.V hook.

“And who is this?” He pointed to Senri next,

“Daddy.” Keiichi answered with a brighter smile since he did not see his father at first.

“Good… Good…” the doctor gave an okay sign for the memory test. “Now can you tell me the name of that mister standing over there?” he asked while pointing the Aido since he was informed that his name was the one that Keiichi could never manage to say right.

“Hana-jii” Keiichi chirped. With the drug effects worn out, his bursting energy was back tenfold and he enjoyed the questions thinking that it was some sort of game.

The happy mood was contagious as the doctor started to grin unconsciously, “And his full name is?”

“Uhm… Hana… Hana…” everyone was tensing up, waiting for the actual moment of truth. However, Keiichi had other plans, He looked around until his gaze landed on Ichiru and he got on his knees to face him from his bed. Ichiru quickly got closer when he noticed the expectant look in the clear blue eyes, “Ichi-jii… Anone… earlier… I saw Zero… He was wearing the same clothes and he kissed me here.”

The child was going on with his tale without caring for the gasp escaping the orange haired female and the glistening of Ichiru’s eyes as he listened to his melodious voice speaking the most eloquent words he ever heard from that tiny mouth. Unable to resist, he picked him up in a crushing hug, a single tear running down his cheek as he glanced stealthily up to the camera. _You did it! Nii-san!_

In the surveillance room, Zero was literally clutching the screen of the TV, not wanting to miss any gesture and sound Keiichi made. He felt his heart melt when hearing his name spoken so eloquently for the first time. He lost count of how many time he tried to get him to say it properly, but he felt like he will be missing hearing the usual ‘Rero’.

What made him lose it totally was the next words that Keiichi said.

“How are you feeling, sweetie!” Ichiru asked, rocking the giggling child.

“Good… Oh! Here… hmm?” Keiichi frowned as his rubbed the back of his head.

Ichiru and all people present worried about the gesture, “Does it hurt?” Aido was the one to hurry and check for any abnormality, reacting faster than the actual surgeon does.

“No… No more… Before yes… But no more! Strange!” The cute way Keiichi was making his observation with a scowl to boot made the noble think of Zero immediately. _Now that I think about it! That is his trademark scowling face!_

In the surveillance room, Zero fell on his knees, gasping and shaking as tears flowed freely. He clutched his fists against his chest.

Gin held his shoulders tightly and smiled through quivering lips, “Congratulation! You did it! You took his pain away, just like you wanted.” He kissed the top of the silver head as Zero broke in a fit of sobs and gasps.

Talking with difficulty through gritted teeth, “Poor baby… he *hic* he was suffering… Got used to the pain… so much… *sob* he finds it strange without it! *Gasp*… haa… God! what did I do… Why did I have to put him through that?”

Zero continued crying against Gin’s chest until his tears dried up and grew breathless.

“You were weak and scared back then, you probably did not know what it is you were doing.” Gin whispered as he rubbed soothing circles on shaky back.

“Uhm…” Zero nodded.

“Would you do the same thing if you were given a chance to go back in time?” Gin asked, smiling at the denying headshake he received, “See… You are fixing things up nicely. I am sure that he will be healthier and happier from now on and it is thanks to you…”

“But I made him suffer so much…” A muffled whine tugged at his heart.

“And you took that pain away… I am sure that you are forgiven for your mistake. Look at the bright side, you actually gave birth to such a precious boy that anyone cannot help but love and cherish. Look at him smiling happily and charming everyone around him.” Gin grabbed Zero’s chin to make him look at the screen where Keiichi was reading from a picture book on Senri’s lap.”

Standing up, Zero eyes never left the screen as Gin wrapped his arm around the hunter’s midsection and started rubbing his stomach, “This little one is going to be the luckiest though, since you will give him a double share of happiness to compensate, right?”

Zero chuckled at the remark as he nodded.

The door opening was the only thing that could deter Zero’s attention from the red haired child. Ichiru and Hanabusa came into the room with eyes still glistening and sparkling with happiness and glee.

A common memory flashed through the twin’s heads when their eyes met.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Childhood memory ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 Two pairs of tiny feet stumbled into the kitchen where the smell of fragrant soup filled their lungs. Their stomach growled, reminding them that they played a bit too much without replenishing their energy. They clumsily tried to climb on their seats but failed.

Their father came just in time to snap a picture of their struggle before picking them one at a time and sat them on the table.

“Mommy! Mommy!” They both called at the same time.

“I know! You are hungry. Did you wash your hands properly?” The young woman in a beige apron turned with the scoop pointed to her twin sons.

“Haiiii!” They chirped happily while showing their clean hands.

“Good boys!” She rushed to the table and stole a kiss from each chubby cheek, unable to resist the overload of cuteness.

“Mommy! listen… please!” Zero was the one to catch her attention again. That is when Sakura, his mom, noticed that they were not calling out to her about the food.

“Anooo…. We want a baby.” Ichiru mumbled shyly, twirling his fingers while giving his mother a pleading look.

“Really?” She could not help but startle at the odd request. She gave a glance to her husband who was equally taken aback.

The twin nodded in sync, “Yes”.

“Why?” She asked.

“Taki-chan… Today… We went together to his house… You know… His mom made him a sister and…” Takashi, their father had to stifle a laughter that made the stuttering Ichiru puff his cheeks in annoyance.

“She was shooo cute… We played together… changed her clothes…” Zero chirped.

“I put her socks on!” Ichiru raised his hand. 

“I… I gave her milk with a tiny… like this …. bottle…” Zero made explaining gesture.

“A baby is cuuute….” They whined pleadingly.

Sakura was lost for words, only smiling at how adorable her sons can be at times that she might seriously consider having another, despite knowing how impossible that would be.

“Let us see… What will you do if it is a girl?” Their father joined the conversation, curious about the new sudden interest of his sons.

“Oh! I will brush her hair!” Ichiru was the first to speak.

“I will teach her how to play piano!” Zero added, bragging proudly about the praise he received during the last lesson.  

“hmmm… That is good.” The silver haired adult nodded with a grin.

“Wait a minute, Takashi-san! Would you not plant weird ideas in their heads… It is not like I can pop one from a pressure cooker.” Sakura whispered while jabbing the side of her snickering husband.

“It is fine… They will forget about it the next morning… They are just envious of their friend and want to have the same.” He whispered back, “We can have fun while it lasts.”

She sighed an exasperation, figuring out that this will be the topic of the night.

“So guys!” He clapped to earn the attention of the boys who were still scheming together about how to convince their parents. “If mommy here made a baby… What will you name them?”

Zero and Ichiru looked at each other and shrugged.

“Okay! Think about a girl’s name and a boy’s name.” He instructed.

To his surprise, the boys perked up and spoke in perfect harmony, “If we get a boy, he will be Kei-chan.”

“Kei-chan?” His violet eyes that his sons inherited widened in amusement, “hmmm? Okay! Let’s make a promise.” He extended his pinky for them to hold.

“The first one of us to have a baby boy will name him Keiichi. Promise?” He urged his wife to join in and she happily complied.

Zero and Ichiru nodded happily, not really knowing what they were actually promising.

Later that night, Sakura tucked her sons to sleep and joined her husband on the couch of the living room. With her head nestled in the crook of his neck, she mumbled while tapping on his knees. “I guess we successfully settled the name of our first grandson.”

“Yep! That is, if they actually do remember the promise by that time.”

“They will… They take our promises seriously… We are blessed to have such good boys.” She bragged on and on about her little angels like every other time.

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Childhood memory ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero wiped his face, refreshed after he splashed cold water on it. He felt really silly after spending the last hour crying his eyes out without being able to stop. _My hormone are seriously fucking me up good!_

Upon leaving the washroom, he spotted Gin next to the coffee machine. He groaned at the failed attempt to steal a dose of caffeine behind the back of the older man who was about to enjoy his own.

He started walking towards him but halted when his vision swam a bit. _Crap!_ He lost his balance slightly and was about to call out to him when someone grabbed his midsection and supported him.

A familiar yet foreign sent hit his nostrils and he jolted away from the person instinctively. The action seemed rude when he realized that the one who helped him was a young woman he never met before.

“Are you okay, sir? Should I call a nurse?” She asked as she pointed to the reception desk.

“No no… I am fine thank you… I have someone waiting for me over there… Excuse me!” Zero stuttered as he inched away. Alarms at the back of his head were telling him to stir away from the woman despite her looking harmless. The fact that he did not sense her nearby creeped him out for some reason. The shades she was wearing only spiced it up some more.

“Hey!” He quickly grabbed Gin’s arm for a sense of comfort.

“Welcome back. Shall we head home?” Gin answered, but frowned upon noticing that Zero’s attention was directed elsewhere. He followed the violet gaze and saw the person’s back as she walked down the corridor. “Do you know that woman… She is quite… tall.” Gin squinted.

“Nuhuh! Never met her before…. Yeah! She is almost as tall as me.” Zero could not help but feel as if he knew the person from somewhere.

 

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

*click* *clack*

The loud contact of the high heels with the concrete ended with a car door closing.

“Did you enjoy the tour, Mother?” A feminine voice resonated from behind the steering wheel.

“Hmm… It was quite boring at first…However…” Ruby red lips curled up in amusement, “I picked on something quite interesting just as I was leaving.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely… Things are about to get more interesting and certainly… Less boring.” She spoke with glee obvious in her eyes as she removed the sunglasses to fix a chipped nail.

“Good for you. Is that why you let you power leak a bit back there?” her daughter asked.

“Oops! You noticed?” The answer earned a pair of rolling eyes.

“You think I would not?”

“Well… I did keep low profile… However, thanks to that mischief, the carrier reacted and revealed itself. You will be surprised to know their identity.” She quipped.

“Will you tell me?” The younger woman tested.

“Not yet! I prefer having the whole package instead of a small bite of the prize.” White teeth showed under the glaring lipstick.

“The vessel, huh…” her daughter sighed. _This is sooo troublesome._

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAAAAY!!! End of the triple update!!!
> 
> I hope that I am forgiven for the long absence.
> 
> This chapter will probably mark the end of the fluffy, loving and light mood and the start of the tense KanaZero interaction because the pureblood is not one to give up that easily.
> 
> The hidden enemy is about to make their move and things will start getting more complicated. There will be a bunch of new information about Zero’s past, his parents and their clan as well as Kaname’s past. Some part will seem boring and confusing, but they will make sense when the true climax of this arc comes around.
> 
> KanaZero moments will start coming up and the hunter is in for a new kind of emotional rollercoaster!!! *evil smirk*
> 
>  
> 
> ∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Shoutout ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
> 
>  
> 
> LOVE YOU ALL GUYS, AND A BIG THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO READ, THOSE WHO CLICKED THE FAVORITE BUTTON AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING THE STORY.
> 
> YOU ARE THE BEST.
> 
> ∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ See ya next chapter ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
> 
>  


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the triple update and thank you sooo much for the words of support.
> 
> From the reviews and pm, I gathered that some of you did not read the original manga and some joined the story at later chapters, so this is some kind of summary about the AU and answers to common questions that you asked during the past couple of chapters.
> 
> 1/ The story is sort of a canon-divergence/AU which means that it takes elements from the original work of Matsuri Hino but I tweaked some points for the convenience of my plot. The events and timeframe are different starting from Rido’s battle. Everything is the same up until Rido’s body is brought to the Academy. After that, the incident of him impregnating Zero after regaining his original body, which marked the start of the AU… a.k.a the background of this story.
> 
> 2/ the explanation about how Zero found out that he was pregnant with Keiichi and what it entailed will be explained when he actually tells Kaname about it. (after they get back together). However, what I can answer for now is that Yes! Keiichi did siphon from Zero and it caused him to experience symptoms similar to falling to level E. Zero was feeding off Ichiru and Hanabusa at that time, hence the not so pleasant memories they hint about.
> 
> 3/ A.U timeframe: after Rido’s battle, Zero did not stay long at the academy because he was offered the chance to finish high school in U.S as an exchange student. His traumatizing experience and guilt whenever he was around Ichiru pushed him to accept and run away. So.. Zero was pregnant at the age of 16/17, gave birth and stayed in U.S for around five years or some more. This gap is equivalent to the year gap in the manga that preceded Sara’s arc. Zero went back to cross Academy during that time. The divergences in Sara’s arc are irrelevant to this story but they mark the AU of my other story centering around Kaito/Takuma. Things are pretty much similar to the manga after Sara’s death with the exception of the interactions between Yuki and Zero because he was already leading his ‘promiscuous’ lifestyle on the side. Sara’s arc, the war and Kaname’s slumber are summed up in a couple of years. If my count is right, it should be 3 years until the events of the first chapter of this story. That is how I could explain Keiichi’s age (eight) and the age of the  others.
> 
> Oh! Yuki got pregnant with Ai at a much older age than in the manga, maybe 20-22… I don’t have the brain to do extra calculation right now sorry :ppp
> 
> That would summarize the slightly confusing timeframe and the confusion about Rido/Zero incident.
> 
> As I said, this an Alternate Universe that diverges from the original canon. Don’t feel shy to ask about the confusing points in the story because it can get irritating when events clashes together, and it would help me notice if I leave a loophole by incident, which I did not do yet, thankfully.
> 
>  
> 
> That was a lot of chattering, Enjoy the chapter guys!!!
> 
>  

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Few weeks passed by and the rainy season came on too strong for Zero’s liking. The humidity and the heat of the coming summer made him a bit too cranky. Especially when his pregnancy finally settled down and he was feeling much better, now that he is in his second trimester.

The doorbell ringing made him groan more at the prospect of having visitors. He checked the time and frowned. _Did Gin forget his keys?_

He pushed the rolling chair and left his office to open the door.

To his surprise, Kaito showed up at his doorsteps.

“Yeo Fatty!” The hazel-eyed hunter greeted

With his trademark scowl, Zero pushed the door to close it in his face, “Okay! Okay! Not a fatty… just… a melon…”

“Fuck you! I am not that round!” Zero growled

“Can I come in now?” Kaito asked innocently raising both hands to show the bags he was carrying.

Opening the door again, Zero stepped aside to let him in, “I thought that you forgot about having a friend living nearby.” He grumbled, unwilling to admit that he missed seeing Kaito lately.

Snickering at the silverette awkwardness, he settled the bags on the coffee table and flopped on the couch with a huff, “Been busy and out of town most of the time.”

“Nothing new came up about the case?” Zero asked as he brought a beer for his friend and a lemon soda for himself.

“None! This is seriously getting creepy. It is as if the mastermind behind all this crap is playing us for fools.” Kaito wiped his face remembering the numerous dead ends they faced for the past weeks.

“It is not as if… They are playing us.” Zero sipped on his drink. Eyeing the huge bags on the table curiously while tugging at the closest one.

His eyes widened when he pulled what was inside.

“Oh. my. god! Kaito, what is this… It is adorable!!!” The hunter all but squealed as he pulled the knitted baby blue socks, with their matching beanie and gloves. They were so tiny he wondered how a human being could fit in those.

The hazel-eyed hunter chuckled as he pulled another bag while talking “Since you went ahead and told my mother about your pregnancy, she has been spending the past weeks knitting those and other stuff as well. I think she is working on a blanket as we speak.”

“Oh man! I feel bad now; she should not force herself that much.”

Kaito raised an eyebrow, “I did not see her that energetic since being admitted in the hospital. I should be thanking you.”

Zero smiled at the thought of the lonely woman knitting away with her unfaltering smile in her wheeling chair. He snapped out of his musing when Kaito started pulling one article after another and ended up grinning at the silly look of the hunter holding a cowboy attire while wiggling his eyebrows.

“Let me guess, Master!” Zero pointed to the hat that was a replica to the one Yagari always wore.

“You bet! No eyepatches though…” Kaito earned a punch to the shoulder.

“You guys! Why go to such a lengths, the baby is not even here yet…” Zero mumbled, happily going through the onesies, toys and other things stuffed in the bags.

“That is the point of it! Well… Apart from that” Kaito pointed to the bag containing all sorts of costumes for toddlers, “I just played the errand boy bring all the other stuff since the persons themselves are either awkward or too busy to come.”

“Hmmm…” Zero pondered as he checked a tiny pair of jeans, “By the awkward person, you probably mean a certain blond vampire with green eyes who is the culprit behind that huge bag filled with brands name stuff. Did you two actually go shopping for baby clothes together?” Zero asked curiously, knowing how impossible that could be.

Kaito quirked an eyebrow at the statement and cleared his throat… “Ehem!... Kind of… did some shopping from the comfort of our bed, though!”

“Ugh! My son is turning into pillow talk material!” Zero made a gagging gesture, mocking the sappiness of the situation. Kaito grumbled about the persistence of his lover, who wrestled him into it.

Zero felt his stomach hurt from laughing too much. Wiping a tear, he looked at the equally amused hunter, “Good to know that things are smooth sailing on your part. I was worried for a while.”

“About?” Kaito tilted his head.

“You have been a bit weird since coming back from that trip you took with him and you kind of disappeared for a while. I admit freaking out a bit thinking that you felt weird around me when discovering about you know… the pregnancy and stuff…”

“Dude!! I have seen too much freaky stuff to feel weird about you for having a vagina!” Kaito scoffed.

“Saying dude and that shit does not really match.” Zero snapped, the word irritated him to no end, “It is not like I have an actual one-“

“Fine! Fine!...” Kaito raised both hands, remembering Ichiru’s advice of staying clear from that specific topic. “Anyways! I am super excited to teach this little one how to be a troublemaker so that he makes your life a living hell… No worries about it.” He teased while latching on Zero’s stomach.

The hunter gave up pushing others when he found himself dodging too many sneaky attacks over the weeks.

After having his fill of annoying the silverette, he finally turned a serious page, “How are you doing lately? A little bird told me that your mood have been explosive.”

Zero rolled his eyes, “If that little birdy enjoys wearing frilly aprons and act like the stupidest old man on earth, then you got it right. He confiscated my work phone and refused to give it back even though I am feeling much better. It is not like I show much when I wear loose tops and I am still able to go on missions just fine.”

Amethyst eyes flickered a bit at the memory of storming out of Cross’s office a week ago, only to smack into the chest of the brown haired pureblood. It was the least expected encounter Zero imagined that he would have with Kaname after the fit that they had. He could not believe the shiver that ran through his body in that instant that Kaname grabbed his shoulders to prevent him from falling.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“Are you okay?” The smooth rich voice of the pureblood echoed on top of his head, making Zero jerk back, pushing against his chest.

Kaname reacted fast and grabbed Zero’s arm to stabilize him. Pale skin flushed slightly when he realized that he was about to fall backward, adding to the awkwardness of the situation.

“I am… I am fine… You can… let go now.” Zero mumbled, tugging at his arm.

Kaname quickly let go as if stung with fire, “Oh! right…”

They stood awkwardly for barely two seconds but it felt like eternity for both of them. Especially for Zero who found himself unable to meet the garnet orbs after seeing the fleeting worry adorning them. _Why look at me like that when you do not think that much of me!_

“Well… Take care, Kiryuu-kun…” Zero jolted as Kaname spoke close to his ear when he passed by his side, going into the chairman’s office.

*sound of doors closing*

“Oh! Kaname-kun! Good timing… I was just about to call you. Ichijou-kun told me that you had the afternoon free and I needed some experienced assistance.”

Zero heard the muffled voice of his adoptive father through the door followed by the courteous answer from the pureblood, all while willing his quickly beating heart to settle down. He wished so hard that Kaname was not focusing enough to actually hear the erratic sound.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ end of flashback ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

  “Zero?”

The silver hunter startled when he realized that Kaito was waving a hand in front of his face.

“Did you hear anything I said?” Kaito grumbled.

“No! sorry… I was…” Zero stuttered.

“Never mind your pregnancy brains. What I was saying is; if you insist on taking on hunting missions again, why not show them that you can?”

“I don’t get it.” Zero was confused.

“I have to swing by the association after this. Get your gear and we can go spar at the dojo. How convenient it is that Cross is there as well?” Kaito teased the beaming hunter, but Zero frowned suspiciously.

“Why is it that you, the one who is opposed the most to me getting back in the field, helping me out now?”

Kaito scratched his chin, pulling an innocent act that Zero knew all too well, “Well… I admit that I do not want you put in any danger or risk but…”

“But?”

“But I know how frustrating it can be not to do anything. I did notice that you are back in shape at the shooting range. Your aim and focus are back and you don’t tire that easily even while using the vines, that is good. However, I am apprehensive when it comes to close combat… I mean… close range is-“

“I can be a hassle with this fatty around to protect.” Zero finished the thought sarcastically as he stuffed a bite of the muffin.

“Something along those lines.” Kaito had to stop the mirth from showing in his voice.

“Let’s bet on it then.”

“What do you mean?” Kaito looked at the hunter as he rearranged the clutter and took the bags elsewhere. Zero glanced from the stares with a smirk on his face.

“Let’s bet that I will kick your sorry ass as well as the ones who are sparring there. If I win, I am back in business and you will make sure of it.” He pointed to the not so surprised friend of his.

“You are on, but you have to take down at least four of us including me.” Kaito added the condition, confident that Zero was not that ‘in shape’ to pull it off. He would not pass on such a chance to make his pregnant friend stop his nonsense about hunting. Kaito was sure that Zero would rip him to shred if he knew that he was the one behind Cross cutting him off from all sort of mission related communication.

Knowing Zero, Kaito suspected that he might go on a mission if he gets a notification on the phone without bothering to report back just so no one can object to it. _I would totally do it in his place!_

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At the association’s Dojo couple of hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

A panting Kaito sprawled on the tatami mat struggled to catch his breath. His face red and sweating like crazy, just like the six other unlucky hunters they found training when they entered the dojo.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Zero stretching and moaning at the crackling of his bones before crouching next to him.

“So~” The hunter chirped, eyes twinkling and face beaming.

Kaito looked around before whispering, knowing that only Zero’s enhanced hearing could pick up on his voice, “Did your fucking pregnancy give you a power up or something?”

“I wonder~” Zero teased again with mirth.

“You are not breaking a sweat!” Kaito groaned as he shifted his battered body to get into a sitting position.

“Maybe because I do workout on the rooftop and have been replenishing on blood more than usual.” Zero pondered. He was confident that he could take Kaito down because his comebacks have always been stronger when he goes a long time without sparring.

However, he had to admit that he felt more empowered than ever. Not only that, but his movements, reflexes and attacks got faster and stronger compared to pre-pregnancy. He easily beat seven hunters who attacked him at the same time without using a single spell, which would have been impossible before no matter how he looked at it. He suspected that Kaito would hold back in close combat, but the other hunters who were not aware of his condition did pack few punches that he easily dodged. His lips curled up in a proud smile as he held the urge to rub his bump, _I guess baby boy does not like seeing his mommy losing!_

He liked the thought that his child was making him stronger instead of crippling him.

“That is just a dirty way of betting.” Kaito complained.

“A bet is a bet, don’t be a pussy!” Zero warned.

“What kind of bet would that be?” The sound of Yagari snapped them out of their conversation. Cross’s head popped from behind him to look horrified when seeing Zero in a training gear.

“What were you doing?” Cross snapped in a scolding whisper.

After explaining the situation. Zero got in another argument with the wheat-haired ex-hunter who was adamant on getting him back on duty, with Ichiru backing him on that after he joined the crowd. The conversation escalated fast and took a weird turn that led to Zero holding Ichiru’s sword to face a challenge he threw at Cross who was holding his rigged sword.

It was one of the most intense fights that the dojo witnessed; to the point that Yagari stopped them before they destroyed the place.

At a tie, Cross finally conceded and gave the permission that made Zero jump in happiness.

“However, you are only getting light-weight missions and Kaito will be your partner.” Yagari stated firmly, having hard time hiding the grin at the sight of the happy hunter.   

“Who cares as long as I get to shoot those shitheads?” Zero shrugged and grabbed a towel as he waved for Gin who was looking for him.

“You got my text? Did you wait long?” Zero asked, feeling bad at the thought of the teacher waiting outside.

“Uhm.. No! Actually, Shouto-san spotted me and invited me in. I am sure to get lost if I tried to look for this place alone.

“He refused to come in at first, as if scared.” Isaya teased the guest before patting on his shoulder and leaving.

“While you are here, do you want to give it a try?” Cross chirped. Try as he may, he could not managed to get his ‘son-in-law’ to open up to him. He could not help but feel the invisible wall that Gin built between them. He wondered about what might have caused it, but could not pinpoint anything. His unease increased when Gin gave him a troubled face.

In attempt to break the ice, he threw his own sheathed sword towards him, “Why don’t you get acquainted with this guy for example.”

Gin’s mouth flapped in attempt to deny but the sword was already flying his way and his own hands extended out of reflex.

The one who caught the weapon, however, was Yagari. He earned a pout from his whining lover for interfering but scolded him nonetheless, “The last thing I need is some injury of a newbie handling this. If you are that keen, grab a wooden sword from there.”

 “No fun!” Cross snapped and went to collect a pair of wooden swords nonetheless.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

While Gin was getting tortured, Yagari beckoned Zero to follow him to his office.

The hunter tensed when they reached the door and sensed a familiar aura. He had no time to voice anything as Yagari already opened the door and invited him to join the meeting table, sitting next to Kaname.

“All right! Since you are back in the game, it is only fair to keep you on the same page.” Yagari spoke with a raised eyebrow when Zero chose to sit two seats away from the pureblood.

“That would be appreciated.” The young hunter answered, trying not to be obvious with his discomfort.

“Here…” Yagari handed papers to both of them, “So far… The intelligence department, investigation unit, and the undercover agents did not find any trace leading to our mastermind or any of their pawns. It is as if they suddenly stopped their actions. The stock of the pills is reducing from the market as well and everything seems illogical.”

“Why? It makes perfect sense.” Zero shrugged as he threw the papers on the table in a dismissing fashion, looking at his mentor’s eye “It just confirms that they have a mole inside the association. Said mole warned them about the progress we made with the DNA testing and all that jazz, so they decided to lay low until we run out of leads.”

“I share the same opinion as Kiryuu-kun on the matter. We need to keep our guard up and strengthen our defense for they are probably planning their next move in a way we least expect.” Kaname explained.

Yagari nodded, “That is exactly what I think.”

Zero frowned at the statement. He never liked it when Yagari tested his observational skills by acting ‘dumb’.

“Since the two of you are on the same standpoint, this might work out better than expected.”

“What do you mean?” Kaname inquired curiously.

“We need fresh ideas, fresh point of view and a strategy from someone who has a close mindset to our culprit. No offense intended.”

“None taken.” Kaname nodded the answer, agreeing with the old hunter.

“Where do I come in all this?” Zero rolled his eyes as he spoke. _Since when did those two start interacting with so much respect?_

“You will replace me. I have enough on my plate that makes me crave a fucking cigar right about now. So, mister ‘I want in’, you will look over the strategies with Kuran. He will try to predict how the enemy could engage his next move, and you, as the hunter, you will think about how you can defend against or suppress the attack if possible.” Yagari explained as he gathered his papers.

“Wait…” Zero flustered for a bit at the thought of being alone with the pureblood, “I thought the strategies and logistics were Ichiru’s forte?”

Yagari exhaled in exasperation, “Ichiru said that there was no need to hear Kaname’s point of view and that he will rely on his own ‘resources’ to assist us before storming out of that door.”

_Fuck me! He probably said that because he cannot stand being around him after what happened with me! Just Peachy! I would like to see his face when I tell him that he freaking got me stuck doing his bloody job instead. DAMNIT!_

“I will tell your boyfriend that you will be given a ride back home later.” Yagari announced as he closed the door, leaving the two awkward men alone in the office.

Silence stretched painfully until Kaname rustled the papers he started reading. The action elicited an apparent flinch from the hunter that he caught from the corner of his eye.

The pureblood sighed and tapped softly on the wooden furniture before speaking as softly and politely as possible, “I would say…” he passed a copy of the investigation report to the hunter that Zero snatched and busied himself reading it. “That the next attack will be more precise and provocative than the previous ones. Now that they made themselves known, they will need to move faster and reach their goal before we built an iron defense that will ward them off.”

The more Kaname explained, the more Zero focused and chased away his trepidation. He exhaled softly, a bit relieved that the pureblood was talking in his strict formal tone, all about work.

Zero cleared his throat, pulling the report of Aido’s case, “Seeing how sporadic their attacks started, they do seem to focus more and more on specific targets as they go. Especially around this time.” He pointed to the date of the case and laid other cases that happened shortly before and after it.

Kaname observed the brief summary and nodded, “My logic behind that would go this way. At first, they were tracking down the rogue vampires and hunters, recruited a good unit. The rogue hunter provided information about the way that the association operates. Attacking hunters during their missions had two purposes; setting panic, and recruiting the mole they needed. A hunter who has not gone rogue, able to come and go freely, but still against the new order of the organization.”

“Jinmu…” Zero trailed, “Consequently, as an old hunter, he can dig out those of the same mindset and a niche festered on the inside.”

“Sadly yes.” Kaname confirmed, not missing the bitterness in Zero’s voice.

“And because we sabotaged their coup, they retorted by sending the provocative case of… Marco’s murder.” Zero added, “I see it as an elusive tactic as well. The mastermind wants to confirm that the one behind all this would be none other than the rogue pureblood that we already know about.”

“The ‘lady’ Hanadagi and the young master of the Touma clan.” Kaname finished his thoughts and pointed the fountain pain he was holding to the DNA test result, “However, the new algorithm that the research lab developed has uncovered that they were only part of a bigger team, if that term applies.”

Zero nodded.

The discussion and analysis went for a while, and none of them realized how much in sync they were until Zero noticed that, somewhere along the line, he actually shifted closer to the pureblood in order to scribble the strategy and assumption they had come up with.

From the corner of his eyes, he could not help but take in the features of Kaname’s face. He realized that he did not dare look him in the face for so long that it seems like an eternity.

He observed further, when Kaname was busy writing down what they discussed, entranced by the shadow that long eyelashes casted over prominent cheekbone. He heard him mumble, but felt too mesmerized by the luscious lips as they moved, like every single time he stared at them.

However, his trance did not last long for Kaname to catch the heated stare. Zero quickly noticed how dim the garnet eyes looked when they met his. He was surprised to notice the tiredness in Kaname’s face that not many would catch if they had not seen him up close as much as Zero did.

The hunter’s eyes narrowed on the slight hollowness under Kaname’s eyes that will soon turn into dark circles. The slightly paler complexion of the usually plump skin surprised him.

_He looks… exhausted…_

Kaname, on the other hand, was literally holding his breath when he noticed the curious look that Zero was giving him. The fact that the hunter was munching on his own pen did not help much with his distress. He tried to act as casually as possible and not set his alarms, especially when he shifted closer.

However, it was getting hard not to put him on the spot when he is gazing at him so intently. Kaname was aware that his depression was taking a toll on him, no matter how well he hid it. He knew as well that Zero’s attention to details will make him notice it faster than anyone else, and he did not want that.

The pureblood quickly slid and slammed the papers in front of Zero in a way that startled the hunter for a second. He had to stifle a chuckled when Zero stammered and cleared his throat as he directed all his attention to the paper in hand.

The renewed awkwardness dissipated when Yagari came into the office and joined them once again.

“I swear… That forensics might end up giving me cancer again.” He grunted, throwing a pile of documents on his desk before pulling a chair facing his two guests.

“I don’t see why you have to take the position so soon after you recovered. It would be no joke if that actually happened.” Zero complained, voicing the worries he had since the day that Yagari went back to being the president once again.

“Do you want me to put your pregnant ass on that chair? You are more than welcome.” the one-eyed hunter hissed, irritation getting the best of him.

“Okay… Forget I ever said that!” Zero raised both hands in defeat. It was one thing when Kaito or he cussed, but when it comes to their mentor, that is a sign not to mess around with him any further. _Who is the pregnant one again?_

“Any progress?” Yagari dismissed the gesture and took the paper that Kaname offered. “I was worried about deciphering Zero’s handwriting for a moment there.” he teased his disciple when he saw the neat writing of the pureblood.

“So sorry for not using a pen and paper that much.” Zero hissed back when Kaname chuckled at the remark, his cheeks tinting slightly.

Reading the paper, Yagari would glance at them from time to time with a confused look, frowning look and then a stone hard serious face he placed the paper and rested his chin on interlaced hands. “Are you sure about these speculations?”

Kaname folded his legs under the table and graciously crossed his hands in front of him, oozing confidence and aggressiveness, opposite to his stance few minutes earlier. “As you said, if I were in the enemy’s shoes and with what we assume he knows, one of these scenarios would be their next move. Of course, we jumped to the extreme cases because we cannot let our guard down anymore. Moreover, if we prepare for the worst, any lesser attack will not incur as much damage.”

Zero confirmed the statement, making Yagari rub his temples in exasperation. As much as he hated to admit, the two worked extremely well together to the point of digging loopholes that the whole investigation department failed to see.

“Targeting the leading figures is too serious and risky.” He stated.

“But it will set enough panic for them to move freely and gather more allies. A show of power would shift the balance and allegiance, like in any other war in history. What is more disturbing is the ranking.” Kaname countered.

“The top brass of both societies. Kaname Kuran, Kiryuu Zero, Yagari Toga, Cross Kaien, Aido Hanabusa and Kiryuu Ichiru?” Yagari quirked an eyebrow at the last one.

“They are obviously aware that Ichiru is an informant and I would not be surprised if information about him digging the ice-wielder hideout leaked. It was thanks to it that the bodies of the deceased hunters were found.” Zero explained, annoyed by the fact that his brother was being dragged into trouble once again. It has become the norm for him to be targeted, but Ichiru had always made sure that his movements stayed anonymous, and Zero made sure to secure any network he used to ensure that.

“The both of you may be on the standby for now, but any smart enemy should be aware that you would take action if things went down, so it is logical to target you while still ‘inactive’” Yagari observed.

“I would not be surprised for being a target seeing that I am technically the president of their nemesis,” he added, “Cross campus is a cesspool of information and technologies that would take them down if they are not careful. Cutting off the leader, Kaien, would stop the flow of sponsorship and support. That will disrupt the advancement toward the goal of the peace-treaty. Aido-kun is the key to finding the cure, since you passed down the research to him. Therefore, he is technically at the highest risk for now. I assume that is why you put him on the list of those that need added protection.” He looked at both while flicking the paper.

“That would summarize it.” Kaname confirmed.

Yagari sighed while picking the phone to call his lover and advisor along with the co-president to join the meeting.

What was supposed to take no more than an hour, ended up stretching into the night to the point that Zero started feeling the discomfort of sitting on a chair for that long. Not to mention that his throat was getting parched the longer he stayed close to the pureblood. At one point, he worried that his eyes would start glowing red at the sound of blood pumping through Kaname’s vein, which made his gum itch.

A breath of relief escaped his lips when the meeting was over, but he could not relax just yet. Especially when a nosy Cross Kaien asked the pureblood to drive him back home.

_Ugh! Somebody kill me!_

On his way out, Zero fumbled with his phone, cussing each time that a call would not connect.

Reaching the car, his eyes widened when he realized that Kaname was the one driving, meaning that they will be alone in the car. _No way is that happening!_

“Uhm… I appreciate the offer, but I think I am taking a cab… Bye!” He was about to bolt away if Kaname did not grab his wrist in time, not caring about being seen in front of the building.

“Wha?” Zero snatched his hand away, holding his wrist and looking around, relieved to see that no one was around at such a late hour.

“We just talked about potential threats and you want to go back home by yourself?” Kaname stated in a grave voice.

“It is not like I can’t defend myself.” Zero snapped back.

“I know that you are no damsel in distress.” Kaname teased, unintentionally bringing a not so old memory.

Zero bit the inside of his cheek, wanting nothing more than escape the uncomfortable situation.

Opening the passenger door, Kaname sighed, “Look… I will just drive you back. You do not need to worry about unnecessary things.”

_If by that you mean pouncing me or attacking me in the car, oh thank you, that is certainly the LEAST of my worries._

Seeing the stubbornness of the hunter, Kaname closed the door and leaned against the vehicle, hands in his pockets.

“I will just have to wait here until you hop in. There is no way you are going back home otherwise.” He challenged in an amused tone.

“I still have perfectly functioning legs if you did not notice.” Zero crossed his arms.

“Okay then!” Kaname pushed himself and started walking, “If you prefer an hour walk to less than a twenty minutes’ drive, I don’t mind keeping you company.” Glancing back at the exasperated hunter, he could not help but chuckle. They are the perfect rivals when it comes to being stubborn, and Kaname felt proud of winning more than losing when it came to this kind of challenges.

“I assume that you would take a taxi with me if I went ahead with it?” Zero complained, groaning when Kaname nodded, smirking.

“Fuck it!” Zero cursed as he opened the car door and slamming it shut to the point of shaking the vehicle after he got in.

   **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The ride was quiet and comfortable since Zero kept staring out of the window and Kaname concentrated on the instruction from his GPS navigator.

Seeing that they were close to destination, Kaname took a shuddering breath and whispered, preparing for a potential onslaught.

“How are you coping with the pregnancy so far?” He did not miss the way Zero jolted from the suddenly interrupted silence.

“Why?” Zero mumbled in the palm covering his mouth.

Without taking his eyes off the road, Kaname answered in an amused tone to hide his nervousness “Just asking out of concern. I might be trying to strike a conversation, if you did not notice.”

“Oh!” Zero exclaimed, totally faking it, “I worried for a second that you were checking whether my child was ripe enough for you to rip them off my gut.” The sarcasm did not go unnoticed.

Kaname winced intenally.

“Zero, I am-“

“Don’t get started please! Just… Take me home or stop the car so that I-“

“Zero, listen” Kaname hissed as his grip tightened on the steering wheel.

Stubborn as he is, Zero did not answer but switched on the radio on maximum volume before looking out the window, totally ignoring the pained sound coming from the pureblood who had his eardrums blasted.

Kaname sighed and reduced the volume just as the next song was starting.

“Zero…”

“STOP CALLING MY NAME!” The hunter screamed, without looking at the pureblood. His heart beating faster each time he heard him calling in that voice. He knew that tone like the back of his hand and he knew too well that Kaname was trying to get under his skin.

He put his guard up even more because he was aware of how weak he can get when facing that kind of approach. How many times the pureblood did soothes him after their usual bickering using that method? He lost count, but he was determined not to let it get to him this time around, he could not afford to.

His musing stopped abruptly when a familiar melody resonated, a melody he recognized and his ears perked, waiting for the song to start. However, his driver had other plans, as he switched off the radio and pulled the car on the side of the road.

Panic rose inside Zero and he glanced at the brown haired man who shifted sideway to face him. He unconsciously scooted closer to the door.

“Will you please let me finish what I have to say?” Kaname asked in a pleading voice. Sighing at the bad habit of the hunter.

Zero gritted his teeth, pissed at the insinuation.

“Finish what? Are you going to apologize for things you don’t even feel remorse about doing?” he barked, hand on the handle, ready to open the door and bolt if anything went wrong.

“Why get in the car with me if you are that scared?” Kaname asked, pointing at the shaking hand of the hunter that held the envelope.

“I am pissed, not scared. You are asking that dumb question when you know that I won’t get rid of you unless you take me home, one way or another. Besides, the last thing I needed is a crazed pureblood who gets aggressive because ‘things did not go the way he wanted’.” Zero snapped back, struggling to keep a straight face. “I guess I was stupid to think that you are trying to redeem yourself.” He added as he clicked the door open.

“Zero wait!” Kaname jumped and held the handle over Zero’s hand before pulling the door shut again.

The hunter panicked when he felt the weight of the pureblood pressing against him and struggled unnecessarily. As not to antagonize him, Kaname pulled back after locking the car but failed to dodge the corner of the paper envelope that sliced his cheek in a shallow wound.

Zero tensed and looked away as his eyes glowed red when he looked at the mirror. The reaction did not escape Kaname who quickly pushed the button to slide the windowpane down and reached for a tissue to wipe the little blood over the healed wound. He extended his hand outside of the car and burned the tissue with his blue flames to erase the remaining scent.

“Sorry.” He whispered as he closed the windows again after the scent dissipate and Zero relaxed, “I did not mean to scare you… I will take you home… Safely, I promise! Just hear me out for a moment, Okay?” Kaname reassured. Hands tapping nervously on the steering wheel.

Zero kept a hand on his quivering mouth, covering his elongated fangs and keeping his eyes closed tightly as he willed away the urge to latch on Kaname’s throat.

“Zero? Do you need to drink?” Kaname inquired cautiously.

“No! There is no way I am drinking from you.” The hunter snapped, breathing heavily in order to regain control over his thirst, “Say whatever you want to say and get going already!”

Kaname’s lips tightened, but he did not insist when Zero’s eyes reverted to their violet color, dark with anger.

“I am sorry.”

“You said that already.” Zero groaned.

“I apologizing for the way I treated you back at my place. That was inexcusable.” Kaname added, grateful that Zero quieted down to hear him out, “I was not myself, and I…”

“You were drunk.” Zero deadpanned.

“There is that too…” Kaname nodded, “But it is still not an excuse for what I said…”

Zero took a deep breath, “What are you trying to say? We don’t have all the time in the world if you did not notice.” He pointed to the late hour of the night.

“I know… I just wanted to stop this animosity between us. I understand that you do not want anything to do with me in term of relationship or anything related to it… I don’t want to get in the way of your happiness either.” Kaname voice lowered a bit by the end while he glanced at Zero’s stomach. “What I am trying to say is that I want us to try and act like the adult we are.”

Zero’s eyebrow twitched at the last statement, not helping the amusement he found in it, “Oh really?”

Kaname caught on the reaction and his lips curled up, realizing the funny way he phrased it, “Something along those lines, yeah… It would be quite difficult to work things out with you being all jittery whenever I am around.” He teased, earning a scowl.

“Why do you think I act like that in the first place?” Zero hissed, finally shifting to face the pureblood, “You have been acting like some kind of bipolar psychopath lately.”

Kaname winced at the true statement, “I am well aware of that. Trust me! I had my share of harsh reminders… Especially the glass of wine that your twin splashed in my face because I made the mistake of asking how you were doing.”

Zero face palmed himself and sank on the seat, disbelief written on his face. _That Ichiru!_

“I did deserve it though.” Kaname shrugged.

“You bet you did. However, I had my part in all of it… if it is of any consolation, and I had my share of lectures and ‘harsh reminders’.” Zero stated, crossing his arms.

A moment of silence stretched before they both burst in a fit of laughter, remember the countless time they screwed up and had to be lectured like kids by their close friends and family.

“We do need to start acting more like the adults we are, I have to agree on that.” Zero sputtered in attempt to compose himself again.

“Clean slate then?” Kaname asked; hope shining in his garnet eyes no matter how much he tried to hide it.

“I guess so, if we’re going to team up and catch this rat lurking around.” Zero shrugged, but pointed one last thing, “And you won’t try to harm my baby?”

Kaname huffed, “That was the stupid drunk me talking. Do you think that I am heartless enough to kill a child, being a father myself?” he answered but regretted his words soon after in fear of offending the hunter.

“Good!” Zero gave him a thumb up and pointed to the road next, “Now, take me home because I am hungry and sleepy.”

Kaname could not help but chuckle at the cute reaction, but kept his thoughts to himself. He was extremely relieved to see the hunter acting more comfortably around him and taking the liberty of switching the radio and fumbling around instead of sitting stiffly and warily next to him. He almost wished the trip never ended.

Once they reached destination, Kaname unlocked the car and Zero all but jumped out of it.

Chuckling, Kaname chased after him before he opened the gate, bitter about his beloved going to another man’s embrace.

“Zero! wait…”

The hunter startled and turned with a scowl to show the displeasure at being stranded any longer, “You forgot this.” Kaname handed him the envelope.

“OH! Thanks.”

“Goodnight.”

“You too…”

Amethyst gaze followed the back of the brunet as he got in the car and drove away. Worrying his lower lip, Zero opened the house and slumped in the hallway, his legs no longer able to hold him straight. He grabbed his shirt in a fist, pressing against his burning chest. The feeling was all too familiar and it scared him to no end.

Crawling up the stairs, he finally reached the dark bedroom with difficulty. Sitting at the edge of the bed, he took deep breaths while shaking hand reached to the drawer. He quickly gulped the pills and followed by enough water to get rid of the aftertaste. _It is natural not to feel truly sated unless you drink the father’s blood!_

The memory of what the doctor said at the beginning of the pregnancy added to his agony. Covering his face with both palms, he rocked back and forth to calm himself. He was glad that the tension between him and Kaname was subsiding and that the pureblood was finally getting a clue that Zero would never be his, but it also scared him to allow the pureblood less distance than before. _Did I agree too fast?_

The sleeping man on the other side of the bed shifted slightly, stirred by the rocking of the mattress. Gin squinted his sleepy eyes slightly, waiting for them to adjust to the darkness of the room. He was surprised to see Zero sitting next to him, leaning his back against the headboard and folding his knees up where his head was resting.

“Zero? You’re back.” He spoke groggily as he pushed himself up. Frowning when he got no reaction, he reached for the hunter’s face. He did not miss the flinch at his touch, so he brushed away the silver bangs to have a better look at his face.

He switched on the bedside lamp and shook his head in exasperation as he pulled the red-eyed crying hunter closer.

“I am sorry!” Zero mumbled, the pain in his chest increasing more, “I took some pills but… I don’t know why.”

“Shhh… You must have overdone it today after being inactive for so long… You probably need to get more blood than usual and you will be fine.” Gin reassured, allowing shaky hands to unbutton his pajama shirt.

After he made sure that Zero was okay, they slept in each other’s embrace. Gin’s sleepy brain failed to process the fact that Zero did not drink that much from him and the fact that it has not been that long since he had Yuki’s blood.

As for the hunter, he was grateful that the little bit he took sated him, which meant that he did not have to worry about the syphoning increasing. He ignored the dull itch at the back of his throat as he thought back on the conversation he had with Kaname.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Few days later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Like a kid who was excited for his first day at school, Zero would not calm down as he checked his gear and clothes a million time and ended up getting ready an hour before Kaito came to pick him up.

“Make sure to call me if you feel unwell and need me to come pick you up!” Gin insisted for the hundredth time, making Zero’s eyes roll just as much.

“I will be just fine. I will most likely spend the whole night in a corner leaning against the wall watching those leeches sucking up to one another.” Zero whined.

“Just in case!” Gin insisted again.

“I know! I will send you the location as soon as I get there. I will be careful about what I eat or drink… bla bla bla!”

“Especially what you drink! Takamiya-kun, do not let any alcohol go near him. His new obsession lately is vodka.” Gin complained to the hazel-eyed hunter who was snickering at the lecture that Zero was getting. His eyes widened, “Seriously! Dude, you were not into drinking in the first place, what-“

“Can we go already?” Zero huffed as he got in the car, scowling at the two men spoiling his fun. Although the mission was just monitoring a ball party hosted by a noble family where humans and hunters were invited, Zero was grateful for going on a ‘mission’ that will get him out of the mundane routine he had fallen into during the past month or more.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Late in the party ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

_Why did I agree to this again?_

Zero groaned internally. He was utterly bored just standing against the wall. Kaito annoyed him even more when he offered him a chair. _So much for hiding my pregnancy!_

Nothing was happening as he expected, and seeing the vanity of vampires reminded him why he took pleasure in shooting their empty heads when they fall into madness.

However, the fact that irritated Zero the most was that he was constantly following a certain brunet with his eyes. Had he known that Yuki and Kaname were present at the party, Zero would have rejected the mission, probably.

After he agreed on some sort of ‘truce’ with the pureblood, Zero was at loss ever since. They had two more meetings afterwards and Kaname would openly offer to drive him back home, not minding a rejection if Zero had a ride or used his own car.

Not only that, but the hunter was shocked to have him call to voice his objection after learning that the hunter was taking on missions again.

The relief he felt because of the new development made him realize that he was distressed by the fact that Kaname hated him more than the fact that he hurt him in more ways than others. As stubborn as he might be, Zero was well aware that he had a hand in all the conflict they had. He pushed Kaname to his limits more than once. _Could my own guilt be the reason I did not get affected as much after he forced me?_

Zero shook his head to chase away the confusing questions. _He probably just realized that all he felt for me was lust and desire, nothing more nothing less. So much for professing his love every chance he got… Your father is quite the fool isn’t he?_

Zero mused as he placed a hand over his stomach discreetly. Unexplained sadness gripped his chest as he looked at the pureblood conversing with the guests. A waiter came his way with a tray of champagne that made his mouth water.

He knew how wrong his new craving was but justified himself by the fact that alcohol did not affect vampires as long as it did not contain any silver wine. His head whipped left and right to make sure that his chaperon was not looking before snatching a flute and scurry away to a darker corner.

Sipping on the drink, his eyes fluttered close at the sensation of it sliding down his throat. At this point, he believed that champagne tasted as good as blood for him.

*Badump*

Violet eyes widened and a hand flew to cover his mouth. A nauseous feeling came over him all of a sudden and he quickly rushed to the nearest restroom. The sense of déjà vu creeped him out even more when the door opened and he felt the pureblood aura approach him as he retched on the toilet bowl.

He whimpered when his stomach churned for another round. He felt dizzy and unable to hold himself up anymore if not for the strong hands that grabbed his waist and kept him in place. He adjusted himself on his knees and Kaname brought one hand to rub soothing circles on his back while the other brushed back his bangs that stuck to a sweaty forehead.

Zero did not realize how heated his own skin was until he sighed at the cool sensation of Kaname’s hand, knowing full well how warm that hand could usually be.

Minutes later, Zero found himself on the floor leaning back on Kaname’s chest while the pureblood rested his back against the wall. He took a couple more shallow breaths while Kaname used his power to wet a cold towel and wring it before hovering it to his hand to wipe the hunter’s face.

“Feeling better?” Kaname whispered softly, extremely worried for the hunter. He regretted not jumping in when he caught sight of him picking the glass of champagne. He totally forgot that the one served at such functions always contained silver wine. He did not pay much attention since Zero never drank when on duty before.

Nonetheless, Kaname was surprised to see him picking the flute. He assumed that it was just for show, so he decided to finish his conversation before teasing the hunter about how bad of an idea it would be if he drank it.

“mmngh! Feeling like shit…” Zero groaned as he tried to stand. He gratefully accepted Kaname’s help to get to the sink and wash off the foul taste left in his mouth. 

Kaname chuckled at the remark while spilling the champagne flute down the sink, “In case your doctor failed to mention, silver wine is off limit during pregnancy. It is good that you got it out of your system fast because it could have turned into blood poisoning when mixing with your pregnancy hormones.” Kaname explained, satisfied with the horrified expression Zero gave him. He took it as a sign that the hunter would be thinking twice about what to put in his mouth from then on.

“And you knew that from?” Zero tried to turn the table to stop the humiliation.

“Yuki’s pregnancy?” Kaname stated the obvious, even though it was a lie. Ever since knowing that the hunter’s pregnancy was risky, Kaname found himself researching about anything that can affect him badly and what can go wrong in order to prevent it.

“Oh, I see!” Zero cursed the ‘pregnancy brains’ for forgetting how involved Kaname was in Yuki’s pregnancy.

“Zero… Should you really be taking on missions now? I don’t think it is wise to endanger yourself.” Kaname reprimanded the stretching hunter as he filled the flute with water.

“Okay… First! I know that we are… you know… not fighting anymore, but I would appreciate if you stopped using my first name. I do not want weird rumors spreading around, okay? Kuran?” Zero requested, “Secondly, apart from poisoning myself with stupid silver wine, I think I will be able to handle whatever comes my way. Besides, I do not see why you should concern yourself with me that much… It is not like –“

“It is not like it is my child you are carrying… Thank you! I am well aware of that.” Kaname drawled, feeling slightly irritated from the hunter pushing him away yet again.

“I was going to say that it is none of your business.” Zero growled, _It is your child though! Not like I will ever tell you, not in a million years._

“Oh! It is my business when I see the person I care about suffering and putting themselves in danger.” Kaname deadpanned as he walked closer to the hunter. Zero backed up against the wall, wary of the shortening distance separating them. His eyes squeezed shut when Kaname leaned down, expecting the pureblood to kiss him or something of that sort when his breath brushed against his face.

“You had a bit of tissue.” Kaname brushed a flushed cheek to take a bit of wet tissue that stuck to it, waving it in front of the hunter to see, “Were you expecting something else… like maybe a-“

“I was expecting nothing!” Zero shrieked. “Seriously, you need to stop with all this fawning and consideration of yours. Here I thought that you woke up for your delusions.”

“Delusions?” Kaname quirked an eyebrow, not liking what he will be hearing.

“I meant that bullshit talk about loving me and stuff.” Zero clarified, wanting to put an end to it, “I was really enjoying the way we have been getting along, ‘on friendly terms’ lately, and you had to go and burst the bubble.”

 _You are probably the only one enjoying it, Zero!_  Kaname thought in his head.

“Sorry about that, but what I am feeling is no delusion. It is not as if I am forcing you to acknowledge and reciprocate anymore. I am keeping it to myself precisely because I care about you.” Kaname explained.

“Some fucked up logic that is.” Zero drawled, “What is the next confession. ‘Oh Zero! I don’t think that you will find happiness without me, let us get back together?’”

Kaname took a deep breath looking up at the glaring neon light before looking back into incensed violet eyes, “You are obviously happy and living the life you wished for… Even if it a little twisted compared to the one you pictured as a child. I would never think of sabotaging it.”

Zero breath hitched for a moment when Kaname remembered the talk they had a long time ago about how Zero pictured his future before turning into a vampire.

“I honestly do not care about that man you chose, neither do I give a thought about his child growing inside you.” Kaname added, staring at the camouflaged bump, his eyes travelled up to meet disturbed eyes of the hunter. _He will certainly blow his top if I told him how handsome he looked with his pregnancy glow. A sight beautiful enough to take my breath away._ “However, as long as you are going through a risky pregnancy and acting reckless on top, I will not stand by and see you getting hurt.”

Zero had to look away from the heated gaze that seemed to strip him naked and swallow him whole. He felt his skin tingling and breathe shortening even with the larger distance between them now. His chest burned suddenly when a rich sweet scent hit his nose.

With glowing red eyes, he gave the pureblood a look of disbelief.

“Don’t worry, the water makes the scent a lot fainter and prevent it from spreading far.”

“What are you doing?... Fuck going far! This place is swarming with vampire-“

“I would not have done this if you did not go ahead and drank that champagne only to end up tiring yourself with the consequences.” Kaname spoke nonchalantly as he kept a nail digging in the finger that he dipped in the flute that he filled with water halfway. The clear liquid went from the lighter shade of pink to the darker shade of red when filled.

“I am not tired!” Zero growled.

“Look at yourself before saying that. Hard to convince me when you reacted that strongly from just the scent of my blood. I thought you had better control than that.” Kaname mocked, irritated at the stubbornness of the hunter. He pushed the glass on the marble counter, closer to Zero who kept his hands to himself.

“I am not drinking it!” The ex-human hissed, almost prickling his lip by his elongated fangs.  _I am reacting because you are the fucking father! Damn it!_

*knock**knock**knock*

“Kaname? Is everything alright?” Takuma’s voice came from behind closed door, bringing relief to the hunter.

Kaname looked at the hopeful expression and locked his jaw as he wiped his wet fingers. He strode to the door and opened it while asking Zero, “Who was supposed to drive you back?”

The question took the hunter aback and confused Takuma who let himself in, “Uhm… I was supposed to leave with Kaito, or call Gin if I wanted to leave earlier.”

“Yuki will be leaving in a bit. I will tell her to come get you after you have calmed down. This should be enough ‘work’ for tonight.” Kaname gave instructions to Takuma before leaving with a slam of the door.

Zero gaped at the haughtiness of the pureblood, pissed at being ordered like some lackey and expected to sit tight and obey. All thoughts of bloodthirst flew out of the window when his racy hormones turned it to pure anger.

Takuma winced at the sight of the livid hunter he got stuck with. _Kai!!! Where are you?_

“Ehem… Kiryuu-kun! Do you feel all right?” He asked cautiously.

“Do I look like I am dying?” Zero barked.

“Doesn’t seem to be the case.” Takuma responded calmly, tiptoeing closer.

Zero let out a breath of frustration as he ran fingers through his hair, “Sorry… Ichijou! I did not meant to-“

“No need to apologize. I get it!” Takuma dismissed the hunter as he leaned against the sink. He glanced at the glass that caused an unnecessary uproar outside when the smell spread, even faintly. _Seriously, that Kaname!_

Zero followed the gazed of emerald orbs to the flute, his anger renewed once again. He grabbed it and spilled the content in the sink before letting the water wash away the residues.

“Wouldn’t it have been better to drink it?” Takuma felt bad for wasting it.

“You should have told me if you wanted to drink it.” Zero answered in a guilty tone that made Takuma tilt his head in amusement.

“I was talking about you, Kiryuu-kun! I am sure he filled it for you in the first place.”

“More like imposing it on me.” Zero shook off the water from the glass with enough vigor that Takuma worried he would break it from the sheer force.

The noble winced at the deepening of the hunter’s frown. “Sorry… He can be quite pushy at times.”

“At times?” Zero gave a baffled laugh, not wanting to dig deep into the matter.

“He does have weird ways of showing how much he cares about someone.” Takuma stated calmly, desperately trying to justify his friend’s action.

“Do you always clean his mess for him like this? Anyways, it is not as if I asked him to care or anything… It is bothersome.” Zero complained, feeling calmer after venting his anger on the innocent glass.

He grabbed the edge of the sink, squeezing his eyes shut to chase away the mixed feelings he had towards the actions of the pureblood. He hated that part of him rejoiced about the fact that Kaname still cared about his wellbeing like before.

“Love can turn one blind toward the other’s feeling. It is quite hard for him to know his limits when he is in that deep.” Takuma mumbled, eloquently enough for the hunter to hear every word without risking any eavesdropping. Emerald eyes were trained on the hunched form of the hunter the whole time, observing his reaction.

“That is no excu- what?” Zero jolted up straight when he understood the meaning behind those words. He faced the noble who was as calm and composed as ever, as if he just told him how good the menu was tonight.

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! My long chapters are generally about 10k words long, but they had been stretching a bit too much lately that I have to split them. How many chapters do you reckon this story will have? I am scared of estimating that number, but one thing is for sure, I am aiming on finishing it before my summer vacation starts, which will be in July, along with my other stories. Wish me luck!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter ;)
> 
> A certain Takuma decided to get meddlesome it seems. Will it have any effect on Zero? I wonder!
> 
>  
> 
> ∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ See ya next chapter ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞
> 
>  


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, Sorry for the long absence, some unfortunate circumstances followed by busy college life made me unable to type a word for my stories. The load is getting lighter, luckily, so I will be able to update more regularly. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Things are about to get out of hand once again on a whole new level after this one, enjoy the new revelation. New cogs are getting linked together XD
> 
> Due to my busy schedule, I will not be answering reviews and pm until the day after tomorrow, but I promise that I will do it. I enjoy reading your reviews and I do not want to give a half-hearted reply. Thank you!!!

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“Love can turn one blind toward the other’s feelings. It is quite hard for him to know his limits when he is in that deep.” Takuma mumbled, eloquently enough for the hunter to hear every word without risking any eavesdropping. Emerald eyes were trained on the hunched form of the hunter, observing his reaction.

“That is no excu- what?” Zero jolted up straight when he understood the meaning of the words. He faced the calm and composed noble vampire.

Takuma held his breath, _The cat is finally out of the bag!_ He wouldn’t normally interfere in the personal matters of others, but he felt like he awed it to his friend. Takuma was shocked to learn the news of Yuki’s involvement with Isaya, to the point that he remained speechless all the way to the gathering. Bits and pieces started fitting together and he felt conflicted about how to act around the obviously depressed pureblood.

_Kaname would probably not approve of this, but… Whatever…_

“Ichijou? What do you mean by that?” Zero inquired, not wanting his suspicions to be on point.

“Aaa! How should I put it?” Takuma tapped a finger on the edge of the sink, “I am kind of aware of the… affair you two had, even if the term does not really apply.”  The noble regretted his words when seeing the rage glinting in amethyst eyes.

“Kiryuu-kun! Don’t get me wrong… I discovered by coincidence… Kaname did not tell me on his own…” He reassured, remembering the details of their initial agreement that Kaname told him about.  

“And? Are you here to lecture me about it?” Zero spoke through gritted teeth. _Just what I need! Another one on my case. As if, Ichiru and his man were not enough._

“No. Certainly not!” Takuma replied fast.

“Good! If you are aware of what happened, then you should be aware that it is long over. Forget about it!” Zero instructed, wanting to end the conversation.

Takuma sighed in exasperation. Apart from work related matters and some Kaito-related issues; he never approached the hunter about his own personal matters. From his reaction, Takuma could see why Kaname was having hard time dealing with Zero.

“Kiryuu-kun… I did not mean to offend you by bringing it up. I am just trying to alleviate the tension going on between you and Kaname.” Takuma explained, “I am not interested in your side of the story either… Honestly speaking, I really do not care about what happened between you two as long as you are fine with it. I admit that it bothered me when I believed that Yuki-chan was still in the mix, but that is not the issue anymore… Looking at it from this new perspective, it is certainly not my place to judge.” He trailed, insinuating the fact that he was ‘secretly’ dating a hunter himself.

“What I am trying to say is… It would be great if you did not act so hostile towards him. I do not blame you for being angry, he did mess up big time during the inauguration ball, but he is really trying…” Takuma explained in a slightly pleading voice.

Zero tensed for a moment, uncomfortable at the idea of Takuma knowing about that incident. His squared shoulders relaxed shortly after and he ran his fingers through silver locks, exhaling a frustrated sigh. “It is not like I acted chummy with him before anyways. Things are just going back to the way they were, initially.”

“But he is not the same, and neither are you.” Takuma stated flatly.

Zero tensed at the words.

“Can you still insist that you are the same even after getting that close to him? Can you still insist that you did not enjoy his company to the point of leaving yourself that vulnerable, in front of him?... We both know that it is no joking matter to submit yourself in that manner to another man, especially when that person used to be your biggest enemy.” Emerald orbs gazed intensely into flickering violet eyes. 

“…” Zero looked away, his lips pressing into a thin line. He rested against the wall with hands inside his pockets, mumbling, “What is the point of getting along anyways. It is not like there any future for us.”

Takuma tilted his head, amusement twinkling in his eyes as his lips curled up, “All I am hearing is an intriguing confession.”

Zero raised a quizzical eyebrow at the statement.

“Are you saying that you are pushing because the only way you can get along with him is by being in a relationship? And since getting involved is too much of a burden, considering both your positions, you prefer keeping the wall you erected strong and solid between you two?” Takuma teased, enjoying the way Zero flustered and turned scarlet as he tried hard to deny his words.

“What are you saying? Like hell am I thinking of us being… that way! Besides… I am in-“ Zero stuttered.

The chuckling of Takuma made Zero want to punch the light out of the noble, who found amusement in teasing him. “I see that Kaito’s habits rubbed on you as well.” Zero grunted.

“Sorry… I couldn’t help it! That reaction was just priceless.” Takuma covered his quivering lips and took a deep breath, “At least, you know how uncomfortable it can get to be misunderstood.”

“I know that he is not that bad, and I am aware that he is trying to redeem himself… Although, ” Zero paused for a moment, taking a deep calming breath, “it is not entirely his fault that things escalated the way they did. But, I just can’t.” Zero shrugged.

The flat statement of the hunter caused a sudden change of demeanor in the noble vampire. Takuma took a deep breath and fixed him with a serious expression.

“I am, by no mean, aiming to jeopardize your personal life. All I want is the best for the two of you. If you really believe that being away from each other if the best outcome, you will have to drill it into his head yourself, Kiryuu-kun. He will not give up if all you are doing is pushing him away with snappy comebacks and hostile stance. You need to make it clear so that he can move on, just like you did. Nobody is aware of what he is going through because he is that good at hiding his pain. However, I know that he is not sleeping anymore. I know that he does not eat anymore. Although that should not affect him much since blood is enough for us to survive, I do not think he is having enough of it either. Pardon me for being inconsiderate, intrusive and downright rude Kiryuu-kun, but you are not the only one suffering here. I am glad to hear you admit that you both had hands in this messed up situation, but that is not enough.” Zero found himself unable to talk back, standing there and listening to the frustrated friend who voiced his worries, “I don’t remember the last time I saw him in that state, in fact, I think I never saw him reach that point, EVER. And I hate it! I hate seeing a great man like him sink into depression over feelings he cannot get rid of. Not that bad?...” Takuma gave a baffled laugh before continuing, “Beneath that indifferent façade, Kaname is a whole lot than a mere pureblood king in reclusion. You barely scratched the surface of the man named Kuran Kaname. Oh! And if you think that he is still the manipulative, power hungry man he was before the war, you are dead wrong. That was an act expected from him by the hyenas of the council. You are hurting a man who have been seeking redemption since the day he was reawakened. A man who was delighted when stripped of his influence as the leader of our race, instead of going into rage like any power hungry king.” He explained, emphasizing on the last words, “More than that, instead of living the lavish life of the King in reclusion he was supposed to pose as, Kaname busied himself with making this world a better place… He tried to make it up to the victims of the war by providing all orphans, hunters or vampires, with the financial support they needed until they come of age…” Takuma bragged.

“I figured as much.” Zero deadpanned, remembering the letter that the widow of the deceased hunter received.

“Did you figure out why there is so much blood available for pregnant vampires and ex-humans who have difficulties absorbing the fake blood?” Takuma inquired.

Zero frowned, not seeing what Takuma was getting at.

“He…” Takuma pointed to the door, referring to Kaname, “Set up a system in the hospital that he owns.”

“Owns?” Zero pondered.

“The one that Yagari-sensei was getting treated at.” Takuma explained.

Zero panicked internally for a second but relaxed soon after. He was lucky that the clinic he consulted was not directly affiliated with that specific establishment.

“Since vampires do not contract human’s diseases. Kaname decided to provide free treatment to those unable to afford it as long as they donated blood in exchange. Thus, that specific blood bank was established quickly.” The noble explained.

Zero was truly impressed by the benevolent act, but did not let it show. Instead, he scoffed, “No wonder that place was swarming with humans when it was originally targeting the treatment of vampires.”

“That is all you have to say?” Takuma asked.

Zero gave him a quizzical look “should I have said more?”

“You did not get my point, did you?” Takuma pointed.

“From your expression, I think not. All I hear is you singing his praise and making me out to be the jerk who broke his heart and moved on with his life.” Zero deadpanned, starting to get defensive.

Takuma sighed again, raising both hands in a defeated stance, “I am not provoking you here Kiryuu-kun. I was just trying to explain the roundabout way that an overly stoic and aloof man like Kaname tends to use in order to show that he cares, especially about you.”

“Well… I wish he would just give it a rest. It is pointless.” Zero groaned.

“Is it?” Takuma tilted his head. “Kiryuu-kun… Can you answer one last question, honestly?”

The hunter stilled again, waiting for the question.

“Are you in love with Moriya-sensei?”

Zero chuckled as he shook his head, “That was unexpected.”

“Can you answer me, truly?” Takuma insisted.

“I would not say that I am _in love._ But I am comfortable enough to consider a _future_ with him, and _our_ child.” Zero answered as sincerely as possible.

“So… You are not with him solely for the sake of your child?” Takuma inquired more.

The question shook the hunter slightly because it is the actual truth. No matter how unfair it seems, he could not deny that he was taking advantage of Gin’s feelings and kindness for the sake of his child.

Seeing that the hunter was not answering. Takuma decided not to push further. He sensed a familiar aura approaching and he took a deep breath.

“Very well! Since you made it clear that you do not have anything to do with Kaname, I would appreciate if you made the effort to get it through his head as soon as possible. That way, I will not have trouble managing his affairs once the trusted allies start pushing potential partners for marriage candidates.” Takuma leaned on the sink, crossing his arms, keeping a steady tone.

“What?” Zero was confused.

“What, what? You are aware that Yuki will be announcing her commitment to Shouto-sama, right?” Takuma pointed out.

“Yeah… But I thought that the matter will be kept confidential.” Zero clarified

“Confidential would mean that only the trusted allies would be aware of it. By trusted allies, I mean the families of the inner circle and others who would question the absence of the queen during future official functions. Having those people aware of the situation will allow us to cover the matter until Yuki-chan is out of danger.”

“I see…” Zero trailed,

“This will entail the knowledge that the King, Kaname has become an eligible bachelor. Therefore, many partners will seek him out, out of greed, love, or politics. Either way, it will not be long before he starts being pressured to take a royal consort to replace Yuki-chan. Even if Shouto-sama will marry into the Kuran registry, Yuki-chan will be abdicating her title of queen when separating from Kaname.” Takuma explained.

“What does this have to do with me?” Zero was confused as to why the noble was telling him all this.

“Nothing. I was just reassuring myself that you will not cause him any more turmoil when he finally finds someone else to settle down with. The only favor I am asking of you, would be that you shatter whatever hope he is holding about you two getting back together. Let’s face it, it would be easier to act friendly and normal when all boundaries are cleared up. No tension, No heartache! You can enjoy your life with the future family you will be blessed with, and Kaname can seek his own happiness with an eternal mate who truly deserves his loving heart. After all, I truly hate it when I see him taken for granted. Again, I am not picking a fight, I am just trying to put a dear friend out of his misery and no one other than you will be capable of doing it.” Takuma finished his explanation just in time with the door opening to Yuki and Kaito looking for Zero.

“Zero! Are you okay? Onii-sama asked me to take you back because you felt unwell.” The flustered Yuki hurriedly cupped Zero’s face and checked his complexion.

“The driver is waiting outside. I swear! The minute I take my eyes off, you go and-“ Kaito’s reprimanding, as he pointed to the empty flute, stopped when he noticed the restlessness of the hunter. “Screw it! Consider this the last mission you are taking.” He grunted, not flinching from the glare Zero shot him before storming out of the restroom. Yuki had hard time keeping up with his fast pace without looking ridiculous running in her gown.

Takuma sighed, regretting the way he phrased it. He did not expect the hunter to freeze that way. _One minute Kaname says that, he is moving on and that there was no point pursuing the hunter when he is rejecting him that strongly, the next I find him following the hunter and getting upset when seeing him hurt. One minute, Kiryuu-kun brushes off all speculation that he has the tiniest attachment to Kaname, the next, he pales at the prospect of him taking another partner. For the life of me, I will never understand how their brains function._

He mused as he reached the doorknob, but startled when he felt a strong chest pressing against his back along with a calloused hand gripping his wrist. He belatedly remembered that he was left alone with his lover.

“What was that all about?” Kaito asked, placing a hand on the door to prevent its opening.

“Hmm?” Takuma played the ignorant.

“Did that pureblood bastard tick him off as usual? What did he say?” Kaito inquired, venom dripping from his voice at the mention of Kaname.

Takuma sighed at the hostility of his lover towards his best friend, “Kiryuu-kun does not appreciate any form of kindness when it comes from Kaname.”

“Cannot blame him.” Kaito huffed, “He only saw misery at his hands.”

 _I am sure he saw far more than that as of late!_ Takuma thought internally, not bothering to voice any thought that would raise suspicion in the sharp mind of his lover.

Instead, he turned the doorknob, “Shall we resume our duties?” He announced in a playful tone that he hoped would appease the irritation of his lover.

“Before that, may I know the reason for that million dollars smile you had plastered on your face while that dirty leech was fondling your ass?” Kaito’s gruff voice relayed his irritation.

“Ahha ah hahahh!... you… you saw that… Geez” Takuma sweat dropped, alarms ringing everywhere about the incoming jealousy strike. . As much as he hated it, sexual harassment during such crowded parties is something he had to put up with forever.

Heck! He would be on the tabloids every week if he reacted to each direct or indirect flirting. He had to admit that the foreign executive was plain vulgar and persistent today. Even for the patient and diplomatic noble he was, it was a struggle to suppress the urge of blasting him to pieces. However, Takuma handling the matter smoothly was different from how a possessive and jealous Kaito would react. _This is why I hate going to parties that he monitors!_

“Kai!” He yelped when pushed against the door and feeling his belt being undone, “Wha…! What are you doing?”

“Disinfecting.” The hunter answered as he slid a hand to grope a bubbly cheek, making the vampire shiver at the direct touch.

“Stop… hnn… You know… he was …. just playing….” Takuma gasped the words as the other hand slid up his shirt and a hot mouth nibbled his earlobe while growling.

“The kind of games I hate.” Kaito hissed as he turned his lover around and slammed his back against the door. Takuma did not fight back when his hands were pinned above his head, nor when Kaito used the free hand to grip his neck. The hazel-eyed hunter tightened the grip over his lover’s neck in a menacing fashion, staring into glaring emerald orbs.

“It is not like I invited him for a private show or anything.” Takuma hissed back, keeping his chin up and his expression hard, challenging his ever-suspicious lover.

Few seconds ticked by before Kaito loosened his hold on the slender neck. His nostril flared in attempt to tame his fury. Takuma parted his lips in response to take in some air. His breath hitched when Kaito held his chin higher to make him look up. The hunter winced slightly at the teary eyes from lack of oxygen, knowing that he went too far, and feeling guiltier when his lover showed no resistance.

“It is not that I doubt you,” He whispered as his face inched closer, their lips close enough for breathes to mingle, but not enough to kiss, “I just hate the thought of any other touching you.” He let go of the hands that he caged and sighed when Takuma wrapped them around his neck while he initiated a sweet tender kiss, reflecting the gentle man who captured his petty heart.

“I hate it just as much if not more,” Takuma whispered in a shaky voice while rubbing their noses together, a small smile curling his lips, “Make me forget his disgusting touch, Kai…” he kissed him again while he directed Kaito’s hands to where he wanted them to touch, “Please?”. He exhaled softly in reaction to the pleasant caress. He moaned in Kaito’s mouth when the warm tongue slid and explored the inside of his mouth.  

 _We really should not be doing this here, at all!_ They both shared the same thought but dismissed it soon after.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the ballroom ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Kaname’s gaze followed Zero and Yuki as they left the premises, holding a frustrated sigh from escaping his lips in front of the vampires conversing with him. He was grateful for the young noble who approached him discreetly in order to relay a message.

Kaname nodded to the guests and excused himself to pull Nao towards a more private corner. He sat on the chair, listening to the prefect.  

“I just ended the call with Moriya-sensei, he sent his gratitude for informing him.” The prefect talked stiffly. He was already feeling uncomfortable coming to the party, if not for a persistent headmaster who ordered him to attend in order to get accustomed to his society. He did not expect Kaname to call on him, let alone giving him the task of informing the other man about Zero’s condition. Then again, he is practically the errand boy on campus when it came to communication between both sides.

“Thank you.” Kaname stated calmly. _If he is not taking anything I say seriously, maybe his ‘partner’ will get him to take care of himself better now that he knows about what happened._

 “By the way, what is your full name again?” Kaname asked as he crossed his legs elegantly and sipped on his wine. He gestured to the young man to sit opposite to him. He would do anything that will prevent him from dealing with the hyenas of the party for now, even if it is a silly conversation with a high schooler.

Nao fidgeted a bit before taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. _So much for not getting involved!_

“Uhm… As far as I can remember, they used to call me by a girl’s name, Naomi… A way of mocking me for… Uhm… I don’t know if Mama told you?” He gestured with his hands, trying to get his point across.

“About saving you from your oppressive family? Yes, she did. Although, I wonder how you knew that we talked about you.” Kaname confirmed, in reference to Rosa’s story and his lips curled up when facing the guilty look of the student, “I will not report that you broke the curfew if you continue talking.”

Nao nodded, “Yeah… After that, my name was changed to Naoto, but onii-san always calls me Nao, so it kind of stuck to everyone in the orphanage.”

“Onii-san? Another older orphan.” Kaname inquired, curiosity getting the best of him.

Nao kept silence, discomfort obvious in his stance.

Kaname sighed, not wanting to antagonize the child, “My apology… I did not mean to pry. I am just curious… She is an old acquaintance of mine who used to stay away from any business related to vampires. Therefore, her bona fide behavior when it comes to your case was quite intriguing.” He explained in a soothing voice, “Other than that, I am just using you as an excuse to not rejoin that crowd.” He added humorously, pointing to the guests, he was talking to. He wondered if the alcohol started to affect him, seeing the overfamiliarity he was displaying with the prefect. _I guess I drank one too many!_  

“Actually, it is more like having me imposed on her than saving me, at first that is.” Nao smiled at the nostalgia.

Looking into the curious eyes of the pureblood, he sipped on his juice before taking a deep breath as he clutched the glass, “I come from an aristocratic family who still lives according to the old rules. By that I mean, the survival of the fittest. They consider the children who do not display their elements early enough to join the ranks of nobility a disgrace. Those with no power, useless powers or unstable ones are disowned and sold into slavery.”

Kaname raised an eyebrow at the outdated thinking, “Isn’t the queen of the vampire’s community in Europe against this kind of practice.”

Nao gave him a tight smile, “There is so much a person can do. She is working hard enough to save those she could reach, but some families are quite good at hiding the heinous practice.”

“I see…” Kaname urged the child to continue, “So, you are telling me that you were put up the black market as a slave because they did not notice the nature of your element?”

“Something like that.” Nao nodded.

“and?”

“I was displayed in the bidding for sex slaves.” Nao deadpanned with a straight face that made Kaname wince at what is coming next.

“How old were you at that time?” The pureblood was getting himself ready for the horror.

“Six years old, seven maybe!” Nao shrugged, amused by the twitch of a brown eyebrow. “However, my fate changed unexpectedly during that ‘exhibit’”

Kaname interlaced his hands and fixed the child with a steady gaze, waiting to hear the rest.

“There were vampires as well as depraved humans who looked for novelties, human aware of our existence and intrigued by it.” Nao snorted, “Those with too much money to spare I guess.”

Kaname kept silent.

“The one who ended up bidding the highest price was quite the young man, unlike the old reeking pigs around. I was surprised that a fine looking man had such interest at the time. I later learned that he sold the deed of a castle to buy me. My first thoughts were that he was a fool. However, the overzealous young man never laid a perverted hand on me. Quite the opposite, he taught me how to value myself, how to defend myself, and more importantly, how to appreciate everything about myself. He literally healed the emotional scarring from the bullying during the first years of my existence.”

“Could this person be the onii-san you were talking about?” Kaname asked, surprised by the turn of the story.

Nao nodded, pride shining in his dark eyes, which dulled with his following words “He was kind, caring and generous. He can be strict and insufferable at times, but made me into who I am today and I am eternally grateful for that.”

“Where is this person now?” Kaname inquired. From what Nao told him, he conjured the possibility that this man could be the same person who put up the barrier that prevented him from accessing the orphanage. There was no way this person was a mere rich human if they managed to teach a vampire the right way to survive.

“He is not with us anymore.” Nao answered, biting the inside of his cheek.

“I am sorry. I did not mean to remind you of any grief.” Kaname spoke curtly.

“No!” Nao shook his head in a dismissing gesture, “He is alive, but left our side few years ago. After saving me, we traveled for some time before he introduced me to Mama. The three of us came back here and set up the orphanage.”

 _Bingo!_ Kaname thought inwardly.

“Once he made sure that we were doing well. Mama and he decided that it was high time to set off on his own, leaving the nest for good. That sort of thing.” Nao mumbled, clearly displeased with the memory.

“May I know the name of this man? He seems to be quite the legend.” Kaname tested the water. A name would be a starting point to uncover the identity as well as the whereabouts of a potential enemy.

Nao stiffened at the request, suddenly stammering and looking away from the pureblood. He cringed internally because he did not mean to peak the pureblood’s curiosity to that extent. He could always give a fake name, but was it worth it?

“Nao-“ *Ring**Ring**Ring*

His phone interrupted his inquiry. Flipping the device, his eyebrow knitted at the fact that Yuki was calling him.

“Yuki?”

Upon hearing the worrisome news, Kaname missed the look of relief on the prefect’s face.  

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Meanwhile, in the car with Yuki ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The female pureblood pushed the switch to raise the divider of the limousine. Glancing at her grumpy brother whose face was glued to the tinted window; she placed her hands on her knees and tilted her head to see his expression.  

“I am sure that he said it out of worry, Kaito-san surely did not mean it in that extreme way.” She tried reassuring, guessing that the last remark of the hazel-eyed hunter caused the current foul mood.

“Who cares! I screwed up anyways.” Zero shrugged.

“Ne… Zero… Why don’t you hold off on your hunter’s duties until after the baby is born? You only have a couple of months before your belly pops out and start finding it hard to get up from a sofa. Might as well stop now and pick it up when you are back in shape.” She reasoned with her brother, knowing fully how important it is for Zero to prove his identity as a hunter through missions.

With a palm against his mouth, Zero mumbled in a way that Yuki almost missed half of the words, “Because I am planning to retire from being a hunter.”

“Pardon?” Yuki blinked, ready to swear that she heard him wrong.

“It won’t be easy to take care of my son while juggling between my company and my hunter’s duty. Besides, being a hunter means that my life would be in constant danger. I would like to see my son grow up happy and healthy first, with me around to support him until he becomes an independent man. Then, I might think of resuming my duties as a hunter.” Zero explained as he turned to face a stunned Yuki whose mouth gaped like a fish.

“wo… Wow! I… never expected that.” She stammered. Her heart swelling at the sight of one of Zero’s rare tender smile. “You really thought this through, didn’t you?”

“You bet.” He quipped, rubbing his tiny bump. “I know it is reckless of me to expose myself to danger now. However, I do feel stronger than ever and I want to make the most of it before I have to put that part of me to sleep for so many years to come.”

“Did Moriya-san ask you to do this?” Yuki was still skeptical about the sudden decision.

Zero scoffed at that, “You think I would decide just because he asked. In fact, you are the first to learn about this decision of mine.” He pointed a finger to press on the small nose of his grinning sister.

“If that is the case, I will help you reduce the repercussion of your greedy craving of tonight,” she chirped happily.

Zero rolled his eyes and looked out of the window as he spoke, “Yeah right! I will probably have the longest lectu- GET DOWN!”

 

*Blasting sound of an explosion*

 

In the stillness of the night, along the road of the dark highway surrounded by lush forest on either side. The sky suddenly illuminated by the flames blasting from the once prestigious limousine. The vehicle became nothing more than charred scraps of metal.

In the serene surrounding, the only odd sight apart from it are the two dark shapes hovering a distance away.

*cough* *cough* *cough* “Tanaka-san! Are you okay?” Yuki called out to her chauffeur.

The old man poked a hand from the ball of butterflies keeping him afloat, “Thanks to you Yuki-sama!” He shifted slightly in a way that they seemed like a small cloud cushioning him.

“Thank goodness” Yuki let out a sigh of relief as she kept flapping her wings lazily.

“I am not okay though!” Zero grunted, “Blood is rushing to my head if you did not notice.” He spoke flatly.

“Oh! Sorry!” She quickly hovered farther from the fire and descended on the grass, delicately landing the hunter she grabbed before flying out of the vehicle.

“Why go for the leg anyway?” Zero complained as he stood up and dusted his clothes. One minute he was maintaining a barrier, the next he found himself hanging midair, upside down and staring at a ball of flames.

“Because… I was scared of hurting the baby if I grabbed your waist.” Yuki puffed her cheek after she brought the driver down to the safe ground.

“Err?! Last time I checked, I have a perfectly functioning pair of hands.” Zero stated as his moved his hands in a demonstrating gesture.

“OH! That completely slipped my mind.” Yuki exclaimed, slamming a fist in a palm to add more sarcasm, “As if I have the time to decide which limb to grab! Be grateful that it was not your hair but your leg.” She grounded as she slammed on her phone to dial the first number, “Hello! Onii-sama! We have a bit of a situation around here. Can you bring Nao-chan along?...” She paused to listen, but quickly interrupted, “No! There are no major injuries; Tanaka-san might have sustained some burns from the explosion.”

She winced at the raised voice of the pureblood, “The thing is …” She gave him a briefing about what just happened while Zero cocked Bloody Rose and swiped the entourage for any suspicious movement.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back in the restroom ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“Hnngh…haa… haa…AH! mph!”

“SHHH!... do you want them to hear us.” Kaito whispered against the sweaty nape of his lover’s neck while stirring inside him with not so gentle thrusting. He covered the moaning mouth as he gripped the hips of the quivering body he pressed against the door, relishing in the way Takuma swayed his waist to meet him half way with equal vigor. While the hand covering the panting mouth travelled down to a taut stomach, the other travelled upwards to tease the heaving chest and push against it.

In his hazy mind, Takuma could only recognize the sound of Kaito’s hips snapping against his rear and the jolts of pleasure it brought as he hit that spot that made him see stars in daylight. The hands he braced against the door slowly pulled away as Kaito lifted his chest up from the bending position. The vampire found his back pressed against the barely clothed chest of his lover, their hearts thrumming against one another.

A sweet whimper from his delirious lover made Kaito lean and turn his face sideway to steal a soothing kiss from the luscious mouth.

“Mmmngh! Whose fault is it that I… Ahnn… keep…m…my voice… do-nghh….” Takuma moaned against Kaito’s lips. He grabbed the arm circling his shoulder as his lover pulled one of his leg up, changing the angle to a more torturous pace. The noble vampire completely forgot the purpose of coming to this party and whom he was supposed to meet and the matters to discuss after tasting the passion that Kaito poured in his lovemaking.

He might have gotten better at handling his jealousy strikes, but resisting his temptation was the one thing he failed miserably.

“Ah! Kait… I am… uhhnn…” The closeness of his release made his words incoherent as he shook violently. The hoarse voice panting next to his ear sent goosebumps across his skin, “Me too… Close…”

 *Ring**Ring**Ring*

“Kai… my phone” Takuma gasped…. “Kaname.. AH! mphhh”… Kaito increased the pace without warning.

“Fuck the phone and fuck him…” He grunted, biting the nape of a fair neck.

*Hard and continuous knocking on the door*

Both lovers froze immediately, “Sorry to interrupt the pleasant time, but there is an emergency. Yuki and Kiryuu-kun are under attack and we need to go on location ASAP. I sent the map, take the car and bring Nao-kun along with the one who should fuck himself instead.” Kaname’s sarcastic voice made Takuma’s eyes widen in horror.

After Kaito awkwardly pulled out of his lover, they scurried around, wearing their clothes in a haste. “Way to kill a boner… That bastard!” Kaito gritted as he zipped his pants and buttoned up his shirt.

“Is this really the time?” Takuma rolled his eyes, having fixed his attire faster thanks to his speed.

Opening the door, he paled when he found the young prefect leaning against the opposite door. Takuma jolted when Kaito urged him to get out. When hazel eyes met the dark one of the blushing student, he groaned, “Is there anyone left in the academy who did not hear or see us fuck-“ He clammed up when a pair of incensed emerald orbs met him before the noble vampire stormed down the corridor. _I guess we are in for another dry spell!_

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the vicinity of the accident ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Having teleported instantly after giving out the instructions. Kaname slowed down midair to look for the familiar auras. He did not have trouble pinpointing them since they were both emitting menacing vibes to stall the cowardly enemy.

Upon arriving on top of the burning vehicle, Kaname descended slower than ever for one reason. On the ground, glaring back at him with angry undying flames was a triquetra pattern.

Eyes narrowing on the intertwined curves, he felt a disturbing pressure zipping from his forehead to the back of his head.

_********Inside Kaname’s head._

_“Undying flames?” Kaname’s own voice resonated in his head._

_“Amazing right?” A cheerful female chirped._

_“I don’t see the point of such a flashy display.” Kaname dismissed._

_“Only a dark gloomy idiot would believe so.” An impudent, yet childish tone caught his attention._

_Footsteps and the crunching of drying grass along with a baritone voice quietened the quarrelling, “Come on now… We all agreed on this. Now that it is up there, let us just gaze and be proud of it. A glow etched on the tallest walls that will make them think twice before attempting-“_

_********_

Pressing on his temple, his feet finally hit the ground while he shook his head to chase away the voices haunting him, only for another recently memory to spring up.

_“Might as well have a look at the archive concerning the triumvirate of that time”_

“Onii-sama?” Yuki tugged on his sleeve, worried at the dazed look on his face.

“Are you okay?” Kaname asked as he patted her head and wiped the black smudge on her cheek.

“Um… I am fine… Thankfully, Zero is unscathed as well thanks to the barrier he erected around us just in time. Tanaka-san, however, got singed by the flames.” Yuki explained while pointing to the driver holding his arm. “The weird thing is that even with my blood, he is not healing and I could not manage to put out the flames either.” Kaname watched as the yellow color danced in her red-brown eyes while she stared at the burning vehicle.

He turned around to look at the damaged area. A lone figure greeted him. He walked up to the hunter. Standing side by side, they kept silent for a moment before Zero spoke.

“They started moving earlier than expected.” Kaname did not miss the tightening clutch over bloody rose from the corner of his eyes.

“The question here, who was their target?” The pureblood finished the thought of the hunter.

“Hard to tell.” Zero answered while tugging a hand in his pocket and straining his neck to look at the ascending smoke, “The spell came towards my side, however…”

“However?” Kaname urged when the hunter paused.

“It was flickering, wobbling if the word could apply.” Confused amethyst eyes met focused brown orbs, “As if it has a mind of its own. A light flickering and hovering. It was only when I noticed it that it launched in our direction. No matter how you look at it…”

“It is a message, not an actual attack.” Kaname stated.

Zero nodded, “I had plenty of time to set up a barrier even in my weakened state. Yuki panicked too much, but if she was level headed, she might have gotten us out of the car much earlier. Nonetheless, she was able to blast the roof and take not only me but the driver as well.” Zero narrowed his eyes, trying to wrap his head around the fast-paced events. He glanced at the flames and talked without looking at Kaname, “All I see is a warning, of what to expect. An enemy who mastered the combination of hunter’s spell and vampire’s elements. I only read about this kind of flame in the books and records. The Undying flames. The remuneration from using such a combination of hunter and vampire magic is so dangerous that no sane person would attempt the practice anymore.”

Kaname kept listening to the hunter all while going through the bits and pieces surging in his head. Moments later, two cars coming from different directions pulled up in front of them.

“That was fast!” Zero exclaimed, he added when looking at a confused Kaname, “Oh! I called them while Yuki was calling you.”

“Oh! Right.” Kaname nodded and greeted Cross, Yagari and Gin who apparently drove them over using Zero’s car. The taller man quickly rushed to Zero’s side checking for any injury.

“I am A-okay! What brings you here anyways?” Zero asked, surprised to see him.

“I invited him to dinner since you were coming late from the mission.” Cross interrupted, “He was by my side when you called and insisted on coming.”

“Are you sure you are okay?” Gin tightened his grip on Zero’s shoulder, shaking him.

“I might start feeling sick if you do that for thirty more seconds. Now, if you will excuse me, fussy one, I have an investigation to conduct.” Zero finally pushed Gin to join the injured driver whom Nao was catering to already.

Kaito and Takuma did not waste time to join in. However, Zero could not keep his mouth shut about the smell the two gave off, leading to a scarlet red Takuma.

By the time that the forensics squad reached, the flames were no longer burning and they were able to take enough samples of the charred residues for their analysis.

“All right!” Yagari clapped to get everyone’s attention, “Crowding here might bring unnecessary attention and we have nothing more we need from the scene, we are moving this meet up somewhere else.” he pointed a thumb to the messily parked cars, insinuating a longer debate back at the association.

Zero looked over his shoulder, “Gin!”

“…”

“GIN~!” He called out again, frowning at the man standing like a stature in front of the ashes of the once called limousine. Nao noticed them and poked him back to awareness.

“Yes!”

“Good morning!” Zero quipped, “You have my car keys, right?”

“Yes.” Gin nodded, still unfocused.

“Good! You will drive Yuki, Nao-kun and Tanaka-san back to the academy. I am going with Kaito. Don’t wait up for me.” Zero dismissed as he walked away after getting an easy agreement from the ethic teacher.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ On the way back to the campus ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Gin insisted on driving despite the plea of the chauffeur. Tanaka sat in the passenger seat, recovering thanks to Nao’s treatment. As if exhausted from the adrenaline rush, Yuki passed out sleeping in the passenger seat, using the prefect’s shoulder as a pillow.

Nao, on the other hand, had his eyes glued on the driver all the way back to the Academy. When they finally reached their destination, Tanaka guided the drowsy Yuki to the residence’s gate where her maid welcomed her with her daughter. As for the prefect, Gin dropped him in front of the dormitory.

“We are here. Do you need me to talk to your dorm supervisor?” Gin spoke without looking back.

“No” Nao answered slowly, “I have a written permission.”

“For once.” Gin trailed as he tapped on the steering wheel.

Instead of opening the door and leaving the vehicle, Nao maneuvered and switched to sitting at the passenger seat.

“You should go get some rest. You have classes early tomorrow.” Gin spoke flatly.

“I will probably sleep through half of them anyways, thanks to the chairman’s _order._ ” Nao scoffed.

“It is for your own good.” Gin reprimanded the sarcastic tone.

“Yeah~ I heard that catchy phrase before.” The prefect bit back, glaring at the man who would not meet his eyes.

“Nao-“ Gin started, squeezing the handle.

“Don’t… Just don’t… I am not about to hear your lengthy lecture…” Nao raised a hand as he shook his head in exasperation, “I just wanted to tell you one thing. Whatever you are assuming is wrong. She is not the one behind this.”

“I am afraid that we do not agree on that point.” Gin responded with a hard expression.

“Why? Because she does not matter to you anymore?” Nao took on the sarcastic tone, “Like the way that you do not bother looking my way, as if I don’t exist as well.”

“NAO, THAT IS ENOUGH!” Gin finally looked at the teenager with anger and pain twisting his face.

“Yeah! It is enough… That look on your face really says it all Nii-san.” He sighed, “I have had enough as well, I have had enough of hoping that you would acknowledge me, that you would come back to the family once again. However, we both know that some bonds cannot be severed that easily. You taught me that no matter how torn apart we end up, we will always look out for each other. I believe that those were the words of the man, who took me from the clutches of hell itself. The man I spent months and years travelling across mountains and deserts, discovering what I have never dreamt of seeing through the prison walls I lived in before he plucked me. I am sorry. I guess that man is long gone for all I see here is a creature who enjoys posing as something he is not. A disgusting hypocrite.”

Gin remained silent, listening to every words without reacting at all. Once the frustration poured out of the dark haired boy, Nao took a deep breath and looked ahead of him. The campus was dark and quiet. Few lights were still on and the stars shone at their brightest in the dark sky.

“She is not the one behind the attack, Nii-san. There is no use barging in with baseless accusation.” He spoke again, softly, “She does not want you anywhere near her.”

Naoto was probably the only one noticing Gin’s agitation back there because he is the only one who made out the purple flower sitting in the middle of the ashes before it vanished.

“Well that is surprising. Seeing the lengths she went through to summon me before.” Gin mocked.

“She is not summoning you this time. I am sure that the message was meant for someone else.” Nao insisted

“Someone important to me that she intended to harm and might still pursue the purpose.” Gin started the engine again, “you should head to your room. This does not concern you.”

“For goodness’s sake, can the both of you be anymore annoying. This does not concern you! Don’t get involved! Don’t get close to him! Can someone give a thought to this person sitting here watching you going at each other like dogs when you are supposed to help each other out?”

“That person is better off heeding the advice they are given.” Gin deadpanned, reaching a hand to open Nao’s door. It never made it far as Nao grabbed his wrist and twisted it.

“I am not going anywhere.” His eyes glowed red and his body language showed how miffed he was, “As the one who raised me, you should know that I do not take back my words easily. I am stopping you or coming with you, it depends on what you have to say.”

The corners of Gin’s trembling lips curled up slightly, fighting an amused smirk. He missed the petulant attitude of the boy, as problematic as if might get.

“Pull out your phone.” He ordered the confused boy, “Pull out your phone and take out the battery.” He added as he drove away and out of the campus.

Naoto did as asked. He paled when he saw the added circuitry embedded in his device.

“Is this?”

“It is exactly what you think it is.” Gin confirmed his suspicions.

“You mean that someone tapped my phone, why?” Nao wondered.   

“The answer is quite simple. Once she put a leash on, she would never take it off again.” He answered, jaw locked and expression stern, foreign to his usual cheerful attitude.

Once he regained his composure, Naoto looked at him with a passive expression. He let out a long sigh, worried about the prospect of the encounter.  

“Do you even know where you are going?” Naoto asked.

“You tell me.” Gin responded.

“Should I?”

“Just a yes or no. I don’t have the time for useless gibberish. Is she still _there?_ ” Gin asked firmly, eyes glued to the road.

“Yes.”

“Perfect.”

The black haired teen grabbed the security handle when Gin sped up and glanced at him with a weary look. _I don’t know what is going on, but I am not liking this, not one bit._

 “You should not be doing this, you know that?” Nao tried a persuasive approach.

“That is none of your business.” Gin grounded.

“Really? I guess not when you threw me away like an old rag.” Nao retorted with contempt in his voice.

“I did not.” Gin whispered

“That should make me believe you…. pff… Never mind, she has nothing to do with this, you should turn around and go back.” The prefect grabbed the wrist to get him to slow down, which he did.

“I am afraid we cannot agree on that. Your phone is enough proof” Gin kept talking in an eerily calm way.

“This is ridiculous.” Nao spoke through a baffled laugh, “What a way to reunite” He enunciated the words.

“Nao…”

“Don’t! I don’t want to hear any of it.”

“Nao… you are overthinking like always.” Gin let out an exasperated sigh. The last thing he needed was an angry teenager blaming his misery on him.

“Oh really? You might be right, I am probably going through a rebellious stage after meeting the last person I expected to see on the face of earth, who by the way, pretended I did not even exist. How do you think I felt seeing you enter that classroom and presenting yourself as _Moriya Gin?_ ” The prefect’s voice shook, taking the edge of his sarcasm.

“I ERASED MYSELF FOR THE SAKE OF THE THREE OF US! As long as I remained who I truly am, none of us will know what peace feels like.” Gin finally snapped, slamming on the steering wheel, “What did I get in return?”

“BULLSHIT!” Nao snapped back, “You did nothing for our sake, you are just a coward who tosses his people away because your poor little spoiled sister ringed you after yeaaaars of no communication saying that she _needed_ you. What did you do? Pack up and say goodbye… Oh wait… You did not even bother saying goodbye.”

“It had to be done.” Gin gritted, “Rosa explained everything already.”

“Well I can’t accept it. I WON’T ACCEPT IT! You were a wanderer, a traveler I get that. I am used to you going away for months after you left me with her. However, changing your identity, suppressing yourself and posing as someone, something you are not. I will never accept that, not from the man who taught me how to be true to myself, not from the man who saved me and showed me that there is a better world out there where I can actually live as the person I am. You are not that man anymore, you are nothing but a pathetic hypocrite douche who wants to preserve the lie he is living. You have no right to judge her; neither condemn her about what she does when you are no better. Now, you will turn around and go back to live the lie.” Nao was breathless at the end of his speech.

“I don’t think so…” Gin stated flatly, as he stepped on it,

“She is not provoking you! Can’t you see that?” Nao screamed at the top of his lungs.

“Well no… I don’t see it that way. All I see is that when I finally found a semblance of _normal_ life after throwing off the luggage of my past, I find myself tangled in the very mess I stirred away from. First my relatives? I took it in strides and kept a leveled head. However, to actually ambush and attack my partner who is pregnant with a child? That is just low.”

“She does not know.” Nao insisted.

“She does!”

“I never told her.”

“She knows.”

Nao clenched his fist as he flopped back on his seat, “This is messed up. It is obvious that he was not the target. How would she even know he was leaving in that specific car?”

“By keeping tabs on your damn phone, and a targeting spell.” Gin cursed, at his limits.

“What? How are you sure that she is the one who did it. This phone was not provided by the orphanage in the first place.”

 “As I said. Once she put a leash on, she never _ever_ take it off. You take it from here.”

“What? Woah… Crap!” The teen struggled to stabilize the vehicle after Gin left the driver seat and jumped out of it while it was still running. Once the crisis passed, Nao parked it outside the orphanage, sighing when Gin was already out of sight. A soft chuckle escaped his lips, _she really knows you best when she said that you could not keep hiding forever._

Inside the orphanage, in the spacious living room, the old woman managing the place looked out of the window when the barrier shook tremendously. The corner of her lips curled up slightly as she made her way to the entrance.

It did not take long for the door to get smashed open and for her guest to pin her to the nearest wall by the throat. The fact that her legs were dangling loosely and her breath being greatly restricted did not faze her while her features rejuvenated. Almond shaped violet eyes stared into angry gray ones with enough amusement to flare Gin’s temper even more.

“My… my! I was not expecting you so soon.” She whispered the chocked words.

“You should be, when you pull that kind of stunt. So this is the conflict that you were talking about?”

Rosa did not answer, but kept smiling instead. Amusement twinkled in her eyes.

 “Well thank you.” Gin continued in a cadenced tone as he grabbed the hand touching his wrist to slam it against the wall, “Little did I expect that the person getting in my way would be one of my own?” he breathed the words, with his face too close to comfort that her silver bangs swayed from his breath.

“This has nothing to do with you.” Rosa deadpanned, using her other hand to prop herself with the ornamental table and reduce the chocking sensation. “You were at the wrong place at the wrong time.” Her eyes spoke more than the words escaping her choked throat.

“I beg to differ. I was there at the right time and at the right place, to figure out your dirty plan of attacking him behind my back. Especially after knowing that he is weaker and carrying a child, _my child.”_ Gin emphasized on the last part as he let go of the stunned shorter woman.

Apart from her eyes widening for a fraction of second, Rosa kept her composed expression, never showing any sign of discomfort. Gin noticed the flickering stare directed over his shoulder. He frowned at the action, not used to the woman who knew no fear letting her emotions slip even briefly.

It did not take him long to understand the reason when a hand rested on the back of his head. He did not waste time to slap it away when he felt a strong pressure against his scalp, intense enough to make his eyes tear up.

The culprit took two steps back, putting a distance between them as Gin turned to face them.  

 “Now… now… That is no way to treat a lady. This stray dog sure knows how to bite the hand that fed him.” The feminine voice of the tall woman standing in front of him did not faze him as much as the way she looked.

Gin startled again when she vanished and appeared in front of him, her palm slapped against his forehead. The searing pain jolted him again, but he did not push her away. Instead, he took a deep breath and opened his eyes to glare into hers for a moment. The smirk tracing his lips confused her before she jolted in turn from the burning sensation that ran across her arm.

“Who are you?” She hissed as she took a couple of steps back, cradling her arm. _I cannot get into his head?!!_

“Oh! look who we have here… The tall chick from the hospital. It makes more sense now.” Gin spoke lightly as he caught his breath.

“Who are you?” She asked again.

“Shouldn’t you introduce yourself first before asking?” Gin stalled, trying to wrap his head around the situation. He looked around, noticing how empty and quiet the building was.

“That is way above your paygrade.” She mocked.

Seeing that Rosa was amused by the interaction, Gin let out an exasperated sigh. _She has no plan of stepping in._

If his hunch was on point, he could be looking at the real culprit behind the attack. However, the woman did not seem that dangerous. A person who did not really fit the profile of a villain. Rosa would be more qualified in that aspect.

He leaned against the wall, and acted laid-back despite having his guard up. “Fine! Winner,” He pointed to himself, “Loser,” he pointed to the tall woman in reference to her failure in retrieving any information from his head. _It is safe to assume that she is a pureblooded vampire and a loser._

She gritted her teeth, annoyed by his haughty attitude. _Who does he think he is?_

She threw her hair over her shoulder and held her sculpted waist with one arm, on which she rested the elbow of the other. Her red stained lip curled up from beneath neatly manicured nails. “Seppie.” She spoke with a confident, velvety tone.

“Gin. Moriya Gin.” He answered, ignoring the accidental snort Rosa let out before she looked away from both of them.

Seppie and Gin stared at each other for a moment before she asked her question again.

“Who are you?”

“I answered that question.” Gin answered again. He did not show it, but she intrigued him greatly. From his experience, he developed a sharp instinct when it comes to picking up the vibe of his opponent. However, Seppie’s actions and words contradicted each other. Sure, she oozed confidence and grace, but she did not seem malicious nor kind hearted, which kept him on his toes as to how he could approach her.

Rosa’s lax attitude in her presence did not tell him much. The silver haired woman could be found sipping tea and eating her ginger cookie in the middle of a bloody war for all he cares. It was ironic seeing the appearance that she enjoyed the most. Being a shapeshifter, Gin has yet to see her true identity and he was certainly not interested.

“What are you?” Seppie’s voice snapped him out of his musing.

“That would be none of your business. As a matter of fact, I would appreciate if you stopped beating around the bush and got right to the point.” Gin kept an even tone.

Seppie smiled, “I want you to hand over the carrier.”

Gin frowned. “Carrier?”

“My asset that you took the liberty of claiming as your own.” She explained.

“Zero is not an asset or a thing to claim nor hand over.” Gin hissed.

“That is not for you to judge. It is bad enough that you had to impregnate it with your filthy seed; do not make my life any harder.” she snorted, disgust lacing her tone.

“That depends on what you are planning to do with him.” Gin decided to act cooperative when he noticed the underlying threat.

“Well… You have to earn the trust in order to become a confidant.” her eyes twinkled when feeling the ball rolling her way. Tapping a manicured finger on her lips, “Maybe we can start checking what is in that head of yours.”

“I am afraid that my head is off limit.” Gin answered with as much calm and composure.

“We can always do something about it.” She stepped closer and extended her hand in direction of the unflinching man, only for it to be stopped by Rosa.

“We have an agreement.” The shorter silverette reminded her.

Yanking her wrist away, “Hand him over.”

“Denied!” Gin replied in a military fashion.

“I can wait until your child is born.” She suggested.

“Makes no difference. You can’t have him, harm him, or go near him. Not on my watch.” He iterated.

“What can a dog choking on his leash do to oppose me? All barks and no bite.” She challenged.

“Plenty.” Gin chucked his hands in his pocket and pushed his chest, oozing confidence.

The corner of Rosa’s lips curled up a bit.

Exasperated, the older woman stepped closer, leaving few inches between them so that she only had to tilt her chin up to be at eye level.

“Coming out here to spout rubbish about protecting someone when you don’t even have the power to do so is just… ludicrous.” She mocked, “Well… Consider yourself lucky. If not for your back up, I would have disposed of a pest like you in the blink of an eye. Now… You have two choices…. You either walk away, and keep to yourself while I do my business, or… You are in for a lot, and I mean a _lot_ of pain… Think about it.” She instructed before pointing a finger to the wrecked entrance.

Gin sized the woman up and down before smirking as he pushed his back off the wall and headed to the door.

Both women watched his back as he went down the stairs of the porch, but stopped a little distance away from the house.

The taller woman twisted a lock around her fingers as she spoke, “If you are going through the trouble of taking such lackeys, you could have put more effort in disciplining them.”

Rosa, while amusement never left her face, answered, “No lackeys… They are my children.” Her gaze landed on the broad back again before shifting to see Naoto coming his way.

Moments later, her lips shaped into a full grin.

From his standpoint, Naoto watched as Gin removed the ring from his finger, and inhaled sharply. The air suddenly trembled in time with the movement of his lips. Before they stopped moving, a crushing sound resonated when Seppie went through the wall and found herself sprawled on the lawn at the feet of the man she was degrading.

Miffed, she moved faster than what the naked eye could see, lunging at Gin’s neck. However, the air was knocked out of her lungs the moment she was close enough to wring his neck. She felt restrained, trapped and the amused eyes that met her sent a chill down her spine. The smell of danger made her stiffen when she noticed the change in his aura. She tried to free herself, but the grass below her feel glowed from a restraining spell.  

 “Hunter?!” She hissed, distaste obvious in her voice.

“Close enough but not quite the word.” Gin snickered, which made her freak out internally when she finally understood what she was dealing with.

“You’re a-“

“Do not cross me. This is a warning.” Gin grabbed her chin, and narrowed the distance between them more. “I may be a dog, but remember this. I am a dog whose bark did not lose its bite, so you had better be careful before thinking of harming my dear ones… You have two choices, you either leave us alone, or you are in for a lot, and I mean a _lot_ of pain… Think about it!” He pushed her head roughly before letting go of her chin, which made her stumble back and out of the restraining spell.

Seppie took a deep breath as she watched him walk out of the premises. Nao chuckled at her stunned look and followed him.

The tall woman was beyond furious. Without looking back, she waited for her daughter to speak.

“I guess we need to find another hideout after this little stunt.” Rosa sighed as she looked at the hole in the wall.

“Why were you keeping something like that around?” The older woman ordered an explanation.

“I kept nothing. He came at his own volition and left at his own volition. We hold no ties to one another.” She deadpanned with a bored expression.

“It has better be the case, especially if you are aware of his nature.” Seppie gave a stern look at the amused silverette.

“The worst enemy of your kind, I know.” Rosa chuckled, “Which you managed to upset in less than five minutes, impressive. Well… He is not one to pose a threat as long as you do not cross him. He tends to keep his word.”

“Whatever!” The guest scoffed, looking at her dirty outfit, “I need a shower.” She stomped back to the house.

“Ah! I don’t think that’s a good ide-“ Rosa called out to her but winced when sparks of lighting surged and Seppie flew back to her side with more charred clothes. “I was going to tell you that it was not a good idea because he is the one who erected the barrier and he had expelled you out when you went through the wall.”

Glaring up at the standing woman, the miffed vampire flopped on the grass with arms spread wide open, “You could have said that earlier. What now?”

“The next location. Let me make a few phone calls first. I am afraid you will have to wait here while I do so.” Rosa had to control her snickering as she heard the whining of her mother all the way from inside the house. _I would have expected him to react differently when meeting her. Then again, no living being is predictable. Whether this is yet another unpleasant coincidence or a piece of the puzzle falling into place is a matter only time could reveal._

_Oh well~ better hurry! If he came that fast, the other will not take long to follow suit._

She dialed the number, holding back the glee from her voice as she spoke formally.  

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder if anyone suspected that Gin is related to Rosa and Nao, and that the woman he called master at the police department was in fact Rosa XD let me know, please.
> 
> The mystery woman has a name now, YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!! Is the name good, or should I think of another :p
> 
> What did Zero really think when Takuma talked him into crushing Kaname’s hope? That will be answered in the coming chapters XD.
> 
> As I said, shout outs and replies will be late this time. I hope you forgive me this time :((
> 
> See you next chapter.
> 
>  


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse the pile of mistakes and typos, I did not reread this chapter but still wanted to post it as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy it :D

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the association’s headquarter ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 “…me-kun”

_“No matter when or where, we will find each other”_

“…name-kun”

_*breathy chuckle* “The time will come to pay for our sins; I just hope that it comes sooner than later. Until then, redemption is the only way out. Insanity is our worst enemy after all.”_

“Kaname-kun!” The voice of Kaien Cross finally reached the pureblood’s ear in time with an elbow nudge from the silver hunter sitting next to him.

“Yes?” The brunet responded abruptly.

“Do you have any observation you would like to add before we classify these information and send it to the investigation squad?” Yagari asked in a gruff voice, annoyed by the indifferent attitude of the vampire, “Or would you rather go back to your royal place and sip on your expensive wine?”

“To-“ Cross was about to complain when Kaname cleared his throat.

“No… I believe there is nothing more to add seeing the little clues we currently have. I will keep you updated if anything new comes up from our end. Ichijou will be handling the communications as usual.” Kaname answered with enough composure to make up for his brief inattention. He might be on better terms with the one-eyed hunter, but he was aware that the trust is very fragile to allow any slip.

“Very well… This will wrap up the meeting. I am sorry for dragging you guys from the comfort of your sleep and keeping the tired one awake until now. Expect a summon as soon as we find out more about this incident. Let’s call it a night!... or a day…” Yagari announced as he slowly rose from his seat and checked his watch. It was already early morning.

The scrapping of chairs and murmurs filled the previously calm room as hunters, vampires and detectives stood to take their leave.

“Thank you…” Kaname leaned and whispered to Zero, who was rearranging the notes he wrote.

“You’re welcome…” He whispered back without looking at the vampire, “It is rare for you to zone out like that.”

“Yeah… I guess.” Kaname trailed as he stood with his usual grace. “You should get some rest as well, though. You need it the most.”

“Um… I will go as soon as Kaito finishes his errands.” Zero mumbled.

“Do you need me to drive you? In case, Takamiya-kun takes too long. Ichijou will be driving.” Kaname suggested in a reassuring manner.

“I appreciate the offer, but I already made the arrangements with Kaito.” Zero finally looked at the vampire with a friendly expression, unlike the venom-filled glare he sent his way lately.

“Understood.” Kaname nodded and turned around to leave in time with an alarmed secretary storming inside the room.

“Mr. President! I believe we have a situation that requires immediate attention.” The woman hurried to Yagari’s side, interrupting his talk with Cross when she shoved an envelope between them.

The remaining people in the room stilled at the alarmed tone. They watched the one eyed hunter pulling what looked like a page from a newspaper as well as a couple of photographs.

Zero felt as if a rock fell in the pit of his stomach when Cross craned his neck, looked at the content and gave him a horrified look.

Yagari put the papers face down on the table and leaned on it while giving out instruction. “Alright, everyone… That’s it for today, you can take your leave, except for those that I will name now. Zero, Kuran, Shouto, Ichijou, Kaito and Cross.” He glanced sideway at his lover, his jaw locked and tensing visibly.

Once the room was vacated from any unconcerned person, Yagari beckoned the rest to join his table as he flipped the papers for them to see.

Zero all but paled when seeing the content.

“What the fuck is this?” Kaito cursed as he read the papers headlines, “Torrid affair unraveling between two powerful figures. Could this be the reason that Kuran Kaname went into reclusion? Does the queen know that he is involved with the future king of hunters, Zero Kiryuu?”

“This does not make sense.” Cross pulled another page from a different publisher, “Will the hunters really settle with a king who is into cross dressing and bedding their so called enemy?”

The words did not register in time for Zero. What frightened him the most was that the headlines were supported by pictures. Photographs of him and Kaname in his car, pictures of their date at Paradiso. Unfathomable panic surged inside him and he tried his best not to let it show.

His heart jumped to his throat when all eyes landed on him and Kaname who was standing behind him. He did not have the courage to look at the brunet in fear that his panic would show.

“Do any of you have an explanation as to why the tabloids of the vampire society, hunter society, and human society are suddenly showing interest in something we never heard of?” Yagari grunted with a scrutinizing look.

Seeing the silent response, He pushed the enlarged photograph for Zero’s shaky hand to take.

Ichijou had another newspaper in hand that he read to divert the attention slightly, “Two eligible bachelors and successful business men finally revealed the reason for their single lives, or what we thought was a single life. Not only are they involved in a homosexual relationship, the president of the Kuran financial group have conceived a child with a distant cousin. Will the heartthrob couple adopt the child as their own?” The noble vampire snorted at the nonsense written in the tabloid of the human’s papers who had no idea about what they were talking about.

Zero jolted when Kaname placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze before the others’ attention diverted back to them. He took the picture from his trembling hand and took a deep breath.

“Apart from this one, all the other pictures here are falsified.” Kaname announced, showing the one having him lean over the seat with his face close to Zero’s, “This one was probably taken the night Yagari-san asked me to drive Kiryuu-kun back home after we went over the speculations and tactics. I am sure you remember it well.”

Yagari pondered for a moment and nodded. Kaname placed it on the table, “There was a problem and I was trying to open the door myself because Kiryuu-kun was having difficulties with it. He was feeling queasy and needed the fresh air.”

“I see… Hence the compromising position…” Cross pondered before starling the others, “Ah! here, you can see the arm reaching out to the door.” Cross pointed to the picture, relieved to deny one speculation.

 _Although he was preventing me from opening the door instead of helping me there._ Zero grumbled in his head at the memory.

“What about the others? I can see that the face is blurry, but what makes you sure that it is falsified, the other person is obviously you. The person dancing with you is also too tall to be Yuki.” Yagari inquired, still suspicious. Especially after noticing the shaken up hunter trying to keep his composure.

 They observed as Kaname pulled his phone and dialed a number. He pushed the speaker and laid the device on the table. After a couple of dial tones, the person he called answered in a cheerful voice.

“Oh my! I never thought that I would see your number for another decade. Should I be lucky or wary?” The male voice echoed through the room, leaving few confused look and another of acknowledgement from Ichijou.

“Glad to see that you are as cheerful as ever, Liam.” Kaname answered with a smooth, confident voice.

“Alright! Lucky it is.” Zero noticed the foreign accent and gave a quizzical look towards the pureblood.

“Liam… I have a favor to ask. Do you remember that night in Paradiso, few months ago? I am putting you on speaker now because a picture that your photographer took somehow leaked to the press. I believe that it was against your policy to allow such a thing.” Kaname inquired.

“It still is. Geez! I can’t believe it! I will make sure to look up the one who worked during that night and have a word with him.” The man grumbled, “Sorry for getting you mixed up in this. I hope that you will be able to contain the situation on your side.” he apologized sincerely.

“That is actually the reason for this call. Seeing that your face was blurred, whoever trying to publish these photographs is aiming to sully the reputation of an innocent person. If possible, I would like you to testify that you are the person accompanying me that night. You owe me that much after I went along with your bet.” Kaname took on a playful tone that confused the others even more. Especially Zero.

“Oh, shoot! Of course! I will clear my schedule and come as soon as possible. If you will excuse me now, I need to tend to some troublesome customers.” He chirped.

After exchanging few words of gratitude and farewell, Kaname hung up and glanced at Takuma briefly before explaining. That noble vampire caught his drift right away. _I see!_

“The man I was talking to is named Liam. He was well known as the retired idol ‘Aki’ few years back.” Kaname explained

“You mean that drop dead gorgeous singer!” Cross exclaimed.

“The one and only.” Kaname confirmed, and Toga squeezed the bridge of his nose at the shriek of his lover. He was aware that Kaien used to be a big fan and memorized every single song of the man along with buying every first edition of his records. Little did he know that he was connected to the pureblood?

 “If I remember correctly, he was quite into cross dressing.” Yagari grunted, “Should I assume that this ‘woman’ is him? The coincidence of the outfit is quite off-putting though.”

Kaname sighed, faking exasperation… “He was present during the undercover mission and helped me contain the situation when it got out of hand. That is how he saw Kiryuu-kun’s outfit and mimicked it. He made me go on a ‘date’ with him after I lost a bet and promised to fulfill one request. The reason that the picture was blurred is probably to camouflage his face since he did not bother with a disguise. The hair is enough proof.” Zero was amazed at the flawless way Kaname was creating one lie after the other, confirming his deep-rooted distaste for his deceitful kind. _Even I would have believed him had I not been the one in that freaking picture._

Takuma took the picture as if he was examining it closely, “That explains a lot.” The hunter startled as the voice of the noble cut through the brief silence.

“Do you know the man?” Kaito inquired, he would trust the truth of the matter more if his lover confirmed it.

“Yes, of course…” Takuma stuttered, “Liam is actually my distant cousin. He had a good career in England before moving to Japan. He is also the owner of the restaurant where this picture was taken. It is called Paradiso, and he is known for his shrewd but playful nature. What I meant by saying that it explain a lot, is that the build and the hair style of this person” he pointed to the picture, “are extremely similar to Liam’s.” Emerald green eyes landed on the narrowed amethyst orbs. The look Zero perceived in Takuma’s eyes spoke volumes about the great lengths that the noble could take to protect his leader, his best friend. As grateful as he was that the story was consistent for the others to buy it, Zero was starting to get irritated about other matters. An irritation that did not take long to come out.

“Hello! Can anyone bring the actual problem to light here…” Zero interrupted, finally over his shock, “Whether the pictures are falsified or not, the troublesome part is that the headlines will cover the whole country in a couple of hours and people are going to believe whatever they see and want to believe, even if we deny the assumptions later.”

“Unless the headlines never make it out of the printing company.” Kaito pointed and quickly fished his phone.

“Kaito will hamper the printers; I will have Ichiru put in a few favors to stop the publishers from pushing the matter and Ichijou-kun!” Yagari instructed systematically, “Could you handle the vampire’s paparazzi. Those guys are a pain to deal with.”

“Consider it handled.” Takuma immediately moved into action.

“Good. Zero and Kuran! I need you to keep as much distance as possible and only meet with a third person present if discussions were required. I know it is a pointless request because you are not drinking friends or anything, but just be careful from now on. The last thing we need is a scandal amongst the higher up added to the troublesome lurker.” Yagari sighed in exasperation.

“Printers handled.” Kaito came back into the room with a full grin on his face.

 _The dirt he has on them must be pretty bad if it got settled that fast!_ The common thought swam through most heads.

“I will need to meet with the head publisher so I will leave first.” A frustrated Takuma grabbed his keys and stomped out of the room, “I will probably have to write a fat cheque for this.” He grumbled, annoyed by the greedy sly fox he talked with over the phone. Kaito followed him with the pretense of making another phone call.

“Bill it on me.” Kaname called out.

Minutes later, Zero left with Kaito and Yagari closed his office to handle the rest of the mess. Cross tapped Kaname’s shoulder and urged him to follow him outside.

They used a car from the association to go back to the campus. Once inside Cross’s house, Kaname pulled out a folder he was holding and took out a paper from it.

Cross stared at the pattern drawn on it.

“I believe that I told you about how fogged my memories were since I awakened from my long slumber.” Kaname explained as he gratefully accepted a glass of wine.

“I remember.” Cross sipped on his glass while examining the intricate triquetra.

“It is not that they were fogged, they were sealed.” Kaname deadpanned.

There was a long silence before Cross put down the paper and the wine slowly on the coffee table, removed his glasses and took a seat facing the pureblood.

“Sealed? By whom?” He finally asked.

“Rika.” The name made the light colored eyes widen.

“That does not make sense.” Cross frowned.

“Not unless I tell you that she was the last person I associated with before slumbering and she was the one I trusted my vulnerable body and tomb with.” Kaname explained more with a blank expression, “Which I regret dearly now.”

“Kaname-kun… I am confused here!” Cross stuttered with a hand raised to request a time out, “The heirloom passed down from Cross Rika had a lot of knowledge about vampires, hunters, spell craft etc… However, it also contained a lot of information about their life and her encounters back in the time. I never found any indication of your presence in any of those records, and I would certainly not miss it for the life of me if it was there.”

“She was a cautious person and very thorough in everything. I would not be surprised if she left that part of her life out on purpose or…” Kaname trailed.

“Or hid it somewhere else.” Realization finally reached the ex-hunter’s mind. “That still does not explained why she would seal away your memories. How did you know that they were sealed anyways? Did you ask her? I guess not.”

“She did it while I was slumbering away. When? Where? Why? I don’t know. I was not aware that they were sealed until I was told so. They have been coming back at a faster pace lately. I used to have glimpses before. They later turned into chunks of events. That is how I remembered about the first parent and the Great War. I guess reading about it in the records triggered something. However, lately, all I can remember are voices, words and patterns, the faces are still blurry. Therefore, I need your help in order to accelerate the process. The one truth that I am positive about when it comes to Cross Rika, is that every action she takes has a purpose, even moving a spoon from one angle to another.”

After few moments of pondering, Cross Kaien tensed up and observed the Kuran progenitor. _I forget sometime that this person is not what he is posing as._

“Kaname-kun, are you saying that the reason your memories are surfacing now has something to do with these random attacks…”

“It is an assumption that may prove true, if I can find the relation between the pieces of this puzzle.” Kaname sighed the words. He was having just about enough of this ludicrous situation and needed to know the next winning move against their enemy, soon.

“Instead of digging through the archives, wouldn’t be easier to question the person who informed you about the sealing.” Cross suggested.

“She is not one to cooperate easily.” Kaname stated flatly, “As a matter of fact, I do believe that we need to put a restraining order on this person, but not for the information she holds, but for the damage she can cause if she is siding with the enemy.”

Kaien tilted his head in confusion. He pulled a pen and a paper to jot down the name of the person to forward to Yagari, “She is currently known as Hana Murasaki”

Cross’s hand stilled before the tip of the pen scratched the paper, “Pardon?”

“Exactly as you heard, Cross-san.”

“Again, Kaname-kun, you are not making any sense. Hana-sensei is quite old and very very retired from any business related to vampires and our societies. In fact-“

“She had nothing to do with them in the first place.” Kaname interrupted, “That was what you wanted to say?”

“Along those lines, yes.” Cross nodded.

“I believe that you are mistaken. She has everything to do with it.”

“How so?” The hunter had a feeling that he would not like what he will be hearing next.

“This might come as a shocking revelation.” Kaname interlaced his fingers on top of his knees as he reclined on the seat, “The child that Rika took under her care shortly after she went off the grid was a shapeshifter. A shapeshifter with a very long lifespan. At the time, her name was Rosa. Nowadays, she calls herself Hana.” Kaname paused in time with the gasp of Kaien

“You mean that Hana-sensei is-“

“Rika’s adopted daughter, a few thousands of years old specimen.” Kaname explained.

“But… She does age like a no- oh wait! It should not be normal to age that slowly for a human and she said that she is no hunter.” Cross slumped in his seat, confusion written on his face. He shook his head and raised a finger before Kaname continued his explanation, “If she is that old, and what you call a shapeshifter… What is her true form?”

Kaname took a deep breath, “From what I recall. The appearance she likes to take in my presence is that of a girl, and now a woman with long silver hair and almond shaped violet eyes.”

Rubbing his lips in frustration, Cross sighed before answering, “That explains more since she appeared as a young woman with light brown hair and eyes of the same color. Are… Are you sure that we are talking about the same person here?” Cross wanted more reassurance.

“We are talking about the director of the Slice of Heaven orphanage and the person claiming to be your mentor. I believe that it is safe to assume that she is the same person strolling around as an old wrinkled woman.”

“Could she be the Kiryuu’s-“ Cross pointed

“It would be also safe to consider the possibility, but I am not sure about it. As you said, the Kiryuu clan did not exist before I went into slumber. Rosa may have sired offspring. However, seeing that she has no hunter aura, and the Kiryuus certainly are hunters, not shapeshifters, we have some tests to conduct before concluding anything.” Kaname explained.

Cross pinched the bridge of his nose, “This a lot to wrap my head around. Let’s take it one step at a time. Where do you suggests that we start from?”

“First of all, this is top confidential. The only other person to know about this is your trusted confidant and mine.” Kaname pointed.

“Toga and Ichijou-kun.” Cross confirmed.

“The first step would be a restraining order on Rosa. We need to rule out the possibility that she is the suspect X involved in the blood pills. From my last visit, I am confident that she has nothing to do with it, but we had better be safe than sorry. Meanwhile, I will need you to dig up any information you might get about those notes. I will do the same with the classified old records. Removing the seal over my memories would be the best shortcut to solving the mystery, however, knowing Rika…” Kaname trailed as he rose from his seat.

“She would certainly not make an easy task out of it.” Cross finished his sentence.

“Kaname-kun… One thing I surely never found in the family heirloom or in any other record was the circumstance of Cross Rika’s death, or any confirmation that she passed away in the first place. You are not thinking that…”He had hard time finishing the sentence.

“It is only an assumption so far, but yes. I am afraid that Cross Rika did not die, and if she did, it seems that she found a way to transcend time and death to come back. Cross-san, I believe that she is alive. However, I only have hazy clues as to what might have happened, or what might have pushed her to seal my memories. I believe that this symbol could be a clue that I need to look into, but I am perplexed as to where I should start.” Kaname slid a finger over the triquetra, “I do not want to think that she is the enemy, but I have a bad feeling that she has a hand in what is going on around us.” Garnet orbs met worried hazel eyes.

“Understood…” Cross answered slowly, his heart heavy, “I will look into the ancient records as well as the family heirloom once more. I will inform you as soon as I find anything pertaining to this symbol or your connection with her.”

“It might be wise to look into the Kiryuu’s as well.” Kaname added, surprising the ex-hunter once more.

“But-“ Kaien stilled a moment when he perceived the slight hesitance in Kaname’s expression as he sat once again.

Kaname hesitated a little, tapping the pen on the wood before he decided to share all that he knows. If there was one person he trusted more than himself with his deepest secrets, it would be Cross Kaien. Therefore, if he wanted to get the most of his digging, the man has to know everything.

“In fact, I would be grateful if you looked into these clues…” Kaname reached out for a pen and paper from the desk and scribbled the notes that he handed over to cross.

“Triumvirate of power, clan of sinners and shapeshifters?” Cross’s brow rose at the nonsensical scribbles, “What does the Kiryuu clan have anything to do with all this.”

“Rosa hinted that I should look into them if I have a chance of speeding up the process.” The explanation was loud and clear for the ex-hunter.

Kaname rose again, and headed to the door.

“Kaname-kun!” Cross called out, stopping him in his steps, “Who is Cross Rika? The actual person that you knew.”

“She is well known for being a cunning, shrewd and ruthless individual. I am not thrilled at the prospect of having her as an enemy, to be honest.” Kaname pondered loud enough for Cross to hear, “And if Rosa is in cahoots with her.”

“Hearing you say it that way makes it even more frightening.” Cross gave a nervous laugh as he stared at the pattern Kaname drew previously, “What chances do we have if they are really our enemy.”

Kaname’s hand rested on the doorknob, “I am afraid that we would be out against two political animals. One is the most bloodthirsty, manipulating power I have ever met who only cares about her family and no one else. The other seems to treat matters of life and death as fun and games. If Rosa surpassed her ‘mother’, I would say that we are in for a lot of trouble.”

“And the possible outcome of a battle?” Cross asked the dreaded question. The sick feeling in his stomach was increasing with every word that Kaname uttered.

“Assuming that Rika is the mastermind. I would say that she is enjoying a cold war for now before sweeping the rug under our feet. We will probably not notice until it is too late. That is her style. From what I am observing, most of the pieces fit.”

“This is not good.”

“Going up against her will not do us any good. Especially if we cannot determine the extent of her influence. The best we can do is understand what is displeasing her people and try to reach an understanding.”

“Is that how you handled it in the past?” Cross asked as Kaname opened the door.

“Perhaps. I could not recall even if I wanted to. I will inform you of any finding on my side.” With that last statement, Kaname was about to leave the puzzled hunter to reorganize his thoughts had Cross not run after him and called out from the door of his patio.

“Kaname-kun!”

“Yes?” Kaname turned around, about to head back in if the hunter had more to discuss.

“This is unrelated but I need you to answer me truly.” The hunter had an overly serious expression that alarmed the pureblood.

“Yes.” Kaname answered cautiously.

“Were the pictures really falsified?” The old hunter might pose as the fool most of the time, but his keen eyes never betrayed him. Try as they may, he had the knack to see past the poker face of most those he cared for, Kaname was no exception. He noticed how shaken Zero was upon seeing the headlines and pictures, but Kaname managed to compose himself before any other noticed, except for  Cross Kaien. The brief panic he perceived in red brown eyes worried him.

“They are.” Kaname answered curtly, “Liam shall come and submit his testimonial soon. I am fairly certain that Kiryuu-kun has an alibi for that night as well.” The pureblood explained. He was confident that Takuma took care of the footage of Zero’s residence as well as the unlikely chance that the receptionist recognized him in his disguise. Seeing that they took Kaname’s car, Zero’s alibi would be strong enough to testify that he was in the comfort of his home the whole night.

“Very well. Get as much rest as you can, I feel like we will not get enough in the near future.” Cross chirped before seeing the pureblood off.

Just as Kaname left the house in direction of his dwelling, his phone vibrated. Taking it out, his lips curled up in a wistful smile when he saw a message from Zero.

Zero:: “Thank you for saving the day.”

Kaname:: “You are welcome.”

Zero:: “You could have given me the heads up about the backup plan.”

Kaname chuckled at the familiar attitude of the fuming hunter.

Kaname:: “You would worry too much if I brought up the possibility of those picture falling in the wrong hands.”

Zero bit his lower lip, hating the fact that he agreed with the pureblood.

Zero:: “I appreciate the way you contained the situation. Good night!”

Kaname did not want the discussion to end. Thus, he quickly dialed his number, craving to hear his beloved’s voice before spending another sleepless night thinking of him.

“Hello.” Zero’s curt answer brought the smile to his face again. He stood in front of his elevator.

“Did you get home okay?”

“If you are asking about an accidental spell barbequing the car, or a cat crossing the street while Kaito was flying off, then no! None of it happened.” Zero answered back while pouring the hot water, and dipping the herbal infusion in it. He was feeling too strung up to sleep and needed to calm his nerves.

“That is good. I would feel sad for the cat.” Kaname answered humorously, appreciating the melodious chuckle it elicited from the hunter.

“I am sorry about today…” Zero whispered.

“About what?” Kaname was confused. He decided to take the stairs instead to ensure that the signal does not die on him. Anyone would give him the weirdest look about going up to the penthouse that way, but he could care less.

“I have been snapping and whining instead of thanking you when you lent me a hand at the party, when I felt sick.” Zero mumbled.

“Are you really all right?” Kaname inquired.

“I am fine, why?” Zero frowned.

“You seem to be thanking me an awful lot today, I am just wondering if you hit your head during the explosion.” Kaname teased.

“Jerk!” Zero snapped, scowling to no one. His lips twitched slightly upon hearing the breathy chuckle. “I see that you reached your place as well,” he added when hearing the click of a door closing.

“Yeah… I did.” Kaname switched on his lights and headed to his liquor cabinet like every night for the past couple of months.

Zero grew silent, listening to the shuffling before he spoke again, “So the friend’s name was Liam.” he inquired, unable to keep the memories of that night at bay.

“More like unwanted ties than friendship.” Kaname clarified.

“I guessed as much.” Zero deadpanned, “He would not go to such lengths if there were no favors involved.”

“He would… Just not for _my sake.”_ Kaname explained more.

“Ichijou? Oh! He did say that he was a distant relative.” Zero remembered.

“You will meet him soon and you will probably understand what I am talking about.” Kaname had to hold back the mirth from his voice. He could picture the thunder roaring if the two ever met.

“Why am I not looking forward to it?” Zero’s tone was skeptical.

“Speaking of which… What happened to the pictures? The originals.” Kaname remembered that Zero kept them so that no one laid eyes on them.

“Who knows?” The hunter shrugged, keeping his voice even, “I might have burned them, torn them and threw them in the trash, flushed them down-“

“Sorry for asking.” Kaname interrupted, “Well… If none of the morbid deeds you listed happened, could you give them back?” He taunted.

“No.” Zero answered flatly, his brain racing about all the possible locations where he might have hid them in case the pureblood decided to sneak and take them from his place.

“Too bad. Seeing the blurry version made me want to admire the original. You looked quite stunning that night after all, Zero.” Kaname trailed, his voice growing deeper and seductive, as if his lip were moving against the hunter’s earlobe.

“You need to cut down on the booze, buddy.” Zero retorted with a mocking tone, desperate to hide the sudden shakiness of his voice.

“Hmm?” Kaname hummed pleasantly; twirling the glass of wine he held at eye level, “I believe that my threshold is quite higher than a certain someone.” He teased.

“Your threshold maybe, but your scent says otherwise.” Zero pointed.

“My scent?” Kaname inquired, curiosity obvious in his voice.

“Hello! You were sitting next to me during the meeting, and I swear I could get drunk on the strong smell of liquor you give off.” Zero knew that he was exaggerating, but it did bother him a little. The immaculate pureblood would not usually allow himself to get caught dunk, or smelling like it. He would also not allow any sign of restlessness or vulnerability, even in his daily life. It was a while after Kaname started visiting him regularly that Zero started picking up on the signs of his discomfort. He knew that when he comes after a strenuous meeting, Kaname would keep pressing on his temple subtly, as if he was resting his head on his hand. He knew that he always paced himself with his drinks, whether they contained silver wine or not. He also knew that he never witnessed the shadow of dark circles starting to form under his eyes like the one he witnessed today.

“Worried?” The pureblood teased.

“As if…” Zero denied fervently. His attention snapped to the sound of the front door unlocking.

Picking on the sound, Kaname let out a long sigh, “I guess we should call it a night, make sure to get some proper rest and-”

*beep**beep**beep*

Kaname stared at the device for a moment before placing it on the on the table and sat on the windowsill with a glass of wine in hand. With his temple resting against the glass, he closed his eyes and allowed the sunrays to sting what showed of his skin, the pain searing through his nerves was the only reminder that he was alive inside the hollow shell he calls body.

_“You should be sleeping in the shade of a tree instead of sunbathing in the middle of the lawn like this. You might not turn to dust, but you will be quite sore later.”_

Red-brown eyes shot open, flickering around until he regained enough composure to realize that he was still in his living room. Looking down, He realized that he spilled his wine on the carpeted floor. With a long sigh, he placed the empty glass on a table nearby and headed to his bedroom. He unbuttoned and removed his shirt that he threw on the floor, next was the belt that landed on a sofa and the pants greeted the doorknob. Clad in his boxers, he climbed the oversized bed where he laid with eyes wide open staring at the carved ceiling.

The male voice that echoed through his head was very familiar, comforting even, but he could not associate a face with it. Remembering it brought up a semblance of heartache and longing in his empty heart. The more fragments of memories came flooding back, the more his loneliness swallowed him. Kaname unconsciously extended a hand up to the crystal chandelier adorning the ceiling. _Won’t you save my wretched soul, Zero?_

The hand fell back and hid his eyes as he welcomed yet another sleepless night.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Meanwhile in Gin’s place ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“…ro?”

“…”

“ZERO~?” Gin trailed.

“huh? What were you saying?” Zero’s attention snapped back to the man talking to him. He shook his head when the image of the tired pureblood flashed through his head. He felt stupid for panicking upon Gin’s arrival to the point of hanging up without any warning. _What am I doing?_

_“He is not sleeping. He does not eat anymore”_

Takuma’s words echoed in his head before he snapped back again to the chair scraping. He looked at the fuming Gin who pulled up his laptop, “I guess you are not interested in knowing the answer to your question.”

Feeling bad, Zero put down his drink and joined him. He hugged him from the back and pressed a cheek against his, complaining about the poky stubble.

“I will shave as soon as I finish this.” Gin grumbled back, as he typed.

“Whatcha doing?” Zero asked in a playful voice. His eyebrow knitted when he found that the older man was checking a traveling itinerary.

“I told you about my inheritance back in Australia.” Gin paused for Zero to hum the affirmation, “There was some unexpected issue that the person in charge cannot handle. I need to be there, soon.”

“Do you have to go all the way there? That sucks.” The hunter pouted.

“Tell me about it. Ah! Here is a flight available.” Gin clicked and entered his details.

“That is three days from now!” Zero exclaimed.

“I would leave this morning if I found a flight.” Gin groaned after confirming his reservation. He leaned back and ruffled Zero’s hair.

“That urgent!”

“Yep… Enough about me… How are you doing?… I have been worried sick about you.” Gin tilted his head to the side to face Zero.

“I am good. A little jittery from the adrenaline rush, but fine nonetheless.” Zero reassured.

“Zero… I am thinking of speeding up the process of us moving to Australia.” Gin surprised the hunter with the serious tone.

“How come?” Zero stuttered as he straightened up and followed Gin to the couch.

“Come on… Even a blind person can sense how dangerous things are getting around here. I felt as if my heart stopped when chairman explained your phone call earlier. I don’t think I can handle any more frightening situations. I am-”

Zero stopped him with a finger against his lips, “We are going according to a good plan. Besides, I cannot possibly move away when I am still a charity case of blood donations, can I?”

Gin fell silent when he remembered that specific detail. Zero’s appetite for blood have been increasing to the point that Yuki started bringing more blood, a cocktail of it even. The last visit was three times more than usual, she bragged about how many of their friends rushed to give some of theirs when they caught her in the infirmary drawing blood. He was grateful for it seeing that Zero’s coloring had gotten much better, his energy was back and his mood swings reduced greatly.

His gaze followed the hunter who left him to fetch his soothing drink. Zero would wear baggy clothes when going out but he took a liking to tank tops and pajama pants when lounging at home. At this point in his pregnancy, he looked more chubby than pregnant. His slender waist was nowhere to be seen and he gave the impression that he overate during his last meal instead of carrying a child. However, the rumored pregnancy glow certainly showed on Zero, he looked more enticing than ever and he was not even aware of it.

Sitting on the sofa again, Zero snorted at the worried gaze Gin gave him, “Did anyone complain about how much of a worrywart you can be?”

“I have the right to be when the man I love faced a bombing attack.” Gin draped an arm on the sofa’s back to massage the silver head while Zero enjoyed his drink.

“Ugh! Fine, we are planning on taking more precaution in the future so that there would be no repeat of today’s incident.” Zero twisted to face the older man with a stubborn look.

“How about you just stay home, that would be the best precaution.” Gin teased, knowing that the hunter would never agree.

“You already know the answer to that.” Zero grunted while leaning to place the empty teacup on the table. Then, he dipped an elbow next to Gin’s arm and looked into his grey eyes.

“I promise that everything will be all right. I appreciate the way you care about me, about us. Therefore, to put your mind at ease, I am going to tell you something good.”

Gin could not help the smile that traced his lips at the cute way Zero was trying to raise the suspense, without waiting for an answer he leaned and claimed the noisy mouth in a tender kiss. He hooked a hand behind Zero’s head and deepened the needy touch, urged by the eager way Zero responded.

Out of breath, they finally separated and eyes fluttered open. Licking his lips, Zero gave a soft chuckled as he tapped on the shoulder he was leaning on. “I forgot how dangerous your kiss can be.” 

“I can be a dangerous man, sometime.” Gin shrugged, mischief twinkling in his eyes, “You did not grow rusty yourself.”

Zero looked away, sulking from the insult before Gin grabbed his chin and consoled him with another playful kiss. He whispered against moist lips, “Ne? Zero? How about we stopped playing pretend already.”

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next day ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Unable to settle down, Kaname left at the earliest hour. Now standing in front of the wrecked building, he took careful steps up the stairs and rung the bell.

It did not take long for someone to come greet him after the chime quieted down. Unexpectedly, the person was a young human woman whom he never met before. The other thing he noticed was that the place was bustling with life; sounds of children running around, giggles and screams filled the air.

“Welcome! How may I help you?” The young woman greeted with a smile.

“I am sorry for coming this early. I would like to meet the person in charge here.” Kaname asked cautiously.

“That would be me.” She answered back, surprising the brunet.

“I do not mean to be rude, but wasn’t there an old lady here before? I believe her name was Hana Murasaki.” Kaname inquired, puzzled to no end.

“Oh! Indeed, she was my predecessor. She retired not long ago and I took over as the managing director now.” She explained.

“I see. Do you have any contact or address where I can reach her? I am an old friend of hers.” The pureblood had to reign in his frustration by putting his usual business smile.

The young director pondered for a moment before flicking her fingers, “I do believe that she left something, could you wait inside while I check in my office.”

Kaname took a step forward but stopped just in time upon remembering the barrier, “I am okay with waiting in the lounging area over there. The morning breeze is quite pleasant today.” He smoothly dodged the invitation to go inside.

Minute later, she came back with a folded note.

“Are you Kaname-san by any chance?” She asked.

“Yes. That would be me.” Kaname rose from his seat.

“I was asked to verify the nickname before handing this over.” The woman felt awkward.

Kaname fought the urge to roll his eyes at the antics, “Makkuro.” He deadpanned.   

“I think she left this for you.” She handed over the folded paper with his name written on it.

“Thank you very much.” Kaname bid her farewell, after asking about what happened with the wall that was covered with cardboards. She dismissed it due to the old age of the building, which was in dire need of renovation.

In his car, he unfolded the paper and stifled a groan after reading the words.

_You know very well that patience has never been one of my virtues._

_You sure took your sweet time to visit again, but don’t worry, we will meet soon._

_Until then, sit tight and wait for us._

_I hope that you liked the farewell gift._

_Rosa_

He did not take as long to drive back to the Academy and wake up a tired Cross. After showing him the note, they remained silent for some time.

“Kaname-kun, what did she mean by farewell present?” The old hunter was confused.

“This.” Kaname held a piece of tape that he removed from the paper before. Kaien squinted his eyes and realized that it had few strands of silver hair attached to it.

“I am confused.”

“She want us to run the DNA test. I told her about it during our last meeting.” Kaname explained.

“What? That was-“ Cross started to reprimand him.

“Confidential, I am well aware of that, but I had to rule out the possibility. It was a risk worth taking.” Kaname placed the hair in Cross’s hand, “She is either confirming our suspicions or denying them. Frankly speaking. Her sketchy disappearance is disturbing, but I would like to believe that she is not the enemy, not yet.” Kaname spoke slowly, worry clearly laced in his voice.

The chairman adjusted the tie of his ponytail and put on his glasses before pouring his morning coffee, “I will relay this to Toga and see what they could find out. However, there is one thing that bothered me about last night’s discussion and now. Kaname-kun. What is she to you?”

The pureblood paused for a second before answering with his usual composure, “I will inform you when I remember that part.”

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In a classroom after a lecture ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“I see… He is finally making a move. Thank you for telling me.” Gin whispered over the phone, tapping on the desk with his pen, his eyes unfocused on the papers of the pop quiz. “Of course… It is a good timing since I will be sending you a present soon. I am sure that you will find it helpful. Oh! and, Toga… Dig up as much as you can about this Seppie person. She is probably the person you are after.”

He hung up and let out an exasperated sigh.

“Tough day when you did not get that much sleep.” The young voice snapped his attention to the classroom’s door. He stretched on his chair while Nao stepped closer and made himself comfortable on his desk.

“Tell me about it.” Gin cracked his neck and wiped his face in an attempt to chase the sleepiness away, “I am envious of the student who slept through most of the lectures today.”

“Hmm… I wonder who is it that you are talking about.” Nao played the innocent, “How did it go yesterday?”

Gin looked into the worried dark orbs and smiled, “He was somehow too distracted to listen. I should consider myself lucky seeing the lame excuses I was coming up with.”

“Yeah! Being too worried to settle down does not explain being out most of the night. It was a pain climbing up to the fourth floor last night, and my roommate had to close the window. Talk about adding to my agony.”

“I told you to let me get you in without the sneaking around. I am technically one of your chaperones.” Gin pointed.

“Oh yeah? Can you remind of the guy who did not want to reveal any connection between us?” Nao teased, “Besides, it was my fault that we had to drag on for that long.”

“Damn right! You chose the right time to tell me that she was Rosa’s mother! It is a good thing that I only scraped the car instead of crashing into the nearest tree at that speed.” Gin complained. It was shocking enough meeting Seppie, but the fact that she was Rosa’s mother left him speechless.

He was amongst the few who knew about Rosa’s true nature as well as her actual age; it was hard to miss when you spend few decades with the woman. However, thinking that Seppie was her mother did not make sense at all. The fact that he managed to neutralize her attack is proof enough that she was a vampire, a powerful one to boot, but Rosa was clearly not a vampire no matter how you looked at her.

“Well, I was not supposed to tell you. She did not even mention it to me. She has been covering it up by saying that it was a guest. I just happened to overhear her saying ‘mother’ while she thought that I was asleep. So… Are you going to look into it?” Nao urged, he had enough of sitting around doing nothing while his family was falling apart.

Gin gathered his books and paper and walked to the door, “You bet… I am leaving in three days, actually.”

“Then! Can I-“ Nao chirped excitedly.

“No you are not coming!” Gin flicked his forehead, “I won’t be gone for that long and you have school. Enough of the wannabe life until you get a proper degree.”

“Cheapskate!” The prefect pouted then grinned, “Send my regards to that sleaze ball.”

Gin rolled his eyes, “He won’t stop crying from your harsh words. Need I remind you that it is thanks to him that you are here?”

“Nope. It is thanks to you. Oh! I have to go… Duty call! See ya tomorrow!” Nao waved as he ran while putting the prefect band on his arm.

Gin walked to the opposite direction to go back home, impatient to spoil the capricious man waiting for him. He was extremely reluctant about taking off so abruptly, but he was more afraid that the extent of power threatening his love could be far greater than what anyone ever expected. Thus, he needed to dig deeper into what he already knew.

   


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh! I forgot to mention that I will be picking up on my Taku/Kai story soon and I will be posting the first chapter of a story that I am co-writing with dear Irmina, It is a KaZe that is part of a trilogy of hers. Do check out the prequels of the last installment on her profile before starting to read it :D
> 
> I will notify you here when the first chapter is posted, soon XD

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Meanwhile, in Gin’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The loud ringing of the phone woke up the groggy hunter from his sweet nap. He blindly patted around the bed until he found it and answered with one eye open.

“Hello!”

“Good evening sleepy head. I have been ringing on your doorbell since forever.” Ichiru irritated voice sent a waking jolt through his sleepy brain.

“Uhmm…. What do you want?” The still sleepy hunter mumbled.

“Well, since your favorite food could not get any colder, I guess I will go back and eat it with my man who would appreciate my effort of waiting in the long queue to order it.” Ichiru answered in a monotone voice.

Through a salivating mouth, Zero shot up from his bed and stumbled down the stairs while shouting, “Coming… Coming! Don’t you dare move an inch!”

Opening the door, he found his grinning twin raising two bags of food before inviting himself in.

A while later, they crashed in the living room, having hard time breathing through their full bellies.

“That was… Heavenly… Thanks Ich!” Zero breathed out, resting his head against the armrest.

“You’re welcome. I was coming to check on you, so I thought of getting you something since I was in the city.” Ichiru talked with a dismissing gesture.

“Gin has been fussy about healthy eating and all that crap. It made me crave the stinky dirty street food even more than before my pregnancy.” Zero whined while shifting to lay down sideway and face his identical twin.

“He is taking good care of you.” Ichiru trailed. He did not voice it out yet, but he was skeptical about the almost perfect man. What frustrated him even more is that his investigation did not return anything sketchy. It was as if he wanted to find some dirt on the guy to convince himself that there was a motive behind Gin going to such great lengths for his brother other than pure love. _I am not ready to see Nii-san getting hurt again anytime soon!_

“He is.” Zero affirmed slowly, unaware of the blush creeping up his cheek when remembering the event of the early morning.  

Just as Ichiru was about to comment on the unusual reaction, the door clicked open.

“Did you hide the evidence?” Zero whispered.

“In the trash that I took out already.” Ichiru whispered back before chuckling at the sneaky ways they were acting. It reminded them of the old days when they deceived their mother to snatch more snacks than what she allowed.

Zero gave him a thumb up in time with Gin joining them.

“Hello~ handsome…” Zero chirped, throwing his head backward to grin at the man coming his way.

“It feels so good to be home.” Gin breathed in relief as he leaned to place a kiss on Zero’s lips.

“Too bad you are going to desert us.” Zero complained as Gin kissed his bump.

“How come?” Ichiru interrupted, slightly put off by the unusual display of affection.

 “He has to go to his home country in a couple of days. You did not tell me how long you will be gone for.” Zero noted, scowling at the teacher who was putting his things away.

“A week, at most, hopefully.” Gin called out from his working area.

“That is a lot of uncertainty.” Zero whispered to Ichiru.

“Have you guys eaten anything? Should I whip something up?” Gin asked as he rolled his sleeve.

Ichiru stuttered in attempt to find a way out from overstuffing himself without giving away the mischief.

“Actually! We just got back from a sumptuous lunch we had at a friend’s place. Why don’t you go get some rest and leave the dinner to me? You have not slept a wink since yesterday.” Zero urged as he stood up and pushed the taller man towards the stairs.

“Are you sure?” Gin asked just to take the guilt off. He was feeling drained and welcomed a good sleep.

“Positive.” Zero insisted, “It will give us some much needed sibling’s time as well. God knows we need it after having you and Hanabusa stuck to our back for a while now.”

Once Gin was out of the way, Zero rejoined Ichiru once again for some fun.

“What was that?” The younger twin poked.

“What was what?” Zero asked as he dug in his bag of chips.

“The change in chemistry” Ichiru deadpanned.

Zero suddenly stopped munching with a full mouth, “nuffin’”

Ichiru snatched the bag of chips, “Say that to someone who would believe it. The googly eyes he gives you increased tenfold in a matter of forty-eight hours. I was expecting to find him as a mess after what happened last night.”

Zero swallowed, “We are not pretending anymore.”

Ichiru stilled, and then inched closer to his brother to speak in a hushed voice, “You mean that you are going to stage a break up soon. How come he seems happy about it?”

Zero rolled his eyes, “Idiot! It is the opposite and why are you whispering? Do you see anyone else around?”

“WHAT?” Ichiru shrieked.

“Okay…” Zero plugged his ears, “No whispering does not mean bursting my ears.”

“Zero… What… How?... Why?” Ichiru was confused.

“I don’t know… I am not even sure what it meant anyways. I guess the rush, anxiety and too many things building up catapulted in an unexpected direction.” Zero shrugged.

“Well… Thank you for the many words that would sum up you being horny and him coming on to you.” Ichiru deadpanned, “Are you even sure that you want this?”

“It was just a matter of time anyways.” Zero trailed, sulkily snatching the chips and shoving his mouth full of them.

“Zero…”

“What?”

“Did something happen with Kuran?” Ichiru dropped the bomb that had Zero sputter in shock.

“What does he have to do with this?” Zero gave his brother in incredulous look.

“I don’t know… May be because you realized that he is not involved with Yuki anymore and you are using Gin as an escape route so that you avoid thinking of giving him a second chance,” the younger twin explained.

“Oh that!” Zero’s eyebrows rose in understanding, “Not happening.” He dismissed it nonchalantly.

“I still think that it is impulsive to decide now, you are probably feeling vulnerable.” Zero felt a vein popping in his temple.

“Okay! What is going on here?” He slammed the bag of snacks on the table and twisted to face his brother with a miffed look, “You were pinning for Gin and me getting together for the longest time. Now that things are starting to drift in that direction, you are acting as if you want an excuse to break us apart. I am confused. I know that I am not _in love_ with the guy, and that our situation is very complicated. The sex was not that great either, for me at least, but I can blame that on the pregnancy. He seemed to enjoy it though…”

“Too much information… Gross information…” Ichiru’s nose scrunched up a little.

“What I am trying to say is that I am trying to find a semblance of stability in our life with the man who is about to share the responsibility of the life growing inside of me. Scratch that, the man who is already sharing said responsibility. I thought that you would be glad to see that things are progressing smoothly?”

“You know that I want what is best for you, Zero. I just do not like it when you rush into things only to regret them later.” Ichiru explained. _I would have been happy if the guy was not that clean. He would find me jumping in joy by now if Gin did not blow it by covering the affair in the first place._

“I won’t.” Zero stated stubbornly. Part of him was getting defensive because Ichiru’s statement held some truth to it. After the rough patch that he had with Kaname started subduing, he started fearing that his resolve would weaken the more he spent time around the pureblood. The pull he felt towards him was as strong as ever even after all the times he hurt him.

He found himself desperately looking for an anchor, a commitment that will prevent the temptation of the sinful man from clouding his judgement, and Gin was just it. As unfair as it sounded.

He startled when Ichiru’s hands found their way to his belly. “I wonder when it will pop out. I can’t wait to feel him kicking. Did he start moving already?” The excited uncle gave his pregnant brother the usual sparkly eyes whenever the unborn child was the topic.

Zero gave a defeated smile; _Parenting is going to be tough will all the love you are getting baby!_

“Not really… The doctor said that I would normally feel fluttering sensation and things like that by now. I did feel it with Keiichi, although I was too stupid to understand that it was a baby moving at that time. This time, I got myself a lazy one.” He snickered, “We did see him clenching and unclenching his hands in the screen during the last visit.”

Ichiru pouted, “I guess I have to wait. Do you really have to leave after giving birth? You are going so far away.”

“I might leave before birth, Ichiru.” Zero winced at the pained expression of his brother, “I cannot take the risk. The speculation of him and me being together already caused a big stir that almost reached the media and every single person in the country. If by any chance, this boy takes after him, he will never have the chance of living a normal life in a place where his father is revered as a fucking God.”

“No one has to know. You can move to another town, in the countryside, somewhere that is not here but not out of the national borders. Genetics are always unpredictable and we can brush it off as a funny coincidence where the baby takes after his aunt, Yuki-chan.”  Ichiru pleaded desperately.

“Ichiru, you can visit anytime.”

“But not as much as I want to, which would be every day.”

Zero chuckled at the puppy eyes that his twin was giving him. “Look, we will not be gone forever. I just need time, time for him to grow enough to understand things. If things really work out with Gin, I need to give them a chance to bond without any external pressure. Then, we will move back here. At a young age, vampire children tend to gravitate more towards their parents. A parent would also recognize their offspring. I felt it when I first met Keiichi, there was something different about him compared to other children and I never thought I would care for any kid that much. It clicked when I connected the dots and figured out what happened. The unsuspecting ones around might not have noticed it, but Keiichi is always drawn to me more than anyone else.”

Ichiru nodded in understanding. He could not deny it. The more they spent time together, the more Keiichi would gravitate towards Zero and ignore the Shikis. They dismissed it by saying that Zero had a knack with kids, but Ichiru always felt like there was something more to it. Zero’s explanation cleared it up perfectly. Therefore, seeing how good Kaname is to Ai and how caring of a father he could be, the possibility of noticing the bond with his son is highly possible.

“Did you ever think of how it would be if you told him the truth?” Ichiru regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

“Ka- Kuran?” Zero frowned.

“I mean. After knowing that he is ‘available’, did you not ponder of how it would have been if you chose to tell him the truth and involve him-“

“No.” Zero deadpanned, “I would not allow myself to even consider it.”

“Why? I am not defending him or anything, but… Okay… I seriously hate his guts and loath him for whatever he put you through…However…” Ichiru chewed his lips, hesitating on how to continue.

“However?” Zero urged.

Seeing that his older twin was not in his snappy mood phase gave Ichiru the courage to speak, “I hate to say it, but he is a good father.”

“Ichiru.” Zero groaned.

“Just listen to me… I am not saying that you should get together with him for the sake of your child… I… I just don’t like this messed up situation… I am thinking of what is best for my nephew here, okay? It is painful enough that I am unable to be open about my relation with Kei-chan and I know that he will have a lot of question when he grows up that his parents will have hard time answering. Question about his origin, about the reason he was abandoned and I will have to lie to him and make him think that he has no maternal family when he actually does. He does have a family that loves him but unable to-“

“Ich!” Zero felt a lump in his throat.

“All I am saying is, why not make things right this time around. We see couples separating during pregnancies and still get involved in their children’ life properly. No matter how you try to ignore it, he is bound to notice. The baby will look nothing like Gin, He will be a high ranking noble if Keiichi is any reference. Seeing who his parents are, I can safely assume that he will have a good head over his shoulders. How long do you think you can deceive him for, five years? ten years? fifteen? He will start asking, looking for answers. What will happen when he finds them and the truth come out in the worst way by that time. You will tell him that his father is a horrible man and you needed to protect him by hiding the truth? That will not do it because Kuran Kaname is a good father despite being the lowest jerk as a partner. I am saying it because I have been seeing it every day. The time he is spending with Ai-chan has been increasing; she is the happiest when her dad is around. Heck! My eyes almost dropped from their socket when I visited Yuki once and found him changing Ai’s diapers and burping her like a fucking expert. You may not work out as a couple but he is one hell of a parent. It is unfair for his son to take the name of another unrelated man.” Ichiru hissed the last words.

“The man thanks to whom his son will ever see the light of the day.” Zero gritted, “Do you think I don’t know any of this. I am well aware of how freaking great he is with kids. I know very well that he is not the scumbag I wished he would be to make things easier. It is not that simple, Ich. It is not that simple. He would never settle with just being ‘involved’ as the father.”

“He would not take him away from you.” Ichiru stated flatly.

“He wouldn’t, not because he is not that cruel, but because he would want us both.” Zero looked in Ichiru’s eyes with a grim expression that worried the younger twin.

“Well, he just have to get over it. It is not like any of you were serious in the first place.” Ichiru dismissed.

“We were not serious, at first that is.” Zero put his bag of chips aside and sunk in the seat.

“What do you mean?” Ichiru was confused.

“He loves me.” Zero whispered

“WHAT?!” Ichiru all but jumped from the seat. Zero winced at the reaction. He did tell Ichiru almost everything about how he and Kaname got together, but he omitted the pureblood attempt of impregnating him and the confession he threw at him.

Zero licked his drying lips, “Remember when I told you about the last fight we had and how he was persistent about not ending things between us?”

Ichiru shifted closer and nodded, “Yeah… That was the day Ai was born.”

“Well… Things happened a little differently that day.” Zero took a shuddering breath and explained everything to the minute detail, leaving his twin flabbergasted.

Minutes of silence stretched to almost half an hour before Ichiru finally snapped from his frozen state. Throwing his head against the back of the couch, his eyes were unfocused, staring at the ceiling.

“Can I be honest without you making a big deal out of it and we end up fighting bla bla bla… Can I?” He asked.

“Shoot!” The nervous Zero mimicked his posture and inhaled.

“Nii-san… I never thought that I would say this but… You are the worst.” Ichiru deadpanned

“I know.” Zero confirmed.

Another moment of silence stretched before Ichiru bolted out of his seat, startling his twin.

“Let’s leave it at that. I will forget this conversation ever happened and we will go on as usual. I don’t think that I can digest all this anytime soon and … You know what! Just forget it. I am erasing it from my memory. I never heard that he fell in love with you, I never heard that you actually dared him to get you pregnant, I never heard that you… Oh God! this is too much. I just came here to eat some junk food with my brother and fawn over my unborn nephew that I will be seeing once or twice a year probably.” Ichiru spoke dramatically.

“Ichiru!” Zero leaned and reached out to hold the hand of his agitated brother, but Ichiru yanked it away.

“Please don’t… I… I need to go. One day and I will bounce back, I promise.” The younger twin grabbed the car keys and his stuff while storming for the door.

Despite feeling a burden lifting off his shoulder, Zero still felt the stings of the harsh but well deserved words that Ichiru threw his way. _The worst._

He walked upstairs slowly and joined Gin for a longer nap that he did not need but took anyways, to escape the reality.

In his car, Ichiru sunk in his seat. His brother probably misunderstood his reaction and he wanted it to stay that way. Listening to the true version of their affair, Ichiru felt worse than ever. All he could hear was one wrong decision after the other, piling up until the finale where an innocent child will be left to feel the burn. The worst part is that he was suspecting that his brother could have feelings for the pureblood that he did not notice.

However, pushing Zero to acknowledge something based on a subjective assumption could be a recipe for disaster. The younger twin had a moment of clarity after Zero told him everything without holding back. Everything suddenly made sense. He cringed at the memory of his last encounter with the pureblood. He assumed that Kaname was mocking him when he asked about how Zero was doing after the ball, which made Ichiru snap and splash the glass of wine on his face. _He did not react at all! He just looked, defeated and remained silent._ Covering his face with both hands, he let out a guttural groan before starting the engine to drive away.

Back in the academy, Ichiru startled when he found Aido waiting for him in their apartment.

“Hey, you… What took you so long?” Hanabusa greeted him with a peck on the cheek and hands on his hips.

“Um… I made an extra detour to check on nii-san.” Ichiru mumbled.

The golden haired vampire frowned when he noticed the way his lover averted his gaze.

“hmm? What’s wrong? Is everything okay with Zero? Did he suffer any trauma from the incident? He did say that he was feeling well when I asked him to come for a checkup this morning.”

Ichiru smiled while placing his hands on toned shoulders, “He is fine. He is doing great actually… We enjoyed lunch together and lazed around a bit.”

“So why the grim face?” Hanabusa bumped their foreheads.

Ichiru hesitated for a moment, parted his lips to share his worries but pressed them shut shortly after. He shook his head slightly, and gave the blue-eyed man a helpless look, “Nii-san decided to get… kind of serious with Gin. I guess… I… it did not feel right to me, but never mind. It is his life and his decision to make.” He pushed softly against Hana’s chest and walked towards the bedroom for a change of clothes.

“Oh…” Hanabusa stood there staring blankly at his retreating lover. Once Ichiru was out of sight, he rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head in exasperation. Nothing could surprise him anymore when it came to Zero. He felt bad for his lover because he shared the same opinion about the man posing as the father of Zero’s child, but he will not say that he didn’t see it coming. In fact, he almost felt relieved about it.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Later that night ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

In order to keep a sense of familiarity, the new residence was designed in a way similar to the moon dorm. Except for the more accommodating and secure living quarters, they kept the ground floor as a gathering area. The generous space was well designed into a massive dining area, a lounging area, a gym as well as a playground, which has yet to be finished for prospective children. Having settled most of his matters early, Ichiru pushed the button of the elevator to go down and see if he could find anyone to hang out with before heading to Kaito’s room.

To his surprise, he found Yuki holding Ai-chan while chattering with Senri and Rima. He had to brace himself when a ball of hyperactive joy launched itself on his midsection. He almost tumbled over with Keiichi glomped on him like a Koala.

“Hey cutie! I missed you soo much!” Ichiru picked his nephew for a bone-crushing hug and a vacuum like kiss that left the child giggling to no end.

“Missed you too!” Keiichi reciprocated the gesture, “Guess what.”

“Tell me.” Ichiru mimicked the childish tone.

“I called Zero, on the phone!” Keiichi declared cheerfully, “I will sleep over tonight.”

“Oh…” Ichiru trailed unconsciously, “That is great!”

Keiichi nodded furiously, his crystal blue eyes shining more than ever.

Ichiru smiled back, unable to deny the soothing effect that he had on him. _I have to agree with the unbreakable bond that nii-san talked about. Kei-chan is positively glowing whenever he talks about him._

Minutes after he settled with the others, he was surprised to see Kaname joining them.

“I did not expect your trip to take this long.” Yuki commented.

“My bad… I did not keep tab on the time and got carried away.” Kaname removed his jacket and placed it neatly on the back of a chair. With a nod, he acknowledged the presence of others before sitting next to Yuuki.

“You could have had someone else look and bring the references you needed.” She complained, “Ichijou-sempai would be more than happy to accommodate.”

The thought of Kaname dealing with the dusty archive in the central library of the elder’s council made her cringe. Ichijou always handled the pureblood’s correspondence and researched for contracts for one good reason; once Kaname surrounds himself with books, he loses tracks of everything around him and dive into whatever he read.

“That would not do it. Besides, he should be very exhausted if he is still sleeping.” Kaname stated flatly. He understood where Yuki was coming from. However, letting someone else do the task would have defeated the purpose. Although He hated to admit that his digging for the whole day was fruitless.

Ichiru observed the exchange silently while trying to pay attention to what Keiichi was telling him. His eyes could not stop following the pureblood as he reached and cooed at his daughter who reacted almost instantly with the cutest sounds and flailing hands. He did not waste time to take her in his arms and enjoy the father/daughter bonding, without caring about what others might think.

The silver haired twin unconsciously squeezed the child on his lap, feeling pain in his chest. He could not help but wonder. If Zero saw the heartwarming interaction, would he change his mind? Would he give up the crazy plan of going away to run from the overbearing pureblood? In fact, before the incident between Zero and Kaname happened, Ichiru grew closer to the pureblood thanks to their shared interest in work.

The fact that he was in a relationship with one of his most trusted subordinates allowed him to see the more mellow side of the pureblood king, and he truly believed that there was more to Kaname than what he let on. He could not help but relate to the brunet in term of hiding his true self. After all, before Hanabusa came along, Ichiru was quite similar in keeping up a cruel façade to hide his pain and vulnerability. As presumptuous as it may sound, Ichiru truly believed that Kaname would be a better father to his unborn nephew than Gin who was still shrouded in mystery.

His irritation came back when he remembered the dead ends of his investigation. Despite his impressive network and connections, Ichiru never managed to unravel anything about the man before the time he got in touch with Kaito about his sister. Especially about the reason, he went MIA for about a year after a scandal with a student. It was as if he vanished in a different dimension before coming back to earth and resumed his life.

Ichiru’s musing stopped abruptly when Kaname announced that he had to go to his office at the lab to check on any progress with Hanabusa. The silver twin jumped on the chance of tagging along.

They walked in awkward silence until they reached the building.

“Kuran…” Ichiru whispered, not sure if he wanted the brunet’s attention. The keen ears of the pureblood caught the sound and halted in his footsteps.

“Yes?”

The younger twin hesitated before meeting the wine orbs waiting for him to talk.

“Can I have a word with you, alone in your office?”

Kaname was taken aback by the grave tone Ichiru used but did not show it.

“Of course.”

They skipped going into the research area where Hanabusa was busy with his team, and headed straight to the office’s area. Kaname ordered for no one to disturb them before closing the door once Ichiru got inside.

Out of courtesy, he poured him a drink and sat on the opposite seat.

Ichiru was starting to regret his impulsive action. Fidgeting on his seat, he fumbled with the drink before breaking the silence with a random topic, “Ai-chan is growing fast.”

Kaname gave a small smile, “She sure is. She let out a full on giggle last night, almost identical to Yuki’s when she was that age.”

“Oh! I forgot that you took care of Yuki-chan since she was born.”

“And always will.” Kaname added, adoring exasperation obvious in his voice. Ichiru could not help but laugh at the remark, knowing that the new mother was still an immature child at heart.

“It is fascinating to witness the growth of your own child.” Ichiru talked rhetorically.

“And others as well, especially when they are blood related, such as your unborn nephew.” Kaname pointed out. He was starting to suspect that Ichiru was trying to open the issue of having a child of his own with Hanabusa. Kaname was aware of the various attempts and research they carried over the years. He even lent a hand by providing access to restricted records as a friendly gesture.

The silverette nodded, “That is true. Seeing how happy Zero feels at the prospect of holding and raising the child he will be blessed with brings me the utmost joy.”

 “How is he faring so far with the pregnancy?” Kaname dared to ask at the cost of getting splashed again.

Ichiru noticed the smirk and knew the inner thoughts of the vampire. With a friendly smile, he answered, “He is doing much better. I believe that it has to do with the spectacular amount of blood Yuki-chan has been providing.”

“That is good to know.” Kaname felt relieved to hear it from Ichiru.

“Kuran…” Ichiru trailed.

“Yes?” The pureblood started to worry when Ichiru seemed unable to speak his mind.

“I had a talk with Nii-san recently… About many topics, including you.” He finally gathered the courage.

Kaname tensed for a moment, but urged him to continue.

“I admit that it was hasty of me to put the blame on you without knowing what led to that… ‘Incident’.” Ichiru mumbled

Understanding what he meant, Kaname rushed to put his worries at ease, “You were not wrong. I did an unforgivable thing and you were upset for your brother, it is only natural for you-“

“But he was at fault too.”

Kaname halted his speech suddenly at the high protest of his guest.

Ichiru gritted his teeth, irritation building up again, “He told me… About… the confession…. and that you wanted him to be… with your child… to bind him”

Kaname felt his throat drying. He never expected Zero to confess such details, even to his brother. In fact, he believed that the hunter never really thought back on what happened seeing that Zero seemed to run away from the time they spent together.

He remained silent.

“Did you love him? Really?” Ichiru asked hesitantly.

“…”

“Do you still love him?” The silver twin was desperate for an answer, or a gesture or a glance.

Taking a deep breath, Kaname met the flickering violet eyes staring at him, a shade darker than those of his beloved.

“And always will.” He finally said it as he placed his drink on the dark wooden table, “But I will not impose my feeling on him anymore. I will not deprive him of the life he always dreamt to have.”

“Is that okay with you?” Ichiru whispered the question, feeling his chest tightening with guilt.

“Yes. If he is happy, it is fine by me.” Kaname stated with certainty.

“What if he is not?”

Brown eyebrows knitted. “Meaning?”

Ichiru caught himself in time, “No… I did not mean it that way. How should I put it? He seems happy for now… But… I am worried about his future.” _Damnit! You spineless coward!_ He reprimanded himself for not having the guts to go against his twin’s will.

“We all worry about a future we can’t predict.” Kaname commented with a hint of humor.

“Especially when a brother of mine knows how to pick his men.” Ichiru groaned, “Pun intended.”

“I figured.” Kaname countered with equal sarcasm, “However, I believe that he would not stick around if Moriya-sensei was worse than the others, myself included.”

“Are you saying that he is a good guy?” Ichiru tested.

“No… He is just not bad until proven otherwise.” Kaname clarified. 

Ichiru caught on the underlying message, “So you did not find anything either.”

The matter of fact observation that Ichiru threw his way surprised Kaname.

“I don’t understand what-“

“When you know that you cannot be with the one you love, one tend to try and watch over their happiness. A way to do that would be to make sure their current partner would not take it away. We both agree on that point, and I believe that we adopted the same method to approach the issue. Let us not play the innocents here.” Ichiru left no way out for the pureblood.

Kaname winced internally at being busted that easily. He pressed his temple before conceding defeat, “I understand.”

“What did you find out so far?” Ichiru dove right to the point.

“Nothing. Nothing worrisome. Just a regular man with a record of a false accusation that costed him his qualifications as a professor. Despite the jeopardizing of his brilliant career, he remained in this country for the sake of his sister who went down the wrong path at some point. Along with many others observations, I would say that we have a selfless man who tends to put others before himself, especially those he cares about.” Kaname then realized how much he hated the fact that found no fault in the man named Moriya Gin.

“Spotless.” Ichiru deadpanned, “too clean.”

“Meaning?” Kaname inquired.

“My network did not pick up anything about him apart from what you mentioned. I could not find the reason he vanished for a whole year either.” Ichiru narrowed his eyes as Kaname weighed what he was told.

“Did you check any underground connection?” Ichiru’s observation picked Kaname’s attention instantly.

“Don’t get me started on the number of laws I have broken to get to the bottom of the matter. The result? Nothing.” Ichiru hissed in frustration.

“That should not be the case.” Kaname pondered.

“As far as I know, all kind of supernatural can exist in this world, but angels usually do not meddle in it. So, unless he is one, that guy is too good to be true.” Ichiru stated sarcastically.

A small smile traced Kaname’s lips, “You are not fond of him are you?”

“Not anymore.”

“All right! I will see what I can do.”

“Thank you.” Ichiru finally stood to leave, annoyed at his own cold feet. As much as he wanted to, telling Kaname the truth about his unborn child may not be the best idea of the moment, especially when it could cost him his own brother. He halted when a sudden thought crossed his mind, “Kuran…”

“Yes?” Kaname looked up as he sat on his office chair to start on the piling work.

“If… Just if your ‘plan’ worked and you managed to get my brother pregnant at that time. What were you planning next? It is not like you two can get together just like that without raising bigger issues.” Ichiru insinuated the political influence of such liaison.

“I would have done anything and everything to make it work, only if Zero wanted us to be together.” Kaname answered honestly.

Ichiru startled for a second when he heard his brother’s name come out of the pureblood’s mouth for the first time in his life.

“What if he refused to take the leap?” Ichiru added.

“Then I will simply wait for him to change his mind while watching over them.” Kaname paused for a moment before letting out a breathy chuckle that confused the silverette, “It is funny that I am having this conversation with you. We actually discussed the same thing at one point, Zero and I. At that time, he brushed it off by saying that he would dump the child on me and flee.”

Ichiru’s eyes widened for a second before he burst laughing as well, “Typical answer.”

“But I was certain that he would not do such a thing.” Kaname breathed out.

“You don’t know. It is hard to predict what Nii-san is capable of.” Ichiru pointed.

“He said the same thing. However, I do know that he would not abandon our child, even if he wants nothing to do with me.”

“Would you let that happen?” Ichiru latched on the opportunity, “Would you allow him to have the child and raise him by himself without snatching them away from his arms?”

Kaname stared at the intense look Ichiru gave him, “I wish for his happiness. Therefore, I would not give him the grief of depriving him of a child that would make his life brighter. As I said, I would watch over them and be there for as much as he allows me to. However, all this talk is pointless since it is nothing but a fragment of my imagination now.”

_Boy if you only knew how wrong you are there…_

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ few hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Kaname finished signing the last document and arranged his desk before he could call it a night. The conversation he had with Ichiru was nothing short of awkward. He had a nagging feeling that Ichiru was holding something important from him, but he could not find a way to bring it out. He only hoped that it was nothing pertaining to the safety of Zero.

A knock on the door made him focus again. Aido invited himself in with a note in hand.

“Kaname-sama, the car is ready to drive you to the meeting location.”

Kaname grabbed his briefcase but paused for a moment, “Isn’t Ichijou supposed to accompany me today? It is a meeting with the board of his group after all.”

Aido gave him a perplexed look as he handed the note he was given, “I found this on my desk this morning saying that I should assist you today since he would not be available. He seemed to have written it in a hurry.”

Kaname examined the piece of paper before crushing it. Aido startled when hostile aura surged from the pureblood, “Cancel this meeting and call Isaya Shouto to the association ASAP. This is not the handwriting of Ichijou, I have seen it one too many time over the years to know. Take this paper to forensics as well.”

Hanabusa paled at the prospective of his colleague being in danger. Thus, moved at the speed of light to execute the orders he has been given.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Meanwhile in Gin’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“left! right! right! left! right! left! and right!” Zero instructed with a huge smile as the growing hands of Keiichi punched his palms with all his might.

It was few hours earlier that he received the sweetest wake-up call from the redheaded child, who shyly asked for permission to come. He was surprised to see him for the first time after his operation. He did not expect the change he witnessed.

Keiichi did not grow much physically in such a short time, neither did his traits change that much. However, his aura flared more than ever, as if it powered up. Senri had a little chitchat with the hunter before leaving his son in his care. He surprised Zero even more when he told him how Keiichi managed to take down some of his bullies and how the sudden display of violence worried Rima. So they wanted Zero to help convince him against such behavior since he hears from him.

“Good!” Zero praised the sparring little fighter who got out of breath after the strenuous exercise.

“Did I get stronger?” Keiichi asked excitedly.

“You will.” Zero nodded, “As long as you are good.”

“Good?” Keiichi tilted his head.

From the table, Gin observed their interaction with a palm cradling his face. He forgot all about grading when he noticed the adoration in those amethyst orbs.

“Come, I have something to show you.” Zero took his hand and guided him to a chest he kept in the corner of the room.

He opened it and allowed Keiichi to peek inside. Crystal blue eyes widened in awe as he saw the weapons neatly tucked inside. He reached his small hand to stroke the handle of Bloody Rose.

“You can hold it in your hands if you want.” Zero urged when he noticed that Keiichi was able to touch it.

“It is… heavy.” Keiichi whispered as he flipped the gun with both hands.

“It is.” Zero smiled. _I had better make sure he does not touch it in front of others. His hunter’s blood must be the reason his vampire element is not showing yet, wielding the gun can be a dead giveaway._

“Do you punish bad guys with this?” Keiichi asked curiously.

“Bad guys?” Zero played dumb.

Keiichi pursed his lips for a moment, “Like bullies.”

“You mean vengeance?” Zero hit the nail on the head when Keiichi nodded. The hunter felt like he was seeing the young Ichiru standing in front of him. The only difference is that he was not aware of the vindictive strike that was building up inside the weak body of his brother, unlike the one growing inside his son.

“No.” Zero’s voice was strict and commanding, “If I use my power and weapons to get revenge on those who bullied me, then I become the bad guy. Then, I will be punished myself.”

Keiichi was shocked by the words, “but… but… What if they are really bad and did bad things to you… made you cry… and… and…”

“And said horrible things… and stole your precious toys, and caused you pain? So what? They just want you to feel scared and helpless.”

“How do I make them stop if I cannot punish them?” Keiichi pouted, he did not want Zero to be angry with him for fighting the other kids, but he did not want to be bullied anymore.

“Ignore them… Smile at them… And help them when they are in trouble, they will stop hurting you.” Zero whispered gently as he took the gun from the tiny hands and gave his son a comforting hug. Deep down, Zero wanted to rip those kids to shred, but he did not want to see his child being anymore shunned and isolated because of how different he will grow to become. The only solution he could figure out was to push Keiichi into blending with kids his age and build strong relations that will help make his future better than the one he and Ichiru had to endure.

It took a bit more effort to convince the stubborn child against any act of violence against the bullies, but Zero succeeded somehow.

Seeing how tired he looked, Gin offered to be the one giving Keiichi his bath while Zero prepared his bed.

In the bathroom, the two of them played and splashed the water all over the place before Gin stopped playing around to wash the little man.

“Close your eyes so that the shampoo does not get inside.”

“Haiii!” The happy child closed his eyes and covered them with his hands.

“Good boy~!” Gin swiftly removed his ring and placed his palm on the back of the tiny head. A soft glow showed at the point of contact before it vanished equally as fast. He put the ring back and continued washing.

_This should keep you safe enough for now._

Keiichi was drowsy by the time Gin got him to brush his teeth. He gave him to Zero’s embrace and watched as his head lolled over the hunter’s shoulder as Zero walked up the stairs.

Minutes later, Gin heard careful footsteps coming down.

“Asleep?”

“Out like the light.” Zero whispered, “I will be sleeping with him tonight.”

“You should.” Gin ruffled the silver head, “Ne, Zero… When you found out that Keiichi was the child you gave birth to, did you not want to take him back?”

“Nope.” Zero answer was fast, “I will never think about it. The Shikis love him. It would be unfair and devastating if I did such a thing, Keiichi sees them as his real parents and it will stay that way, no matter what.”

“You are the best, you know that?” Gin kissed the top of his head before resuming his grading.

“I did not think so.” Zero teased as he got up for a cup of water, “Oh! He will be staying over for few days. Rima and Senri are going overseas as well for some kind of modeling gig.”

“That is great. At least you will have some great company while I am away.” Gin chirped, happy to see the hunter so excited about having Keiichi all to himself.

The ringing of his phone stopped Zero from sharing the plans he thought about.

“Kaito? What’s up?” Zero answered with a frown on his face. It is rare for the hazel-eyed hunter to call him on his work phone.

 “Takuma never came back, Zero.” Kaito’s voice was clearly shaking, “Kuran called for an urgent meeting right now.”

“Okay… I am coming over, right now.” Zero was out in the blink of an eye, barely explaining the situation to Gin.

In his car, his phone rang again.

“Nii-san, where are you?”

“Coming to the association right now.”

“Good. I don’t think I can keep Kaito calm any longer.” Ichiru explained.

“What the fuck happened anyways?” Zero finally snapped.

“I don’t know. We all thought that Ichijou-sempai was tired after dealing with the emergency of last night, so he decided to take the day off to rest. Hana told me that he left him a note to take care of his assisting tasks as well.”

“And?” Zero urged his brother to keep it short.

“It all happened fast. I went to hang out with Kaito and asked him if he checked on his lover. Kaito was thinking that Ichijou was busy with work, so they could not meet. When I told him that he had the day off, he got suspicious and we went to check on him in the moon dorm. We found that his bed was not touched and he was nowhere to be found. Kaito’s panic increased when Kuran called for the meeting and Hana told us that someone forged his signature and the note left behind.” Ichiru’s voice cracked a bit in a mix of anger and anxiety.

“Oh god!” Zero sped up, not wanting to waste a moment more.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At the association ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The urgent meeting concluded that Takuma was last seen when he left to settle the matter of the paparazzi. The situation was worsening by the minute when they found that the person he was supposed to meet disappeared as well. Not only that, but Takuma’s car was parked right outside of the publisher’s office, dust covered his driver’s seat along with the discarded clothes of his chauffeur.

All circumstantial factors pointed to one conclusion, Ichijou Takuma has been kidnapped for almost twenty-four hours.

The forensics did not find any fingerprints other than Aido’s and Kaname’s on the piece of paper or any other item brought for inspection, erasing any possible leads on the suspect.

The tension filled the air of the president’s office where Zero, Kaito, Ichiru, Hanabusa, Shouto, Kaname, Yagari and Kaien sat across. Zero finally pulled his best friend to the restroom when Kaito looked like he was about to snap.

“You are not fucking helping out there by being like this.” Zero slammed him against the tiled wall.

“What do you expect me to do huh? Fucking dance and sing while he could be out there enduring unimaginable things… and maybe de-“

“Shut the fuck up! He is not!” Zero interrupted the horrible thought.

“Zero… I…” Kaito slid a hand across his face, frustration and impatience getting the best of him, “I can’t be here right now.”

“You are not going anywhere! The last thing we need is another MIA.” Zero grabbed his arm when Kaito tried to leave.

“I NEED TO FIND HIM!!” Kaito screamed

“WE WILL! TOGETHER!” Zero screamed back, “NOW YOU WILL LISTEN, AND YOU WILL LISTEN CAREFULLY! The Ichijou’s have been informed and they are sending someone here. You have to wipe off that widow look if you do not want your relation to be exposed and bigger problems arising.”

“Why the fuck do I have to-“

“To still be together with him when we find him… To still be able to hold him in your arms instead of having others interfering every step of the way from now on. Isn’t that the reason you refused coming out to anyone else about your involvement, even when he wanted to?” Zero knew that he was rubbing salt in the wound, but that was the only way he found to keep his friend grounded.

Kaito tensed and locked his jaw before admitting defeat. “Fine.”

It was at that moment that the door burst open with a flabbergasted Ichiru catching his breath, “You two have to come, right now!”

The three of them all but ran back to the office, where more people seemed to populate it, one of them shared a striking resemblance to Takuma’s grandfather, Zero assumed that it was the uncle coming on behalf of the Ichijou group.

The sudden gasp coming from Kaito made him follow the line of his vision. Amethyst eyes landed on the item placed on the desk, the item causing the frightened expression on most faces in the room.

“What the hell?” Zero uttered the words unconsciously.

There on the desk, laid a big ice cube caging an arm that was severed clean from its body, along with the clothes covering it. Not only that, but the fingers and wrist had a chain swirling around them with a ring supposedly dangling from it. A ring Zero recognized immediately as the one that Kaito dragged him across five jewelry stores before he chose it as a gift for his blond lover before they took off for their recent vacation. Unless proven otherwise, the arm placed under their eyes belonged to Takuma.

Everyone flinched at the slamming of the door when Kaito suddenly stormed out. Zero, Kaname, Hanabusa and Ichiru were on his trail in the blink of an eye.

“Kaito… Stop!” Zero stomped as fast as possible

“Fuck off!”

“Where do you think you are going?” Ichiru yelled.

“To find him.”

“How?” Kaname asked calmly despite the rage boiling inside from the sight of the arm.

“Nothing will come out of going in circles without leads.” Hanabusa was in front of the livid hunter with a hand pushing him back

“I will find one.” Kaito hissed, pushing back to clear the way.

“Or die trying?” Zero’s words made him go still.

“Are you stupid?” Ichiru’s remark bit into his very flesh.

“Better than sitting there, wallowing on his impeding fate like a sissy.” Kaito whispered.

“Ok! That is enough.” *Whack*

All eyes bulged out when Kaito’s unconscious form fell in Aido’s arms. They stared in horror at Kaname who still had his hand raised up.

“We don’t have the time to deal with this.” The pureblood pointed to the man that he just whacked square on a pressure point, “Aido! Take him to the infirmary and sedate him if he acts up again. I am going back to find way to solve this case soon.” He immediately went back on his way to the office without waiting for answer from the frozen individuals.

“Did he just?” Zero stuttered.

“He did.” Ichiru confirmed.

“Kaname-sama just lost it.” Aido nodded. Once over the initial shock, they moved fast to follow the plan. Zero helped strapping Kaito to a bed while Aido injected him with enough sedation to keep him out for few hours. They all agreed with Kaname on the fact that Kaito would be a liability as long as they had no clue where his lover might be.

 

Thanks to the efficient work of forensics, the arm was officially identified as Takuma’s. The fact that it turned to dust as soon as it was retrieved from the ice indicated that it was frozen before cutting it off. The information gave the hope that the noble vampire was still alive, injured badly but alive.

The worrisome part of the grim ordeal was that the ice belonged to the mass murderer of the hunters gone missing before. The ice-wielder that they had yet to identify. Moreover, the arm came in a parcel’s package with no note or fingerprint on it to determine the intentions of the abductor.

Kaname decided to make the matter public in order to issue a search warrant and speed up the finding of his friend. However, his decision was shot down by Takuma’s uncle who held the veto in this situation. The second in line of the Ichijou clan refused to rise a fuss over the abduction in fear of the political repercussions it would have on the group. 

“If you are unable to solve this issue internally, the Ichijou group will take over the investigation. We cannot allow the disgrace of having humans and hunters snooping into our internal affairs.” The sly fox mocked, irritating the incapacitated pureblood who had no comeback. In his mind, Kaname was racing to find a loophole in the vampire testament stating the independence of the clans when it came to situations like this. He hated not abolishing that rule anytime sooner. It was the only section that deprived the higher authorities of their rights to take action, even the King himself. Consequently, everyone busied themselves with bits and pieces to find the slightest clue.

 

As for Zero, he tuned out every noise and movement in the room in favor of concentrating on what they were missing.

_Let us go over the circumstance of his disappearance._

_First, the pictures and news from the paparazzi reached us. I can only think that it was the beginning of the trap. After all, when it comes to delicate matters like that, only the most trusted man would represent the king and settle such matters. In other words, they were expecting Ichijou to take action._

_He called the publisher of the vampire press and was annoyed that the man demanded a meeting in person in order to lay his conditions for the retrieval of the scandalous news._

_Ichijou took the keys and left in a hurry. Wait…_

Zero scanned the room until he landed on Hanabusa, “Did they say that they found the remains of the chauffeur?”

Aido nodded.

Zero squinted and looked at Takuma’s uncle, “Ichijou left with his keys in hand. How did the chauffeur end up at the kidnapping scene?”

“Isn’t that your job to figure it out?” The old vampire scoffed in disgust.

_Bastard._

“Kiryuu-kun, he must have gone to the academy to retrieve my checkbook since he would have billed the bribe on me. Also, it is a matter of etiquette for the heads of families not to drive their own vehicle.” Zero nodded gratefully for Kaname’s explanation, and went back to his analysis.

_So… He went back to the campus and then headed to the publishing company, which is about half an hour away. Basically, he took around forty to fifty minutes to reach his destination. That would give the culprit more than enough time to stage the kidnapping if he already expected him since before the photos reached us._

_Now… He reaches the building. The question here is whether he met the director as he was supposed to or not. If he met him, the director could be the culprit._

Zero flipped the papers until he reached the profile of the man in question.

_hmmm? Nope… Scratch that! Ichijou could not be taken down by a mere level C, even if he had an army behind him. So… If this guy is a lackey of the ice-wielder, then his role was only to lure the victim. He either ran away with them after the kidnapping or went to hide somewhere else. In either case, he could be the tail of the lizard if found. I should probably start from there._

_What else? Oh right! the arm._

Zero winced at the idea of how it was procured.

_Sending a personal effect to prove the kidnapping is a classic. However, the odd part is that cutting off a body part is usually done when no request have been fulfilled. I can only assume that this is some sick show of power in this situation. Cutting off the arm of a powerful vampire like Ichijou while keeping it from turning to dust is a feat not many could accomplish. Our culprit is certainly a powerful one or a powerful group._

_The only thing that is missing in this picture is the message. If they are keeping him alive, then they want something out of it. If they have a request, they need to voice it. However, no message of any sort has yet to come. Do they want to make us wait and play on our nerves? Think Zero! Think! If they sent a message with the arm, where could it be?_

He looked at the desk where pictures of the ice cube were delivered before disposing of it. Zero looked for carvings, symbols or anything else but found nothing.

“Zero?” Ichiru poked him, worried about the deep scowl on his face as he flipped and turned the pictures around.

“Ichiru!”

“Yes!” the younger twin immediately tensed at the grave tone of his brother.

“When did the … arm reach the Ichijou manor?”

“Eight hours ago.” Ichiru answered.

“You would think that there should be a message stating the request of the culprit, like a ransom or something right?”

“Logically… Yes.”

“Where would they place it?” Zero asked his brother to put himself in the culprit shoes.

“Let’s see…” Ichiru pondered, “If I were the culprit. I would cut off the arm and place it in the parcel along with my message. The message could be a recorded video or voice, a written message or some glued letters etc… As for where I would place it, it would be either on top or at the bottom of the box. However, no one found anything in the box.” Ichiru sighed in frustration.

“Box! THAT’S RIGHT! THE BOX!” Zero screamed, frightening all those present and focused.

He all but sprinted to the forensics. He felt like ripping them apart when he had to dig through the garbage and retrieve the box, “This is a fucking important piece of evidence that you are throwing away.”

On the way back to the office, Zero flipped the cardboard material in all direction until he found what he was looking for.

“Zero?” It was Toga who asked as soon as he saw his snickering disciple coming back.

“We have a message.” Zero smirked as he put the folded box on the desk and pointed to a side of it, ignoring the groans from the foul smell of it.

All eyes were glued on what looked like dots and dashes.

“This is ridiculous!” The old Ichijou voiced his frustration.

“Is it?” Kaname mocked him with a sarcastic tone.

“I am lost here.” Aido raised a hand, not sure about what he was looking at.

“Holy shit!” Ichiru exclaimed in time with Kaito joining them in the room, looking haggard from the remaining effects of sedation. He gave a murderous glare in direction of the pureblood who whacked him before taking slow steps towards the silver hunter who was too focused to notice his presence. 

Zero hurriedly took a pen and a paper while instructing his mentor to switch on his computer. Yagari did not waste a second to comply, he had just about enough of going through the security camera footage for the last two hours and Kaien pretty much went through all eye witnesses they could recognize to no avail.

“It is a Morse Code.” The groggy voice of Kaito snapped Zero attention to look over his shoulder with a look full of hope.

“You bet your ass it is. How long will it take to decode?” Zero asked the expert on the matter while giving him his spot, placing a hand on Kaito’s shoulder. 

“Give me that.” Kaito snatched the pen and paper and started scribbling; the room grew silent while everyone watched the flickering of hazel eyes between the dots and dashes and onto the scribbles. The only sounds echoing would be Kaito’s tapping on the wood in case he wanted to make sure about a certain part. 

“Less than three minutes.” Yagari answered Zero’s question while looking at Kaito. The one eyed hunter remembered vividly how much the Kiryuu twin hated that part of their learning, but Kaito enjoyed learning to decipher any riddle he threw at him since young age. His curiosity and love for anything related to spying activities allowed him to learn how to decipher the hardest codes in record time. Morse Code, being the simplest to decipher, became like a second language for him. 

“Here, it does not make any fucking sense.” Kaito groaned as he slammed the pen on the desk. 

“Let me see…” Ichiru read it aloud. “The start of a new bright day will be the coming of a better time 050 046 053 etc… What the fuck is this.”

Voices of frustration and disappointment echoed through the room. Some angry fellas up and left while others suggested following the regular protocol only to end up getting shot down by the veto of Takuma’s uncle.

“Everyone, would you please calm down?” Cross Kaien raised his voice in attempt to get enough attention.

“This is not the time for useless chatter, complain or show off. Ichijou is a vital element of this organization like any other person present in this room. If we want to keep a low profile, we need to unite hands and work efficiently, together.” Yagari Toga spoke loud enough for everyone to shut up.

“I agree with you, especially now that we have a time limit.” Isaya Shouto pointed out, and was surprised to see confused eyes landing on him, “Wait? Am I the only one who noticed?”

“No! You are not.” Zero reassured, “but there are some who have a skull too thick to see what is under their fucking nose.”

The crass speech raised some protest that got shot down by Kaname’s irritated voice, “ ‘The start of a new bright day will be the coming of a better time’. A new bright day would refer to the dawn, signaling the beginning of a better time for the enemy. This could only mean that we should expect the worst case scenario by dawn, which is in…” He checked his watch, “less than two hours.”

The atmosphere turned grim as pained eyes met others in a helpless silence.

“Ichiru, can I see that paper again?” Zero extended a hand to take the decoded message.

He replayed it repeatedly in his head.

_The start of a new bright day will be the coming of a better time  050046053054048051053013010045052053046053048053048049013010049046048048013010_

_Wait! what if…_

_050 046 053 054 048 051 053 013 010 045 052 053 046 053 048 053 048 049 013 010 049 046 048 048 013 010. Let’s see._

Without explaining, Zero typed the numbers on the computer, all while checking the time that is about to run out.

He all but jumped when the numbers rendered something he half-expected.

“YES!!!”

“What?” Kaito immediately jumped by his side.

“GPS Coordinates.” Zero chirped, “Check this out.”

The hunter turned the screen for everyone to see.

“2.56035 and -45.50501 and 1.00. One of them should be the Latitude, another is the Longitude and I assume that this last one is definitely the distortion. Which give us possible locations to check out.”

“Come on people, let’s get moving.” Yagari clapped as he pointed the teams to be sent to scout the locations.

Zero had a bad feeling when one of the location turned out to be the cemetery.

Kaname headed out with the other team while Zero, Ichiru and Kaito drove along with Isaya and Hanabusa to the cemetery.

The place was eerily quiet and dark when they first reached. Zero held the navigator he took from the association and followed the direction, grateful for the moonlight that illuminated the place and allowed a faster walk for Ichiru and Kaito who had the hardest time watching their steps.

The sense of doom Zero felt came crashing down when they finally reached their destination.

Shaky hands reached for his cellphone.

“Kuran…” his own raspy voice startled him, “We found what we were looking for.” Zero hung up without waiting for an answer. It did not take long for him to feel the agitated aura of the pureblood approaching them while Kaito’s cursing got louder and louder.

Zero inhaled sharply when Kaname reached his side, feeling his eyes stinging with unshed tears.

Kaname on the other hand, had hard time grasping the situation. Zero’s voice was distraught and it sent pure panic in his already distressed soul. He did not wait for the rest of his squad but teleported immediately only to find Zero, Isaya, Ichiru and Aido standing in a semi-circle with Kaito digging the ground in front of them with bare hands as profanities poured out of his mouth.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion until he reached the hunter’s side. That is when his eyes landed on the tombstone Zero was staring at with glazed eyes.

Wine orbs froze when reading the engraved words.

“Here lies the ashes of a beloved son, friend and lover. Ichijou Takuma. He shall be missed dearly.”

“This is a sick joke, right?” Kaname looked at Zero with eyes filled with disbelief, a plea to confirm his words shone right through them that Zero could not grant.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels good to have most of the chapter already pre-written a while ago.
> 
> Good news. I will finish my exams next Friday and will have plenty of free time to write, write and write XD YAAAAAAAAAAAY.
> 
> Thank you for your patience and I shall answer your reviews very soon.
> 
> Love you all
> 
> and see ya next chapter ;)
> 
> Sorry for the evil cliffy :p


	51. Chapter 51

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Relax guys! I am not a fan of Major character death, let alone Takuma. Believe it or not, he is my favorite after KaZe. Although I have to warn you that some of them will reach a near death situation just like Takuma here. 
> 
> WARNING:  This chapter will contain violence, a bit of gory stuff maybe(I tried to make it as mild as possible and did not bother about being too graphic about it for the sake of the sensitive souls reading it)
> 
> Thank you as always for the awesome reviews and support. I am officially on vacation from my studies. With only my part time to worry about, I will be having more time to write and share with you, awesome readers ;)

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“This is a sick joke, right?” Kaname looked at Zero with eyes filled with disbelief, a plea to confirm his words shone right through them that Zero could not grant.

Zero felt helpless under his gaze, his lips moved in attempt to make a sound, but were unable to. He jolted when Kaito’s cursing turned louder. Ichiru rejoined them after he got off the phone saying something about the others joining soon, but nothing registered in anyone’s brain.

Zero escaped Kaname’s gaze for it to land on Kaito who was still digging with his bare hands. His heart ached more for his friend. He took a shaky breath as he kneeled by his side.

 “Kaito stop!” he held the dirty hands to keep them still.

“No!” Kaito pushed his away, resuming the exhumation of whatever was buried six feet under, determined to prove that it was anything but his lover, “He is alive, if he is here, he has to be alive DAMNIT!” 

“He can’t be! Use your sense!” Zero screamed in frustration, it was bad enough that they might have lost an important friend and lover, the fact that it happened because Takuma was cleaning up his and Kaname’s mess made it more suffocating, “If he is there, wouldn’t we have sensed him?” he pleaded, glancing at the pureblood who was still frozen in shock. 

“What should I do then? TELL ME!!!” Kaito finally looked at the silver hunter with a face twisted in pain and anger, “Just sit and do nothing while we wait for some useless shit to find nothing while he might be dying somewhere else?”

Zero swallowed as he helped the finally willing hazel-eyed hunter up. He shared his opinion, but still stood with his own words. If Takuma were buried alive, the least possible would be for them to sense his presence, even if it was faint.

“Listen…” He spoke softly as he pulled him away from the grave, “I can imagine how you are feeling, but I can’t have you lose it now, not yet, not until we get to the bottom of it. I will not say that he is…” He paused, not wanting to say the word, “Unless we ruled out all other possibilities. Now… We go back to the association and look over the clues… We are certain about the deadline, so there must be something we missed.” Zero felt as if he was calming himself instead of the distressed friend he was guiding. He gave an instructing glance to Isaya Shouto who was watching from the sideline, urging him to deal with Kaname. With a nod, the light-haired pureblood approached the brunet.  

Isaya tried to place a comforting hand on Kaname’s shoulder but the enraged aura of the pureblood burned him like fire. Kaname stood there, staring at the tombstone.

There was brief moment of silence where Hanabusa remained behind Kaname, unable to look at the words carved in the tombstone anymore. He got over the shock already and Zero’s words gave him a bit of hope when he realized that there might be a chance that this was a sick joke as Kaname said. He figured that it will all clear out once the forensics reached with the warrant to unravel whatever was buried underneath. He just wished they would come faster than the light itself.

Kaname looked up the sky while listening to Zero’s whispering thanks to his enhanced hearing. His gaze was turning blank as he attempted to escape the harsh reality facing him, the possibility of losing a dear friend because of his own foolishness.

_“We are certain about the deadline, so there must be something we missed.”_

The words echoed in his dazed brain in time with the fleeting light of the coming dawn.

Red brown eyes widened suddenly and traced back down to the grave, “We are missing something.” He mumbled.

“Pardon?” Hanabusa took a step closer to hear him better.

“Did you say something?” Zero asked as he got closer to them in time with Isaya who was curious about what Kaname had to say.

A sudden shriek resonated when Hanabusa was propelled backwards, slamming against Isaya while Zero had to leap few steps back as Kaname unleashed his powers.

Zero felt the tattoo on his shoulder blade burning slightly.

“Kuran! What the fuck are you doing?” He screamed while shielding his eyes from the dusty wind rising.

“What must be done?” Kaname answered calmly as he raised both hands with palms facing downwards. The ground shook suddenly. Kaito and Ichiru were caught off guard and ended up falling to their knees. Aido and Isaya did not bother standing up, but remained frozen in shock instead.

Zero, on the other hand, had to fight the stronger wind in order to get closer to the enraged pureblood. By the time he made it through the short distance, the fresh soil of the grave splattered across the plane as if dynamite exploded underneath it. Zero had to shield his eyes again as dirt smacked him right in the face.

Everything suddenly went still right after the explosion. Having shielded their eyes, they slowly pulled their arms away to see the damage of Kaname’s wrath only for horrified gasps to come forth.

All eyes bulged out at the sight of a coffin floating midair, apparently dug out by the pureblood. Kaname navigated with his hands until it reached the ground right next to him. He extended a hand with the intention of opening the casket. However, the action was repelled by lightning spark.

Kaname took a couple of steps back and let his aura stroke the air around the dreaded object. Similar sparks erupted and the air shifted around it once again.

Red brown eyes looked around until they met the stunned amethyst orbs that they were looking for.

“We were missing something.” Kaname repeated the same words, more eloquently this time.

Zero looked as if he was gasping for air when he stood on shaky legs. He dusted his clothes and looked at the coffin, his lips finally moving to explain the words of the pureblood, “An illusionary spell.”

“Meaning?” Hanabusa asked,

“That there is something in there that they do not want us to reveal.” Kaito grunted as he hurried to the coffin, “ _Unbind!”_ His hand glowed against it only for a gust of wind to send him flying away.

“Are you all right?” Ichiru ran to his side to help him up, “What happened?”

“It is more than one.” Zero whispered. “Wait, No!” He screamed in time before Kaname launched a ball of concentrated energy toward the object, “If… by any chance, Ichijou is inside, that will make the spell backfire and harm him.”

“What do you mean?” Kaname all but growled, “What makes you think it is the specific spell you are thinking about?”

“It is.” Zero affirmed confidently, “I don’t know why or how but I know it is that spell. For all we know, we might be staring at him through the illusion making him look like a coffin.”

“Nii-san… If the unbinding did not work, it means that it is either a complex one or at least two spells weaved around.” Ichiru noted.

Zero nodded with a grim look on his face. He walked in circles around the coffin, observing the distorted air around it.

“We don’t have the time of the day here.” Kaito interrupted the silence, “This might be a wild goose chase. A way to stall us, the dawn is closing in already.”

Ichiru shared Kaito’s opinion, but he could not help the nagging feeling telling him that Zero was on the right path. His instinct screamed at him that he should know the answer to the riddle.

_Dawn!_

“Nii-san… The Dawn… beginning of a new day.”

Zero looked quizzically at his twin, not really seeing what Ichiru meant.

“I can’t be too sure, but there was something about switching from day to night and a cloaking spell that dad used before. Remember?” Ichiru tried to grasp at the faint strings of his childhood memories.

Lighter amethyst eyes widened in recognition, “You mean when he would hide an object and we have to find it without using the tracing spell.”

“Yes! That is it.”

“Hello? Can anybody let us in?” Kaito protested.

Zero clenched his fist, trying his best to remember while explaining, “It is some sort of hunter magic, a slightly complex one. Our father was eager about teaching us this particular spell by scattering objects and animals around the house. Anything that has aura or could make a sound, we then have to undo the cloaking spell in order to find them. The only catch about it is that it has to be undone at the moment of transition between day and night or vice-versa. Otherwise, whatever was cloaked would vanish into oblivion.” He explained as he looked up the sky, noticing the red color turning to golden by the second.

“Ichiru! Do you remember it?” Zero extended a hand for Ichiru to hold it as soon as he was by his side.

At the count of three, they chanted at the same time.

_“By the power of the moon and the sun, as this night merge into the day, we break the spell, cast it away. Let the dream come to an end, let the unseen reveal itself.”_

As they recited the words, everyone around felt the air getting colder and the field around the coffin positively glowing before it turned mirror-like and shatter. Nothing changed apart from the casket suddenly flung open by itself.

 “Oh God!” Zero gasped, wheezing suddenly as his fangs erected and his eyes morphed red. Aido and Kaname had similar reactions.

Understanding what was happening, Kaito jumped to the open coffin.

Ichiru’s steps slowed down when he saw his face paling, as if every drop of blood left it. He gathered his courage when Isaya patted his shoulder.

“He is alive!” Kaito whispered as he kneeled next to the open box, his shaky hand touching the cold cheek of his lover lying inside with eyes wide open and terrified.

The words gave the vampires the extra courage to get closer, only for Kaname’s distress to increase when he caught the sight of his friend.

Upon witnessing what Kaito meant, Ichiru did what he thought best, update the president about what happened.

“What should we do?” Zero asked, grateful to make a coherent sentence while he looked at the noble vampire daggered into the coffin.

“Kaname-sama don’t!” Aido screamed at the pureblood who was about to take out the dagger lodged in Takuma’s throat. He was grateful for Kaito who held his wrist in time.

The pureblood gave a menacing glare towards the hunter who ignored him in favor of holding the bloodied finger of his lover’s uncut hand.

“Look,” Aido pointed to the daggers stabbed in his wrist, both shoulders, ankles and finally in his sternum. It pained him to see Takuma conscious but unable to form a sound due to the blade cutting through his vocal cords “If one of them is a hunter blade…”

“He might bleed to death.” Zero whispered, “He is already losing so much. We can’t afford to speed-”

“Are you telling me to sit here and watch?” Kaname hissed, unable to look at the frightened emerald eyes staring shakily at the sky. His heart clenched when Takuma seemed to gurgle on his own blood in attempt to say something.

“I called the association. A medical team is on its way, with blood supply.” Ichiru waved his phone while bending over to look into Takuma’s eyes, “Everything will be okay! You are safe now.”

“You will have to help move him to the ambulance.” Kaito’s raspy voice startled them; his eyes glanced up to Kaname and back on his lover.

Zero knew that look. For anyone else, it would be that of defeat or helplessness, but the silver hunter knew better. In hazel eyes, he saw promises of pain and agony for whoever caused his lover so much pain.

“Understood. For now, this will have to do.” Kaname nodded and placed a hand on Takuma’s forehead to make him drift into unconsciousness. He winced at the sight of the inner lining of the coffin drenched in the crimson liquid.

Aido proceeded to freeze the cut arm in order to stop the major source of the bleeding.

Thankfully, the medical squad did not take long since Yagari had them on standby the minute they set off to look for Takuma.

They broke the edges of the box and tried to move the injured vampire as carefully as possible, but the multiple wounds stirred with every move to the point of waking him for the induced slumber. They finally sedated him and allowed Kaname to use his power to float him over to the ambulance. Once they made sure that he was unconscious again, they proceeded to take out one dagger at a time to stitch each wound without losing too much blood.

The blood bags they brought were not enough to compensate the loss. Kaname did not waste a heartbeat before ordering a direct blood transfusion from him and Isaya. The action managed to stabilize the condition of the sedated vampire until they reached the hospital. Major intervention was required for the severed limb and the two daggers stabbed in his throat and chest.  

Ichiru decided to drive the car following the ambulance since he seemed to be the calmest out of all of them. Kaname had a blank stare, sitting in the passenger seat while Zero kept a keen eye on Kaito in the rear seats. Every once in a while, Ichiru would glance at the hazel eyed hunter who kept staring at his bloodied hands all the way until they reached their destination.

In the other car, Aido took on the driving duty with Isaya Shouto by his side. He was surprised when the pureblood dismissed the other vampire who followed him like a shadow at all times.

“Aido-kun… You know how active Yuki had been with the ladies of the vampire society lately. Especially after Ai-chan was born.” Isaya spoke softly.

“Yes. It is hard to miss.” Hanabusa confirmed.

“Due to the higher nobles warming up to her, she had been getting requests to act as a matchmaker.”

Hanabusa all but snorted at the idea of the pureblood brunette facing such situation. He paused for a second, “Wait… For whom?” As far as he was concerned, news of Kaname being single were not spreading yet and most nobles of the inner circle are already publicly committed.

“Ichijou-kun.” Isaya blurted the words that had Aido dumbfounded, _of course, ugh!_

“She would come back with a sour look on her face whenever she is confronted with a desperate woman seeking her help. Last time I asked her, she refused to tell me the reason as to why she never forwarded those proposals to the person in question.” The pureblood sighed in defeat before adding, “But I guess the reason for that is that she had been aware of his involvement with Takamiya-kun all along.”

Hanabusa clenched the steering wheel, but kept quiet.

“I can take your silence as a confirmation of my assumption. Aido-kun, I hope that you remember the founding rules of the new association.” Isaya taunted.

Electric blue eyes widened, he hesitated to speak but chose to keep quiet again.

“haaah… Listen, All I am asking is a yes or a no. Are they together?” The pureblood was starting to lose his patience.

Aido finally pulled over to the side of the road and took a deep breath, “With all due respect, Shouto-sama, I do not see how it would be any of your business.” He finally snapped.

“It would be if word reached the ear of the council of elders who are waiting for a slip like this to declare mutiny. What is worse than that would be the Ichijou clan catching wind of this.” The usually laid-back pureblood sounded almost threatening.

Hanabusa swallowed a lump forming in his throat. He understood what Isaya meant. He had the same conversation with the injured vampire not long ago. Hanabusa had to convince Takuma against coming out about his relationship with Kaito until he secured his standing as the leader of the Ichijou group.

As the top family amongst the noble class, it was no secret that the Ichijou clan would stop at nothing to preserve their fame and glory. It would not be unusual for a leader to die mysteriously after showing signs of defiance and rebel against the family’s expectations. Whatever power and influence Takuma held currently was only due to the fact that he killed his grandfather, which instilled fear of the extent of his power as well as his close ties with the pureblood king. Unless he produced an heir sometime soon, his clansmen would always be on the lookout to stab him in the back. He would not be surprised to discover that they might be the masterminds behind today’s incident.

As for the council of elders, Hanabusa always saw them as the last vestige of the depraved system that Kaname abolished during Rido’s battle. The group of useless retired head of families would not exist if not to quell the rise of vampires looking to overthrow the peace treaty. Despite proving, that Yuki was pregnant with Kaname’s child, gossips and rumors still spread about Zero being the father in order to make the fact that Yuki was representing the vampire world as their queen void. They did not believe in both races working side by side when there was so much history between the top members. It was only when the rumors reached the point of accusing Zero of using her as a puppet to control her people that they had to compromise by implementing an oath to prevent further suspicions.

An oath stating that in order to insure the independence of choices and better cooperation, it would be forbidden for the top figures of the new association to be involved intimately. A rule that made it possible for hunters and vampires to be together so long as they are not members of the top brass of the association.

“Shouto-sama, I understand your concern. However, we have everything under control; please do not worry about it.” The younger vampire stated, _when it comes to Ichijou-san at least._

“I hope so.”

“Although… If I may express my thoughts about that specific clause?”

“Go ahead.”

“I understand the gravity of the situation should that clause be broken, but I do not think that it applies to those two.” Aido explained.

“How so?” Isaya asked curiously.

“It clearly states the forbidding of a liaison between the top members of each race. However, Takamiya-san is the only official member out of the two. What is more, his official status is that of a foot soldier, not a board member like Zero. The only reason he is summoned to important meetings would be that he is the trusted disciple of the president. Otherwise, he does not have the ultimate pass that a handful of you enjoy inside the association.”

Isaya nodded, willing the smile away from his lips.

“As for Ichijou-san, he is legally Kaname-sama’s personal assistant. He has no power to make any decision pertaining to the association without the king’s consent. That would make him no more than a messenger who acts when the king cannot be present physically. Thus, they would be considered in the same position as Ichiru and myself in regard of our relationship. Therefore, if we are to be acknowledged and celebrated while they are frowned upon, I am afraid that we are pointing out a major flaw of judgement here, no offense intended.”

“None taken!” Isaya finally smiled as he patted on the shoulder of the tense vampire who relaxed almost immediately. “Nice argument you have there. Yours or your cousin’s?”

Aido’s shoulder slumped, “his.”

After realizing their involvement, Hanabusa consulted with Kain on the legal repercussion of such a relationship. He was surprised to know that Senri discussed the very same point a while ago as well as way of looking out for his benefactor.

“Well… As long as he keeps it away from the prying eyes of the sly foxes he has in his clan, I have nothing to worry about.” Isaya stated flatly.

Aido glanced sideway at the pureblood as he drove away once again. He could not help but feel cheated somehow. Isaya Shouto may have been a recluse for so many years, only caring about his books and family, but there was no denying that he was once a shrewd politician who stood by the side of Haruka Kuran. He heard rumors about how skillful he was in interrogating without using his powers of reading minds. Experiencing it firsthand sent quite the chill down Hanabusa’s spine.

However, he was grateful for it because they acquired one more ally to clear away any rising suspicion when it comes to the clumsy couple.

“Well… I already took care of erasing the memory of my bodyguard about earlier. Takamiya-kun’s reaction by the grave was quite the giveaway.”

 _See! He is the real deal. If you are going to settle it by keeping quiet, why bother cornering the hell out of me, Geez!_ Aido whined internally, _Why do I always have to doge the bullet for their clumsiness!_

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At the hospital ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The final diagnosis revealed that all daggers used were of hunter origin. The most frightening part was that the one stabbed in his sternum managed to graze his heart, the doctor was paling as he explained the gravity of the situation had that dagger moved a couple of millimeters to the side.

Once out of surgery, They were finally allowed to see the unconscious patient who was covered in bandages from neck to toe. Zero hated the fact that he had to drag Kaito out after visiting hours were over because only family members were allowed to stay, alas, the hateful uncle who had to rub it in their faces about how they almost lost him due to their incompetence.

They were told that Takuma would be kept under constant surveillance because he succumbed to a high amount of hunter poison that will take time to clear out of his system, even with the transfusion from Kaname and Isaya.

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Later that day at Cross’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“Un-fucking-believable!!!” Kaito growled out his fury as he slammed against every wall and window of the house.

“Pipe down, would you?” Zero hissed at him, “I am trying to concentrate here.”

“Like you were for an hour now, I see that it got us quite far. What was that bastard thinking anyways?” The hazel-eyed hunter glared at the spell bound door preventing them from leaving the house.

“Well, he would not have done it if someone did not sneak the idea into his head.” The miffed silver hunter glared at his twin while Ichiru hugged a pillow, sulking in the corner of the sofa.

“Hana would not have suggested putting you guys on house arrest if you did not burst into the intelligence department and tried to take over to hack and find that bloody director of the publishing house.” Ichiru snapped back. It was bad enough that Kaito defied Yagari’s order to be on standby, he did not waste time to antagonize the intelligence department and pull Zero into the squabble as well. _I swear! These two are as hot headed as two teenagers who are barely into puberty! Why do I always have to be sucked into their mess?_

“Can’t you do something?” Kaito snapped at Zero.

“Can’t you see that I am fucking trying? I would like to see you breaking a barrier set up by a pureblood and two powerful hunters.” Zero challenged him. Kaname was one thing, but having Yagari and Cross in cahoots made the task worse for him.

“For heaven’s sake, would you two calm down already? You can get on it whenever they free you.” Ichiru whined.

“When will that be?” Kaito flailed his arms, “When the only lead we might have on the assailants flee the country? They are following the stupid protocol of collecting more pointless evidence and witnesses because they could not find the bloodsucker when we can easily hack into the security cameras and cellphones signal to pinpoint the little shit.”

“And nii-san elegantly skipped over the fact that we need an explicit permission for him to exhibit his not so legitimate talent if we do not want to be pursued by the freaking government itself. Now, what seems better? Following a protocol and finding something useful, or skip over and get stuck in jail.” Ichiru analyzed sarcastically.

“I hate it when he has a point.” Zero groaned. He did let the blood get to his head, especially when provoked by the old Ichijou back at the hospital, to the point of seeing black.

After brief minutes of peaceful silence, Ichiru glanced at the two brooding hunters and sighed in exasperation.

“What did I do to be stuck here with you? I wonder.” Ichiru face-palmed himself.

“Because they know you will find a way to get us out.” Zero answered while rolling his eyes.

 “That might be true. Are we calm enough to use our brain now?” Ichiru tested.

“What’s the point?” Kaito shrugged. “I am going to rest until they come and remove the barrier. I will think of what to do after that.”

“I guess I will do just that.” Zero stood from his seat, stretching his sore back, “I wish I had some comfy clothes here, I am sure that those left here will not fit anymore.” He complained as he rubbed his belly under the baggy shirt.

“You can call Gin and have him bring some over.” Ichiru pointed.

“How is he going to get in, let alone bring clothes inside?” Zero rolled his eyes at the uncredulous suggestion, “Besides, I am sure that he has his hands full with Keiichi. His parents are out of the country in case you forgot.”

“Worth the shot if it is a one way spell.” Ichiru smirked.

“What?” Kaito quirked an eyebrow.

“Think about it. They only needed to trap us inside. No one on campus is aware that we are even here. I would have suggested calling Yuki-chan, but she left with the girls shortly after making sure that Ichijou-sempai was safe. It might why they trapped me with you despite the fact that I was against your reckless behavior, because they cannot risk me breaking the barrier by coming over at random. It might be a combined one, but it was hasty and they were not in their best shape to begin with. ” Ichiru barely finished his explanation before Zero pulled out his phone and called Gin.

Fifteen minutes later, the sound of an engine sent a sense of anticipation through the three ‘prisoners’.

Gin knocked at the door only to be confused when he could not open it since Zero clearly stated that he could.

“Oh shoot! That old man locked us in and forgot to leave the key.” Ichiru gasped innocently.

“How am I supposed to get it then?” Gin asked, unaware of the plot he had been manipulated into.

“Can you get in through the window?” Zero suggested.

“You will have to hold Keiichi. He is sound asleep.”

“Will do.” The silver hunter perked as he approached the only window left open through which he could not exit earlier.

As soon as Gin passed Keiichi through its threshold, a ripple of faint glow startled him into backing away a couple of steps. “What the heck was that?”

Kaito shoved a hand out of the window and grinned, “That, my dear friend, would be our way out. Start the car! We are leaving!”

They did not waste time leaving with the confused older teacher who regretted his actions as soon as they filled him in on what happened. However, three against one would be a losing battle if he insisted on taking them back.

What they planned to execute in the association ended up being carried out at Zero’s office in Gin’s house with his innovative equipment.

 One hour later, they pinpointed the location of their target and set off for the hunt, gears strapped and weapons loaded.

Ichiru’s nose crinkled at the sight of the fluorescent banner of a strip club.

“Quite the location for a hideout.” He stated flatly.

“Are you sure that he is here?” Kaito looked at Zero who was checking his phone.

“Only one way to find out.” Zero finally met his eyes while removing the obvious artillery strapped around his thighs, boots and hips.

“What are you doing?” Ichiru asked cautiously.

“What does it look like?”

“You can’t be serious. You do know that it is a vampire lair inside, don’t you?” Kaito protested with a baffled expression when he caught the drift of his fellow hunter.

“Exactly. Seeing that your face is quite well known around these kind of places, and Ichiru would not be able to go in unnoticed with his samurai sword.” Zero pointed sarcastically at their weaponry, “That will leave me to infiltrate and bring that bastard out of there for some ‘interrogation’” He waved bloody rose before chaining it and tucking it in the small of his back.

“If my face is well known around here, yours is known everywhere.” Kaito snapped

“Not if I do not expose it.” Zero pulled up the hood of his shirt to cover his silver hair and cracked his neck as he shut his eyes before opening them to startle his brother and friend with ruby red glowing eye looking at them.

“Holy-“ Ichiru gasped, “how?”

“I just have to think of ripping the bastard’s throat along other unpleasant thoughts and channel my anger. I have been practicing my control over it for years if you did not notice.” Zero grinned, showing his pointy fangs almost proudly. It was not easy to come to term with his vampire side, but once he did, Zero made sure to have full control over it and make use of its benefits.

“We need a signal in case things get out of hand.” Ichiru stated as he handed the sedating syringe to his brother.

“A gunshot should be obvious.” Zero shrugged, “Get the car close to the back door. I will either lure him to the restroom or bust him in the office if he is the owner of this place.”

“How are you planning on luring him anyways?” Kaito was still confused about that part.

“By tapping into every vampire weakness.” Zero smirked.

“Be careful.” Ichiru said his last word, not wanting to elaborate on the idea that his brother will take advantage of the fact that his blood became more appealing due to the pregnancy and that he will be using it as the bait.

As expected from the silver hunter, it did not take him more than twenty minutes to throw the limp body of their target through the window of the restrooms. The three were grateful that they did not have to engage in bloody fights that they would have to report later.

“That was… anticlimactic.” Kaito huffed as he strapped the restraining chains over the unconscious vampire.

“Who cares? Now, all that is left will be to squeeze any information from that head.” Zero looked over his shoulder from the passenger seat to meet the less dim hazel eyes.

“That might have to wait.” Ichiru whispered warily as he looked at the rearview mirror.

Kaito looked back to see three black cars tailing them.

“We did not expect it to be that easy in the first place.” Zero stated as he checked his weapon in time with Kaito while Ichiru pushed the button to retract the roof of the Jeep.

After gunning at each other for a couple of minutes, two cars collided when Kaito hit the tire of one. With two down, they were left with the last one. “Persistent piece of shit.” Ichiru swore as he took a sharp turn and headed for the next intersection. He cursed more when he barely dodged an incoming civilian car. Despite the late hours and the empty roads, the younger twin still felt the pressure of the chase.

*Sharp sound of brakes and skidding*

“What the fuck was that for?” Zero growled at his twin when his back hit the front glass painfully.

“That.” Ichiru pointed while reaching for his sword, his face hardening by the minute.

“Fuck!” Kaito gasped and Zero groaned when they realized what Ichiru meant.

“So much for anticlimactic now is it?” Ichiru whispered as he jumped out of the car to join them in front of it. The sound of a car stopping behind theirs did not waver their gaze from the horde of vampires cluttering the intersection behind the spiky belt they set up to make sure that the hunters do not proceed any further had Ichiru not notice them in time.

It was in a fraction of a second before the fight sparked. Despite being outnumbered, Zero and Kaito were enough to annihilate most of the attackers. There was a mix of level E, Level C working in coordination. Ichiru prevented the retrieval of their hostage by taking down those who managed to go past his brother and friend.

It was going well until three level B nobles joined the battle, making the task even harder.

“Quite refreshing to see you arrogant pricks coming down to save a level C. I am impressed.” Zero provoked them while thwarting their attacks easily with the vines of his gun.

“Save your breath hunter.” One of them hissed, “It is not much of saving than erasing, him and you.”

“I see. That should be fun.” Kaito spun his spear and sent it in direction of the heart. Sadly, the vampire dodged and smirked at the hunter, only for it to fade when he saw the victorious look on Kaito’s face.

“Ugh!” His eyes widened when the sharp blade pierced through him from behind and flew back to Kaito’s hand.

“This baby will always make sure to come back to me, you just happened to be on its way. How unlucky for you!” The hazel-eyed hunter mocked him while the vampire blew to dust.

Ichiru noticed that the fight was ending with minor injuries on their side. He allowed himself to relax against the hood of the car while his brother took on the last two vampires.

“Those two make quite the amazing combo. They are in perfect sync in protecting each other’s back.” A voice reached Ichiru’s ear in time with an arm draped on his shoulder that startled him.

_Cold!_

The younger twin turned his head slowly, wary of the man putting his weight on his shoulder and acting casual in the middle of a battle. Wary of the chilling sensation that the slightly cold arm gave him through the layers of clothes. The summer season was closing in and the air should not be getting as cold as he was feeling by the minute.

“Hello!” Amethyst eyes finally met light blue ones. Blue eyes that looked anything but human, eyes that reflected no soul in them.

Ichiru’s mouth gaped like a fish, wanting to alert his brother, but the weight of the man’s presences seemed to crush him while standing on his two feet. What shocked him even more was the familiarity.

_The vampire with ice-wielding power responsible for the killings might be a vampire from my bloodline, or even its progenitor for all we know._

The observations of his lover suddenly surged in the back of his mind. A violent shiver ran through his spine at the thought. “You can never imagine how right you were,” He whispered to no one as his eyes took in the vampire who finally straightened up and was taking off lint from his immaculate suit. A vampire who was the spitting image of his lover except for slightly graying hair adorning his golden locks and the lack of warmth in his eyes and his very existence.

“ICHIRU! Get away from there!” Kaito’s voice echoed slowly through his head just like the sigh of his spear flying toward the vampire along with a bullet from Bloody Rose. His eyes widened more when an Ice wall erected from nowhere and blocked the attack so easily, to the point of bending the spear and squishing the bullet.

“How rude to interrupt when we still did not finish the introduction.” a cold smile traced his lips.

“You” Kaito growled when he put the pieces together.

“Kaito be careful!” Zero whispered after he moved swiftly in time with the attack to retrieve his stunned brother. He was just as shocked from the eerie resemblance with Aido, but he could not be fooled, not with the powerful aura emanating from the calm vampire, an aura rivaling that of one pureblood king, the aura of a powerful pureblooded vampire. “He is a pureblood.” Zero finally voiced his concern. He knew that Kaito sensed his strength, but hunters are not as sharp as vampires are when it comes to sensing the rank of their opponent without engaging in an actual battle.

“Pureblood? Oh my~ you insult me. I am beyond what you ever could imagine, young? hunter? vampire? or should I just say… abomination… I find it hard to believe that something like you could be allowed to exist. Times sure has changed… a lot.” The ice-wielder took graceful step towards them. His shoes clacking against the pavement was the only sound resonating in the stillness of the night. “Which leaves me conflicted on whether I should kill you like those pesky hunters or… maybe recruit you?”

“Or you can shove it?” Zero tilted his head in mockery and raised his gun in time to intercept the attack of the expressionless vampire. Kaito moved in time to shield Ichiru who held no firearm and proceeded to shoot the ice arrows coming their way. They winced as some stray shots grazed their skin.

“Mmmm… What a fragrance! How long has it been that anything like it crossed my senses, I wonder?” The vampire sniffed the air, leading to Zero stiffening when he realized that it was the smell of his blood.

With a glance over his shoulder, he gave the retreating sign that Kaito nodded to confirm. No matter how strong they might be together, taking on a vampire as strong as this one after a rough battle would be plain suicide.

Just as they were about to bolt and jump into the car a distance away from the still moving vampire, the three of them found their legs glued to the floor which was covered in ice in the blink of an eye.

“Shit!” Zero cursed and unleashed the vines of his gun in hope of warding off the vampire. He regretted refusing Gin’s offer of drinking from him when he felt his reflexes slowing down. Things has been so hectic for the past few days that he neglected his daily intake.

“What’s wrong, boy? Getting tired already?” The vampire mocked as he materialized an ice sword that cut through the vines before they could put a single scratch on him.

“Shut the fuck up, stupid relic.” Zero snapped.

“I see that some discipline is in order.” The blue eyes twinkled with something that sent cold raw fear through the trapped trio. A fear that materialized in the form of a giant hammer hovering over them. “You see…” The ice-wielder sighed, “It is not really my modus operandi to just take out the heart and keep it in an ice box. Haaa… orders are orders, I am sure that you can relate to that as well. But!” he pointed a finger as if someone was about to interrupt him. Whereas, all three captive were concerned about the conjured object hovering over them while the vampire’s hands were free to express his theory, “That is too easy. I am more of a decapitating, smashing and well… All that gory stuff that let me savor the sight of the life dimming away from my victim’s eyes. That is exactly why…” he finally reached a close distance from Zero, “I had to go out on a prowl after being denied that pleasure with my last victim.” his voice showed a hint of frustration through the shaky breath, “little did I expect to find someone carrying their stench this strongly.” He commented as he sniffed Kaito who was fully frozen by now except for his head. “I should assume that you are the one who saved him, or found him dead.” The hazel-eyed hunter did not waste the chance to spit on the face close to his.

“AAAAGH!” Kaito screamed in pain, alerting Zero who was horrified to see the ice actually contracting around Kaito’s body, compressing it.

A sudden ripple in the air alerted the ice-wielder who turned around to see the glowing red eyes of the silver hunter.

He smirked, “That is more like it, and it would be boring if none of you put up a fight.”

“Nii-san, don’t.” Ichiru whispered from his own confine. The three of them were helpless as long as they were trapped in the ice who seemed to have a life of its own. Ichiru was in more panic then he let on, especially when he realized what exactly that they were dealing with. _A firstborn. This is bad._

It was the perfect explanation for all precedent events. The current display of power proved it along with the way that the ice-wielder spoke and carried himself.

“Oh right! I almost forgot!” He clicked his tongue and shook his head while heading to the car. Without lifting a finger, he had the hostage vampire floating in the air before slicing him in half with an ice disk. “Perfect.” He watched as the ashes scattered to the floor.

A sudden scream from Zero startled all of them, especially when the floor shook and cracks showed from the ice trapping him. The jaw of the ice-wielder dropped uncharacteristically when the silver hunter freed himself and launched another attack. This time the vines managed to pierce through the vampire and started sucking on his blood.

Zero’s eyes were glowing red and his fangs elongated as he fought the pull of the powerful blood that his gun was drawing from the enemy and into his body, it only happened when Bloody Rose gets saturated from the absorbed power and pass the rest on to its master instead of absorbing from Zero.

“I guess recruiting an insolent child appears to be out of question.” The blue eyes morphed red and a hand rose, palm facing upwards as the air twirled around it to form another sharp round disk.

Kaito and Ichiru could not utter a word as they became fully covered in ice. They could only watch in horror as the disk flew towards Zero’s midsection and was about to slice through his pregnant belly.

Everything happened in slow motion to the point that it seemed like a dream. Zero’s eyes followed the disk and called back the vines to intercept it, hoping that it was not too late.

The enemy gloated at the prospective of what was about to happen, especially when the vines left him.

Suddenly, he felt the blood running through his veins heating up, as if lit ablaze like the lava of an erupting volcano. He found himself gasping for air while falling to his knees.

The second his concentration shifted to whatever was eating him up from the inside, all ice shattered and disappeared, along with the disk that barely managed to graze Zero’s arm after the hunter deflected his trajectory in the nick of time. 

All of them seemed confused, except for Zero who guessed what was happening when the tattoo on his shoulder blade alerted him in time with Kaname’s approaching aura.

It was not long before the brown haired pureblood materialized in the middle of the fighting area with his back facing the hunters.

“Release.” Zero whispered the words that made a faint glow around the brunet.

“Thank you.” Kaname whispered when he felt the squeezing sensation around his heart fading after Zero revoked the seal to allow him his full potential.

“Oh! My liege!” Zero frowned at the word escaping the gasping enemy who seemed to choke on the invisible hold Kaname had over his neck, “It is an honor to finally meet you again after so long.”

“What the fuck is he talking about?” The hunter snapped

“I am as confused as you are.” Kaname bit back, having hard time controlling the powerful individual who was fighting against his restrain.

“We have come to take you back to where you truly belong; your queen would be delighted to see you. This humble servant lives to see the curse they put on you broken, my liege. I would be honored if you left me with the menial task of disposing this garbage.” Kaname was growing impatient with the gibberish.

“Who are you?” he finally asked.

“Your humble servant.”

“I recall no such a thing.” Kaname retorted.

The enemy pressed his lips, “That is because they made sure that you don’t.”

The words threw him off-guard for a second, an action he regretted when the ice-wielder was free from his kinetic hold. “I would hate to use force, but I would not live with the shame of allowing them to take you back now that I have found you, alive and well.” He hissed as he unleashed his own power.

Following Zero’s instruction, Kaito took Ichiru to the car and drove away from the scene while the two powerful vampires engaged in a vicious battle under the observant eye of the hunter.

“Kuran! We need him alive!” He screamed to remind the pureblood of the fact that the enemy was more than one individual. He finally found himself in a favorable position behind the ice-wielder and took the moment of confusion to trap him in vines once again.

This time however, the vampire was ready for him, “Too bad! I need you dead!” he sneered in time with the ice spikes that erected from the broken pavement, heading straight to the horrified hunter.

“ZERO!” Kaname screamed in terror from the other side and instantly blasted the enemy to stop the onslaught that would inevitably kill his beloved otherwise.

A long moment of silence stretched, disrupted only by the ragged breath of the two men standing a distance away from each other. They stared at the pile of crystal powder, remains of the defeated enemy.

“What the fuck did you do that for?” Zero hissed.

“He was about to kill you.” Kaname sighed the answer, still getting over the shock of almost losing the hunter.

“I could have handled myself.” Zero insisted.

“Pray tell how?” Kaname’s eyes met the incensed hunter.

“I told you to keep him alive. We had one suspect in custody that he killed in cold blood, and I was trying to get him alive because he might be the first hope of catching the elusive enemy.” Zero grumbled.

“He is not alone; there will be more like him to come.”

“Yeah! Thanks for stating the obvious,” Zero snorted sarcastically, “Just when we made one step forward, we have to leap backward and fall on our asses, empty handed. Thanks to you.”

“I was saving your life in case you failed to notice.”

“Well… You made the wrong choice. Has it ever occurred to you that I could take care of myself while you contained the shitty bastard?” Zero snapped while using the discarded shirt over the ashes of the publishing director to wipe off the blood from his closing wound.

“I did what I thought was right.” Kaname defended himself while shortening the distance between them.

“What would be right might have been to send me flying away and neutralize him, knock him unconscious, paralyzing him. I thought you were powerful enough to do any of those things, but no~ you chose to turn him into some fucking useless sparkly powder.” Zero growled.

He startled when Kaname suddenly flung his arm around him and held him close. The smell of blood that followed alerted him more than he ever wanted.

Amethyst eyes landed on a blade embedded in Kaname’s shoulder. He did not waste time to pull it out and untie the paper stuck to its handle.

“Don’t bother chasing the wind for now. There will be a next time.” He read them aloud while Kaname sensed for any presence, finding none. “Great! The joke is on us now.”

The hunter gasped when Kaname grabbed him by the collar, anger seeping from his every pore, “Enough! You want to complain, fine. However, do so when you did what you could do and got sabotaged in the end. In this situation, you have no right to blame me for saving you. In fact, you have no right to complain at all when all of this is your bloody mistake. What part of standby do you and your friend not understand? What do you think the people of the association will think when I tell them that your partner called me, worried about your reckless behavior to the point that I had Aido track down his lover’s location and come find you. Oh! Not only that, I can only imagine their wrath when they discover you being the reason behind losing the prime suspect for whom they issued an arrest warrant just before I left to find him here, dead. Why? Because you two decided to play the vigilante without care for the bigger threat that loomed. Well?... Excuse me for making the right decision.” Kaname hissed close to the stunned hunter.

He finally let go of his collar, leading to Zero tumbling two steps back.

“Call your brother and have them come back to pick you up. They should not have gone far.” Those were the last word spoken before Kaname teleported back to where he came from.

Zero remained frozen solid. There was more than the outburst that had his brain reeling, but he had no energy to process. In a robotic motion, he took out his phone and called on his brother, feeling grateful that they were just around the corner.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back at Cross’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

As expected, the matter did not go unnoticed after Kaname reported along with Gin who spilled the beans when Yagari did not find the trio at the house. For the first time in years, Kaito and Zero found themselves sitting on their knees listening to the longest lecture from their mentor who sat cross-legged on the sofa. Ichiru had a lighter lecture since they figured that he followed them reluctantly.

 Once the anger subsided, each of them reported on the incident from their point of view. All went well until Ichiru dropped the bomb.

“I believe that we are dealing with a firstborn.” The words earned him the attention of those aware of the subject, namely Kaname.

“What made you think so? For all we know they have been annihilated ages ago.” Cross Kaien elaborated skeptically.

“For once, I witnessed closely how the hunter’s weapons did not affect him or his element. Zero’s bullet was squished like putty against his ice.” The words sent a chill through everyone. “What is more, he mentioned feeling insulted when referred to as a pureblood.”

“He certainly was more powerful than the purebloods I have come across so far.” Zero commented, glancing at the brown haired man leaning against the table with arms crossed, “What got me curious though was the fact that he referred to you as his liege, Kuran!”

“He did?” Kaito and Ichiru tilted their heads.

“More like he whispered.” Kaname clarified, explaining why only Zero and he managed to hear the words.

“So what? He thinks of you as some sort of leader?” Yagari huffed, twirling the toothpick irritatingly with his lips, “This is getting ridiculous!”

“Tell me about it.” Kaname pushed his weight off the table, “Especially when I have no idea about his identity to begin with.”

“Maybe you just forgot that you were the leader of some cold blooded murderers.” Yagari snorted, “I would not put it past you.”

“Toga, let us not rush with the misplaced accusations.” Kaien reprimanded, already regretting telling his lover about Kaname’s sealed memories.

“As far as my memories go, the earliest would be just after the apocalypse. From what I remember and what is written in the books, it is quite obvious that I never led such a faction. Unless you think that I existed before that and maybe caused the apocalypse,” Kaname stated confidently.

“He might have mistaken you for another.” Aido interrupted, slightly put off by the knowledge that the man might indeed be his ancestor, “I mean…” He stuttered when all eyes landed on him, “The Kuran bloodline is quite famous by their strong genes. I would not be surprised to confuse Kaname-sama with one of his ancest- I mean progenies. Haruka-sama shared a lot of resemblance if any of you remember.” He stated his case, which received a string of approval.

“If we are to follow this theory, we can assume that they might be looking for this leader, since it seems that they have yet to meet him.” Zero pondered, “Since he was talking about following orders and mentioned a queen, he may have been referring to the mastermind behind their organization.”

“And if that queen is supposedly looking for a Kuran who is supposed to be her lost king…” Yuki trailed, “We can consider the possibility of her being a Kuran as well….” The brunette pressed her lips, not liking the assumption one bit… She looked into the worried wine orb of her brother, “If there is one thing that I remember from Aido-sempai’s teaching, it would be that the Kuran bloodline always relied on sibling’s marriage in order to keep the power rising.”

Kaname nodded.

“That could explain the reason for attacking Ichijou-sempai.” Aido announced loudly.

“What do you mean?” Kaito’s ears immediately perked at the mention of his lover.

“Ichijou might have gotten too close to revealing their identity.” Kaname explained, “He took it upon himself to dig through the family line in hope to find a link to the suspect X that we have yet to identify.”

“Oh!” Most of them shared the same reaction.

“What was the last thing he reported before the kidnapping?” Yagari asked the pureblood.

“I am afraid that I was too busy to look over the report and asked him to forward it to-“

“Here!” Kaien interrupted Kaname after pulling a document from the pile on his desk. “You asked him to forward his findings to me, and he did.” He mumbled as he skimmed through the paper.

“What do you have there?” Zero was impatient to know what the injured noble uncovered that almost had him killed.

“Nothing much.” The answer disappointed them, “Except for another theory about a newly awakened Kuran. One who might have gone into slumber years ago?” Cross pondered as he met Kaname’s eyes.

“I see.” Isaya sighed. “We did overlook that possibility indeed.”

“No we did not.” Kaname interrupted, “The Kuran registry have all records of the family tree, starting from the ancestor, myself, to the last generation, Ai. Unless we are talking about a family member who had been disowned, I fear that all members lived until they perished one way or another. All of their crystals are safely kept in the crypt of the castle as proof.”

“Okay then!” Ichiru chirped, “We need to rule out those who had been disowned and shunned from the family. The enemy did refer to you as a liege, so we are almost sure that the male is the Kuran, that would narrow the search. As for the ‘queen’, she may not be one if we are talking about a rogue vampire.”

“We can start from there.” Yagari nodded.

After more discussions and delegations, they finally called it a night. 

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Gin’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Gin closed the door after Zero got in. They sighed at the same time, exhaustion getting the best of them. The ethic teacher was anxious about the reason for the hunter’s distress. It irritated him that he had to go see his sister while they held the confidential meeting at Cross’s house. He knew that he had to be patient and wait for Yagari to fill him in, but he could chase the feeling that the silver hunter encountered more danger than what he signed up for.

Zero felt like the house was too quiet, immediately regretting sending Keiichi to Yuki’s place. He could not help but want to hold the child to calm his nerves.

“Oh! I almost forgot.” He jolted when Gin’s voice seemed to slice through the thick silence.

“What?” He asked curtly, not bothering to glance at the man.  

“Yuki-chan brought the usual supply of blood bags after you left for the ball you were supposed to monitor. We were a bit distracted and everything spiraled out of control to the point that I forgot to tell you about it, sorry.” Gin smiled sheepishly at the tense hunter.

“Don’t mind it.” Zero mumbled as he opened the mini fridge where he kept the supplies. He hesitated for a moment before taking a bag. He emptied the content in a disposable cup and popped it into the microwave for it to reach the desired temperature. He learned his lesson from the couple of brain freeze he endured by drinking the cold liquid out of the fridge.

Upon heating the second bag, the scent hit his nostrils, making them flare in irritation as they triggered unwanted memories. Memories of the darkness he sunk in when he realized that his days were counted until he would fals into madness. A madness that he reached the edge of its cliff but did not descend. Yuki helped him but the reason he was saved from the imminent doom was no thanks to her. He will never forget that rich taste, the overwhelming power that left him quivering, the hold it had on him to the point of almost stripping him of his free will. Try as he may, he could never forget the taste of Kaname’s blood as it slid down his throat. Nevertheless, he managed to block the memory of it for so many years, until recently.

He hesitated for a bit before starting to gulp the liquid. He almost felt light headed from chugging it in one go without breathing.

He had been missing all the clues scattered around his naked eyes. It started from the day Yuki brought a bigger batch of blood. Zero felt awkward at the thought of the vampires pitching in with their own blood to help his pregnancy, and for the sake of keeping it hidden. At first, she would bring a big pitcher in a cooler, then two of them. Zero would torture her into confessing whether she was the only one draining herself that much, but she always denied it.

He let it slide, for the sake of his unborn child. He let it slide even when one particular flavor started dominating the mix, he let it slide when he learned to differentiate two distinct tastes. He did not want to bother overthinking with all the troublesome attacks they have been dealing with, or so he convinced himself.

Today, he opened the fridge to see the amount of blood doubling yet again, despite the fact that most of the nobles were busy and away from the academy. Today, the bags were separate. The first one tasted like Yuki’s blood that he had been drinking for a while. The second however, smelled and tasted nothing like it, but was familiar as well, for it was Kaname’s blood.

Smelling the scent of it after the pureblood was stabbed triggered his memory. It all came together and the realization crashed down on the hunter when the clues flashed through his head like a movie.

_(Takuma) He is not drinking enough blood either._

_“Don’t be silly, Zero! As if I could draw all that blood while nursing Ai at the same time. Just accept the fact that there are people who care about you more than you think.” Yuki teased._

_“That’s the thing nii-san! I never saw them drawing any blood and Hana is tight-lipped about it. He is always mumbling about them being awkward about showing support and prefer staying anonymous. It can be anyone and everyone. I wanted to thank them as much as you do, but let us just have it their way.” Ichiru grumbled._

“He had us fooled.” Zero chuckled almost hysterically.

“Not drinking enough blood my ass… More like giving a bit too much.” He gritted through his teeth as he squished the empty cup. He had been too self-absorbed to notice when Kaname was consuming far too much blood pills during the meetings at the association and back at Cross’s house today. Most of the audience would brush it off as the normal intake for a pureblood since he did not have the habit of supplementing himself in public, but Zero should have known better.

“Drinking that many pills could only happen when he loses too much blood. Where else could he have lost it other than here.” Zero threw the crushed cup into the bin and opened the mini fridge to look at the stash once more, “What am I supposed to think or do about this?”

“Did you say something?” Gin startled him from behind.

“Fuck!” Zero all but jumped.

“Sorry! I was just getting some water and heard you mumbling. Are you okay?” The older man was worried at the paling hunter.

“No..Nothing… nothing at all” Zero stuttered “I was just… You know… going over the investigation and the meeting we had today. I tend to think aloud when I am irritated.”

“Oh! Sorry to interrupt your analysis then…” Gin tapped on his shoulder, “I am going to sleep. Make sure you replenish properly and get some rest. It seems like you have some rough days ahead of you.”

“Tell me about it!” Zero rolled his eyes.

“Night!” Gin chirped as he headed to the stairs.

“Gin!”

“Yes?”

“You’ve been keeping a keen eye on my health since the beginning of my pregnancy.” Zero walked up to him.

“Yes.” Gin nodded, “and I will keep doing so even if you call me names like a nag, worrywart, annoying…”

“That is beside the point.” Zero griped jokingly, “I just wanted to verify something.”

“I am all ears.” Gin leaned on the railing and looked at the determined amethyst eyes.

“According to your ‘keen’ eye, around what time did I get better… more stable…”

“hmm…” Gin pondered for a moment, “Well… After the syphoning started, you were in a pretty bad shape for some time. It got us extremely worried. If I had to pinpoint the time you started getting better, that would be around the time Yuki-chan started bringing larger amount of blood. Not only did you stop having those nasty episode of siphoning, your complexion started getting better the very next week and it looked as if you had a sudden boost of energy.”

“I see…” Zero sighed.

“Anything else?” Gin tilted his head.

“Nope… Goodnight…” the hunter turned and went to slump on the sofa.

He rubbed his pregnant belly before hugging it with both arms.

_No wonder the doctor thought that I got back together with your daddy when he noticed you getting healthier baby. You have been happily consuming your father’s blood all along… And I have been getting stronger thanks to it as well… Here I thought that you were the one protecting mommy…. Silly me, right? Pregnant vampires of lower rank would usually go through a life-threatening experience because of their pregnancy._

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At Cross’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Kaname-kun! About that dagger that hit you along with the note attached to it.” Kaien spoke with a serious tone as he pulled the zip bags containing the two items. Yagari pulled a chair to join them around the dining table after seeing everyone else off.

“It was not a hunter blade. The wound healed almost instantly after Kiryuu-kun pulled it out of my shoulder.” Kaname commented in order to save the forensics the extra tests.

“Yeah! We figured as much.” Yagari grunted, “But you gotta check this.” He flipped the blade on the other side and pushed it towards Kaname.

Red brown eyes widened at the sight of the same triquetra design carved on it.

“There is also this.” Kaien pulled another item that Kaname recognized as the not that Rosa left at the orphanage. “I l did not send it for testing yet, but even I can notice the similar stroke in both handwriting.” He pointed to the note previously attached to the blade.

“It seems that this chick of yours does have something to do with whatever is going around. Dare I say that she might be the mastermind behind it?” Yagari stated, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

“It is too soon to tell.” Kaname interjected.

“Soon? SOON!” The one eyed hunter finally snapped, “How much more do you need, more hunters dying? Should I wait for my best disciple to get killed? Should you wait for them to come back and finish off you most trusted assistant-“

“Toga!” Cross protested, noticing the way Kaname tensed at the mention of his friend.

“Don’t Toga me! You made me swear secrecy about a matter that could cause our demise, all of our kind. So sorry for seeking to accomplish my duty as the fucking president! This woman has to be announced as a murderer and tracked down since yesterday, but no~ Just because Mr. perfect here seems to have a soft spot for her, you are willing to be fooled into thinking that she is as innocent as an angel. Stop kidding yourself! And what is this about investigating the lineage of the Kiryuus without informing the twins. If anyone has the right to know about all this crap it would be them, especially Zero who is risking it all to annihilate this organization, and he will not stop until done.”

“I object. There is no use antagonizing Kiryuu-kun by the mere assumption that a member of his family might be behind this. It would only put him and his brother in more danger if they dig too deep in the wrong direction.”

“As if you care!” Yagari clenched his fist, exerting self-control as not to let out his wrath on the pureblood.

“Kaname-kun is right on this. Zero does not need the extra burden, not during his pregnancy.” Cross’s words successfully quelled the fury raging inside his lover. He knew very well that the one eyed hunter would want nothing but the best for his disciple.

“What now?” Yagari changed the topic.

“Until we get the results from these pieces of evidence, I say that we stay on guard and do not try to provoke the enemy by pursuing the investigations.” Kaname suggested.

“You have got to be kidding me. You want us to retreat?”

“Do you have any better idea?” Kaname challenged, “Besides, it is not a retreat, but _a standby_. I thought that it became obvious by now that they only attack when provoked, or when we are about to find a trail that leads to them.” The two hunters had no comeback since they shared the same opinion.

“What about the firstborn” Cross brought up the point that worried him the most.

Kaname sighed, “For now, let’s hope that the one I defeated is the last of them. Nonetheless, we need to take extra measure in case there are others.”

“While on the subject, can we change the reference. ‘Firstborn’ does not bode well with those creatures.” Yagari groaned, eliciting a humored chuckled from his lover and a tight smile from the pureblood who happened to feel the same about the term.

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back at the scene of the fight ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The crystal dust glowed under the faint moonlight as it rose in the air. It shifted and shaped in the form of a man before morphing into the actual ice-wielding predator.

“Ugh! I forgot how painful it could be to ‘die’” he cracked his sore neck and moaned at the pleasurable sensation.

“That is what you get for acting recklessly.” The female voice behind him made him turn slowly to face her before getting down on one knee with a hand placed over his heart.

“My lady, we beg you to forgive the insolence of this servant of yours.” He kept his eyes on the floor, not daring to meet the enraged ones boring into him.

“I believe that I instructed you to deal with any loose ends after accomplishing your task.” Seppie seethed at him.

“That is exactly what I intended to do, has it not been for those cretins intercepting my plan and kidnapping my target.” He voiced his frustration, but quickly redeemed his rude tone, “Pardon the fool language.”

“Forgiven.” She dismissed, “However, your action almost cost me more that you can ever imagine. Especially when you targeted the carrier.” She complained while approaching the kneeling man.

He looked up in surprise, “The carrier? Has it been found?”

“Yes…” She grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked his head back painfully before sneering at him, “Here I am bidding my time until he is rid of that spawn growing inside him only to have you attempting to slash him in halves.”

Light blue eyes widened at the realization, “My apologies! I had no idea!”

“Of course you don’t! Do I need to explain myself to a servant?” She growled as she let go of him and dusted her hands with a disgusted expression.

“No! Of course not.” He whispered, “However, if I may express my opinion.”

Seppie stared at the hesitating vampire before lifting her chin up and commanding him, “Make it short!”

“How could you be so sure that he is the one?”

“Are you doubting me?”

“I would never dare to question your majesty!” He all but quivered under the frightening gaze.

“What made you ask such a question then?” She put a hand on her hip and clenched the other one to control herself from killing the irritating fella.

“I was merely wondering about how you were able to distinguish the carrier between the two of them.” He asked.

“Two?” her eyebrow knitted.

“The person you were referring to would be the one with silver hair right? Moreover, you mentioned previously that the carrier could be of any race.” The ice-wielder explained his observation.

“That is correct.” Seppie trailed, intrigued by the conclusion that her servant would reach.

“Well… I was confused because there was two of them… Identical twins… One appears to be human while the one carrying the child is a-“

“Vampire…” She finished his sentence with a stunned expression.

She quickly turned her back to the blue-eyed vampire, confusing him even more when she started mumbling hysterically.

“Two of them! two… twins… this is…” she muttered against the knuckle she held against her lips, “this is… no… I am positive about the carrier… so the other is…” Glee shone in her big eyes… “What are the odds?” Her lips stretched into a wide smile.

“My lady?” The servant finally rose and hesitated about checking on the woman.

“hhhhhhhhh….This is FABULOUS!” She finally screamed, throwing her hands in the air while laughing hysterically.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Looking away and acting innocent*
> 
> See ya next chapter


	52. Chapter 52

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!! First, first, I wanted to inform you that I posted the first chapter of the new KaZe story ‘Freedom’ that I have been working on with Irmina. I am happy to see the response it got and would be happy if you checked it out as well if you were not aware.
> 
> Back to this story,
> 
> WARNING: This chapter is jam packed with new information about the Kiryuu lineage and mysteries shrouding them, especially the twin’s parents.
> 
> Do not worry, there will be answers to previous questions and more mysteries will get answers in the next chapter as well. I will have to ask you to bear with the load of information. The OC here are irrelevant for future events of the story, that is why I did not wreck my head finding names for them. You only have to focus on what they have to say XD
> 
> Enjoy!!

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next morning at Gin’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The warmth of the morning sun brushed against his face, making his sleepy eyes flutter open lazily. On the nightstand facing him, the digital clock blinked the late hour of what seemed like a peaceful Sunday morning. Zero rolled on his back and glanced at the empty spot where he would usually leave Gin sleeping.

_I must be truly exhausted if I woke up after him._

It took a while for his lazy brain to replay the events of the days before and remind himself that he would be having yet another busy day. With a frustrated groan, he headed to the bathroom. If there was one thing he loathed more than the pointless hours of looking for the unknown, it would be the increasing bathroom breaks he had been taking due to his internal organs being pressured beyond redemption. Zero cannot help but dread the time when his lazy baby decides to play soccer in there.

Minutes later, the hunter walked down the stairs and headed to the glass door opening into the backyard that Gin turned into a conservatory.He made sure to get a steamy mug of fresh coffee to chase away the grogginess before heading out.

He leaned on the doorframe and watched the taller man watering the rapidly growing plants, too absorbed with checking the leaves and flowers to notice the hunter’s presence.

“You are doing a fine job with those.” Zero announced his presence.

“Good morning sleepy head.” Gin flashed a pearly smile at the sight of the hunter who was making himself comfortable at the garden table where he uncovered the sumptuous breakfast that Gin prepared.

“Don’t get cheeky just because you woke up first.” Zero quipped.

“I could not sleep much to be honest.” Gin sighed.

“Why?” Zero asked as he made himself a sandwich.

“Just worried about leaving you alone and stuff…” The older man voiced his worries while washing and wiping his hands to join his partner.

“Don’t worry mommy, I will not throw drinking parties and smash the house in your absence.” Zero teased in a childish voice.

“Emphasize on the drinking part.” Gin teased.

“Whatever!” Zero rolled his eyes.

“But seriously, I think I will have someone come take care of the house chores and the garden. You will be busy enough as it is, I don’t want you exhausting yourself.” Gin insisted.

“I don’t think that is a good idea. You know I don’t like having strangers rummaging through my stuff, even if professional.”

“I know… I will be asking my sister, so you do not have to worry about a thing.” Gin reassured him and was glad to receive a nod of approval.

“What about the garden. I remember you telling me how bad she used to be at taking care of pets and plants.” Zero tilted his head, “And you know that I don’t have the patience for it either.”

“Nao-kun will take care of them.”

Zero quirked an amused eyebrow, “Aren’t you abusing your authorities as a teacher.”

Gin almost choked on his bite of food, “No… *cough*… He actually volunteered. Did I forget to tell you that he is a member of the gardening club and that I am the supervisor?”

“Hmm…” Zero was nothing short of surprised, “The kid must be quite the overachiever. I don’t remember having the energy to do anything but sleep after finishing the lectures and prefect duty. Where does he find the energy?”

Gin smiled, “He said that he was used to a much busier lifestyle to the point of feeling sluggish lately.” Certainly, after living a few years following the fluctuating lifestyle he had, Nao developed an exceptional resilience. Not to mention his originally hyperactive nature as a child. He could still remember how difficult it was to get him to sleep once got over his trauma. Rosa seemed to have better luck thanks to her underhanded methods of sneaking some relaxing herbs into his food. Gin had to admit that he did not like the idea, but it beat the endless nights of insomnia.

Now that things are getting rocky, he noticed that Nao was getting more and more antsy again. He could not blame him, especially when Gin explicitly warned Rosa from contacting him and Nao from getting involved with them.

The ringing of Zero’s cellphone snapped him out of his reverie. He stared at the hunter whose expression was changing from relief to worry to scowling until he finally hung up.

Gin waited for few moments before asking when Zero seemed to be in daze “Bad news?”

“Huh?” Zero looked at him, “No…No actually” he shook his head, “I would say good news instead… Ichijou is regaining consciousness.”

Gin’s eyebrows rose up, “That is wonderful! Didn’t they tell you that it would take few more days?”

“Um… His wounds are not fully healed yet… but…” Zero mumbled.

“Zero? What’s wrong?” Gin held the hunter’s hand only to notice that he was trembling slightly.

“I have to go.” Zero placed the cup and pushed the chair in a hurry to change and leave.

The guilty feeling he had ever since the noble was kidnapped did nothing but increase. Being asked to go visit him for questioning would not make it any easier. Frankly speaking, Zero wished that he did not have to see him in that state.

What annoyed him more was the fact that Isaya Shouto did not allow him to inform Kaito, because the hazel-eyed hunter would inevitably get in the way of the investigation when his lover shows any sign of discomfort.

He remained inside his Jeep at the underground parking of the hospital until his phone rang again, informing him that Takuma was expecting him.

His feet were heavy as they carried him inside the VIP hospital suite, his heart felt heavier when he met the pale complexion of the vampire as well as his hollow eyes. A flash of the torment he saw in them the previous night made him shut his own to chase away the memory.

Noticing the awkward posture, Takuma gave him a tired smile and raised his healthy hand to beckon him by his side. A nurse held a white board for him to write on because he was still unable to use his voice.

:: “how are you doing?”

Zero chuckled at the question.

“I should be the one asking you.”

Takuma’s lips quivered. Zero could see him trying his best to lighten the mood like his usual self, but his eyes told him otherwise. They were dim, so unlike the emerald orb sparkling with the joy of life he was used to deal with.

::”I am alive.” he wrote the words and shrugged.

Zero gave him a thumb up, “You did a great job surviving such an ordeal. We are all glad to have you back.”

Takuma expression relaxed more, he started writing some more.

::”How is everyone, Ichiru-kun, Aido-kun, Gin-san, Kaname, and…” He showed the board and glanced at the nurse subtly.

Zero got the hint and started iterating, “Well… _we_ were there, _all_ of us as the team that came to your rescue. A certain someone gave us quite the push when he would not budge from digging the soil with bare hands to screaming his lungs out about how you must be still alive even after we found no trace of your aura and scent at the cemetery. They were not informed that you were awake yet. I am sure that Shouto-san decided on telling us one at a time to make sure that we do not storm in here and give you a migraine.” The hunter noticed the longing along with the glistening of tears in Takuma’s eyes when he practically told him that it was his lover’s persistence and devotion that made them believe that he still lived against all odds. “I am sure that _each_ one of them will come rushing once they hear the wonderful news.”

Takuma tried to swallow, but showed a painful expression as it bothered his healing wound. He opened his eyes again and moved his drying lips, forgetting for a moment that he could not make a sound. He gave the hunter a helpless look and asked for the board.

::”I guess you were sent first for questioning, instead of the other hunters or the police?”

Zero winced at the sharp mind of the noble, unclouded by the painkillers and the amount of drug pumping in his body.

“I wish it was not the case.” Zero voiced his disapproval.

::”Don’t be silly. I would be more comfortable talking to you than one of those… you know… insensitive guys.”

Zero let out a breathy chuckle. He could see the reason as to why Shouto chose him for the task, the pureblood must have figured out that the investigation team would not be as considerate as him while keeping things professional.

“Should we get to it?” He asked for permission as he pulled his phone to get the email sent to him from the association, which contained pointers of the investigation.

The lack of response worried him, as Takuma had a somber look on his face.

“We can do it some other time, you know that? I personally think that it is too early-“ Zero’s words were interrupted by the door opening and an unexpected guest coming in.

He glanced over his shoulder to see Kaname dismissing the nurse and closing the door before greeting him with a small nod.

In a subtle movement, Zero got up from the side of the bed for the brunet to take his place. He did not bother asking about Kaname’s timely visit since he figured that the pureblood would have gotten wind of the news about the investigation sooner or later. Honestly speaking, Zero was grateful for his perfect timing.

The hunter leaned against the door to make sure that no one was eavesdropping outside the heavily guarded suite all while observing the silent interaction between the lifelong friends.

“This might make you a bit uncomfortable.” Kaname whispered and placed a palm over Takuma’s bandaged throat, “It will not last long because of the poison still coursing through your blood, but it beats writing on a board.” the pureblood explained as a faint glow showed at the point of contact. Takuma’s breath hitched a bit before relaxing.

Zero did not understand what was going on, neither the reason for Takuma’s grateful look until the noble cleared his throat and let out a croaky sound, “Thank you.”

Amethyst eyes narrowed when the pureblood did not respond, but shifted and sat on the bed without facing his friend.

The childish action earned him a small smile from the injured vampire, who extended his healthy hand to place it above the one dipping into the mattress.

“Do I look that bad for you to make such expression?” Takuma whispered in raspy voice laced with humor despite the somber look he was witnessing on the pureblood’s face.

“I am-“

“Don’t.” Takuma interrupted, “Don’t apologize for something you had nothing to do with.”

“But-“

“No buts.” Th0e noble sighed, “Being too careless to the point of getting abducted that easily? That would be my fault to have lowered my guard in time of crisis. Besides, we don’t even know the motive of the kidnapper yet.” He had to lick his lips more than once to talk properly, and refused the offered water when pointing to the tube in his jugular.

“What….” Kaname started while squeezing Takuma’s hand, “What happened?”

The noble paused for a moment, inhaling as sharply as his battered body allowed, “I am still not sure… Can’t remember much.”

Kaname could see the semblance of a lie in his friend’s tone, but did not push it. There is a reason for Takuma to block whatever unpleasant thoughts he was trying to bring back. He remained silent, waiting for the noble to add whatever might be on the tip of his tongue.

“White.” Takuma whispered.

“Hmm?” Kaname finally looked at his friend.

“I remember a white room… Too white…” Takuma frowned.

“Were you held there, restrained?” Kaname inquired.

Takuma shook his head slightly, “Nuhuh….”

“What do you mean?” it was Kaname’s turn to frown along with Zero who inched closer to hear them properly.

Takuma looked at their intent gaze, the comforting vibe they conveyed encouraged him to go on despite the trepidation that started to creep up, “I was not restrained… but I could not move… I… I don’t know… It’s like I wanted to but did not want to at the same time. Something in the back of my head was telling me to sit still, just standing in the middle of the cubicle. The neon light was painful to my eyes, but… but… I … I could not close… was… could not blink…” He started to hyperventilate in time with the erratic beeping of the heart monitor, “Then… red… too much… red… cold… red…”

“Takuma… shhh…. stop!” Kaname held his shoulder as he crooned to calm him down, “you’ve done enough…”

“too much…” Takuma gasped… “I saw it… but… did not hurt…”

“Okay! Enough!” Kaname started to panic when Takuma’s gaze seemed to travel too far out of their reach.

“scared…” His voice turned almost childish… “scared… Kai…” He whimpered as tears slid along his temple and soaked into the pillow. It was Zero’s cue to call the nurse, who rushed with a hefty dose of sedatives.

“Kuran!” Zero barely had time to call after the pureblood who stormed out of the room. He tried to follow him but Kaname vanished at the turn of a deserted corridor, _damn you and your vanishing._

Instead of leaving as well, Zero decided to linger some more in order to ensure that the blond vampire was doing better. It was a wise choice as he managed to exchange random but sane words with him before leaving on a good note.

He made a call to Shouto as soon as he left the hospital.

“I will send the report as soon as I get back home… No… I don’t feel like joining your stuffy meeting today… What?... Yeah…” He kept the casual conversation despite the urge to wring the pureblood’s neck, “One last thing… A deal is a deal… Kaito is to be appointed as his private guard around the clock while he is staying at the hospital.” Zero grunted his approval after confirming that his condition will be fulfilled.

That was the only reason he held back from telling his friend that his lover was awake as soon as he heard the news. He agreed to conduct the investigation himself in exchange of appointing Kaito as Takuma’s bodyguard for the duration of his medical stay.

Upon arriving back home, Zero immediately slumped in the couch, throwing his head back and covering his face with an arm.

“Rough time?” Gin sat by his side and tugged his head gently so that he could rest on his shoulder instead of craning his neck painfully. Zero sighed at the comforting gesture and nodded.

“If you call feeling useless that, then yeah.”

“Ouch!” Gin let out a sympathetic sound, “Don’t push yourself-“

“I am not.” Zero grunted as he looked at the access card in his hand.

“What’s that?” Gin was curious about the object that he did not see before.

“Nothing.” Zero answered curtly, preventing any further prying.

He suddenly stood up and grabbed his car keys once again.

“Going out? Again?” Gin frowned at the anxiety oozing from the hunter.

“Yeah… uhm.. Need to check on Kaito… you know… see how he is faring and… tell him-“ Zero stuttered as he checked for his wallet and other necessities.

“Say no more!” Gin raised a hand to interrupt him, “Go do your thing. Just call if you will be running late.”

“I will.” Zero nodded, feeling slightly guilty about leaving him after promising that he would lend a hand with the packing. 

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the Campus ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero parked his car in front of Cross’s house, but did not bother entering since he knew that the man was at the association. The notion of a Sunday off meant very little for any one with hunter blood flowing in their veins, especially at times like this.

With a brisk walk, he headed to the residence where the inner circle lived. He noticed the marble stone that was recently set up with the name of the building carved in it, ‘New Moon Residence’

He did not use the main lobby, but headed to the underground parking instead after making sure that no one noticed him. Zero got inside the private elevator and swiped the card that Takuma gave him. The first led turned green and a voice required him to enter a code. He entered the letters and digits written on a scrap of paper and pressed the validation button. The elevator moved as soon as the second led turned green.

Zero leaned back and looked at the incrementing counter. He was not sure exactly why he complied with the request of the green-eyed vampire, nor does he have a clue about what to do or say once he reaches destination. All he knew was that he could not ignore the nagging feeling in his gut that told him to be there.

The elevator pinged, signaling his arrival before the door parted to give way to the mesmerizing sight of the extravagant living quarter of the king.

If he were in a better mood, Zero would have found himself gawking at the huge living room he landed in. He expected it to be spacious judging from the size of the whole building, but he never imagined it to be this humongous.

A door clicked open to his right, catching his attention to the pureblood who came from the direction of his office with what seemed like an opened bottle of scotch in his hand. Kaname’s hair was all over the place and his shirt was half-open and hanging loosely over his hips. Upon acknowledging Zero’s presence with a glance, he headed to the nearest couch and flopped on it, without a word.

“Ichijou gave me the key… and the code… he asked me to-“ Zero started explaining the reason for the intrusive visit.

“Check on me and make sure that I am not drowning myself in self-loath and guilt. I don’t think that is possible.” Kaname finished his sentence with a dismissing gesture.

Zero blinked twice before crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes on the older vampire, “At least you’re not drunk.”

“Not yet.” Kaname pointed a finger to the bottle that he had every intention of finishing.

Zero huffed and walked to his side. Sienna eyes followed his every move, but narrowed when he tried to snatch the bottle, “That’s mine.” Kaname complained while holding Zero’s wrist.

“Well, you can drink all you want after I leave. Be considerate of the pregnant me who is forbidden to take even a fucking sip.” Zero growled, stunning the pureblood. He made use of the confusion to snatch the liquor and put it on the coffee table. Kaname sat up straight when Zero made a gesture asking to make some space.

“Weren’t you on your way out?” The pureblood asked skeptically.

“Nope.” Zero slumped in the comfortable furniture and closed his eyes when a long sigh escaped his lips.

A moment of silence stretched, and Kaname started feeling a bit anxious about the situation. Never in his wildest dream did he imagine that Zero would voluntarily sit alone with him in a room and this close to boot.

“He is in a very bad shape, isn’t he?” Zero mumbled.

Kaname snapped out of the confusion when the heavy guilt came crashing on him again, “It seems so.”

“It makes me sick thinking about the kind of psychopath who could break a man as strong as Ichijou in a matter of hours.” Zero added.

“…”

“It makes even more sick to think that it was because of us that he found himself in that situation in the first place.” The hunter finally opened his eyes and stared at the wine orbs looking at him, exchanging more words through their gaze than their words.

They were both thinking the same thinking, feeling the same guilt, and unable to forgive themselves for the foolish actions that affected an innocent, a friend. Saying that Takuma was close to uncovering the suspect being the cause of his kidnapping was a convenient justification for those unaware of anything. For Kaname and Zero, it caused pain of an entirely different level.

One minute passed after another as they stared at each other without saying a word, basking in the comfort of the silence surrounding them.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Few hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Kaname could not stand the confines of his own home any longer, so he decided to go for a walk. He swung by Yuki’s place to take his daughter with him as per their little routine. He came to enjoy taking Ai along the lake and lie on the grass with her snuggling his chest. Unfortunately, Yuki’s aid informed him that she left for the hospital to visit Ichijou, taking their daughter with her.

The pureblood enjoyed the changing color of the sky as it welcomed a starry night. The campus felt eerily quiet since not many student stayed around on a Sunday. This allowed him to notice the scent coming from the stable easily. A curious smile adorned his lips as he changed his trajectory.

Despite controlling his aura and trying to be as discreet as possible, a couple of horses still sensed him. He could hear them shuffle and dig their heels before even reaching the place. He let out an exasperated sigh but did not falter in his steps.

He leaned on the wooden pillar at the entrance, his lips now curling up in a wider smile of pure adoration as he took in the pleasant sight in front of his eyes.

Zero was curled up in a fetus position on the makeshift bed of hay close to White Lily’s stall. Unlike the other horses who were starting to drift off to sleep, the beautiful mare was wide-awake, munching at her food and snuggling Zero’s belly every chance she gets.

Kaname barely held a chuckle when Zero groaned in his sleep and slapped her nozzle before resting a comforting hand on his bump. _Did the baby kick?_ Kaname wondered.

Lazy eyes fluttered open slowly, Zero stretched his folded legs and scowled at the horse huffing on top of his head, “How long has it been since I took a nap with you? Did you have to be a bitch about it?”

The hunter startled when hearing the unrestrained laughter from the entrance of the stable. He turned around and blushed crimson when he saw Kaname, mortified at the thought that the pureblood witnessed him arguing with a horse and pout at her nonetheless.

“What are you doing here?” Zero stood, dusting his pants and trying to ward off the horse eager to have his head for dessert.

Kaname walked closer, wary of the onslaught of the mare, “I was taking a walk. I thought you went back home since you were not around when I woke up.”

“I was,” Zero answered while rubbing Lily’s head, “But this troublemaker broke the fence and ambushed me, scaring the crap out of me. I had to fix the enclosure and bring her back to the stable.” He complained.

Indeed, he had no reason to stay. He did not want to stay because of this very situation. However, the soft spot he has for the white horse overruled all his thoughts.  

Kaname’s expression turned more serious when he noticed that the hunter was avoiding his gaze. By now, he was by his side, surprisingly able to lean on the railing of Lily’s stall without having her heel sending him flying away.

“Zero… about earlier…” He whispered, looking away from the hunter himself. They were side-by-side but facing opposite directions.

“Don’t…” Zero interrupted curtly.

“I am sorry if I put you in a difficult position with-“

“Just don’t.” Zero insisted, “It’s okay…”

Kaname relaxed at the reassuring tone, gathering the courage to look at his beloved’s profile. He frowned a bit when he noticed that Zero was clutching the railing.

“We both needed it…” Zero whispered before pursing his lips, “You don’t need to think too much into it.”

Kaname inhaled sharply before crossing his arms, as if hugging himself from the pain that sliced through him at yet another subtle rejection.

Zero could not bother checking for his reaction because he was having enough trouble controlling his heart from beating erratically. He knew that it would be an awkward aftermath. He wanted to avoid it. For a moment back there, it felt like they had a rewind of the time they spent together, but not just any random moments.

It was about the moments when they did not indulge in each other’s physically, those moments that confused the hunter the most. Moments where he felt troubled, about to break down, but found solace in the brunet’s presence who knew exactly what to do and say to get him out of the darkness. Moments where Zero felt like it was okay to break down and be vulnerable around Kaname, trusting him to pick up the pieces and make him feel sane again.

The only difference this time was that the roles were reversed. One minute they were staring at each other in complete silence, the next minute they were arguing like they had been doing lately, Zero storming out, or at least he tried to. That is before Kaname grabs his hand and finally break down completely like a child who lost his way, his only refuge, and his sanctuary.

The hunter cursed his hormones and motherly instinct that made him treat the obviously older man tenderly, going as far as tuck him to bed and allow him to use his own lap as a pillow until he calmed down and fell into deep slumber. It was the first and only time that Zero witnessed a defenseless and vulnerable Kaname.

He could still remember the texture of those brown lock as he combed through them with his fingers in a soothing motion. The supple and soft skin as he traced the sleeping face, and caressed it until the deep frown between thin brown eyebrows finally eased up. Unbelievable as it may sound; Zero would not have minded keeping him company until he woke up.

However, when Kaname finally felt the strain of the awkward position and moved in his sleep, Zero heard him whispering his name and it felt like an ice cold bucket poured on him. He remembered his last conversation with Takuma before his kidnapping and felt like trash for his misleading actions.

As if singed by fire, he bolted out of the penthouse and headed towards his car to leave, only to be intercepted by a pissed off mare who claimed his attention more fiercely than the pureblood.

“I am well aware that you acted out of kindness, Zero.” Kaname sighed, “I will not take it the wrong way, don’t worry.” He lied, Kaname lied through his teeth for the sake of easing the hunter’s mind. He did figure out that Zero’s kind heart was what urged the hunter to comfort him in his distress, but he still wished for there to be another reason behind it.

“I have to go.” Zero moved suddenly and walked to the exit without looking back.

“Wait.” Kaname grabbed his arm and pulled him back gently. The stubborn hunter did not turn and remained with his back facing the pureblood.

Zero flinched when he felt fingertips brushing against the nape of his neck, “You have hay sticking to your hair.”

“Oh!” Zero relaxed bit, allowing Kaname to pluck them away. However, he tensed again when he realized that Kaname was taking his sweet time. The hand holding his arm felt like it was getting warmer as it travelled down to his wrist and finally to his hand.

“Kuran…” he winced at the raspy voice when he could not catch his breath in time to talk, startled by the warmth from the body getting dangerously close to his back.

“Shhh…” Kaname whispered as he immersed himself in the sensation of the fine silver hair sliding between his fingers. He was almost drunk from the sensation, the unique smell of the petulant vampire that he loved, the perfect fit of the hand that he interlaced with his. Encouraged by the stillness of the hunter, he leaned in with half lidded eyes glazed with desire to place his parted lips over the pale nape of Zero’s neck.

The kiss was brief but it sent waves of shivers through both of them, Zero trembled slightly and his eyes fluttered close when Kaname started nuzzling his hair. The warmth of his breath against his sensitive neck did little to help his slipping control.

“Thank you…” Kaname whispered before placing more butterfly kisses over the nape and towards the tattooed side of Zero’s neck, “For being here… for me…” His other hand grasped the hunter’s hand, mirroring the firm grip of the other before guiding both of them upward to finally cage the hunter in his embrace. His fogged mind sang a happy symphony when it registered the quickening breath of the hunter who leaned back against his chest and craned his neck for more space to kiss.

The natural tease that he was, Kaname merely contended himself by whispering against the flushed earlobe, repeating the words of gratefulness like a mantra. He wanted this moment to last forever, but he knew that the hunter would come to his senses sooner than later. He did not think about the regret or fury he would see in violet eyes, nor the blame he will hear from those soft lips he craved to touch, so he merely basked in the joy of the moment.  

“I love you…” Kaname whispered the last words with shaky voice, knowing that they will mark the end of the magical moment.

True enough, Zero did tense a bit, and Kaname immediately loosened his hold to allow his escape while nipping few last pecks. However, what unfolded was unexpected. The lack of contact led to a frustrated groan, and a hunter spinning around to grab his face and pull him into a searing kiss. It started off aggressive but soon turned slow and passionate.  

It did not take more than a second for Kaname to reciprocate, parting his lips to allow the bold silverette who asked to explore the confines of his mouth, coax his tongue to dance with his while his hand gripped his brown hair as if worried he might pull away. _How absurd!_

Instead, Kaname followed his lead, tilting his head to deepen the touch he so missed, lacing his own finger into fine silver strand as their body inched closer and closer. Moans and grunts escaped them both as they struggled to extend the touch.  

Finally out of breath, their lips parted way, but not their hands, their faces, nor their bodies. Their ragged breath mingled together, noses flaring as they inhaled sharply the sweet ambrosial scent of one another.

With eyes half open, their foreheads bumped, noses rubbing against each other while fingers escaped their confines to interlock with each other against Kaname’s heaving chest.

Their parted lips brushed against each other once more, Zero pushed his weight on the brunet making him lean further against the railing behind him. Kaname welcomed the weight as well as the way Zero’s lips touched his, glided against them and tasted him repeatedly from different angle as if hypnotized, Kaname did not push him away or urge him further until Zero looked down and worried his lower lip. That was Kaname’s cue for the hunter to be regaining his composure, sadly.  

“This…” he whispered.

“bad…” Kaname finished his sentence. He could hear the hunter swallow but did not want to part their forehead and break the intimate hold they were having.

“… not good is what I had in mind…” Zero corrected with a soft laughter filled with disbelief. He did not understand what came over him suddenly. He had every intention of clobbering the sexually harassing pureblood, but ended up jumping him instead. Talk about impulsive!

“… I guess…” Kaname whispered, “I am sorry…”

“For what?” Zero frowned and tried to distance himself but Kaname squeezed the hands over his chest, spreading Zero’s palm to feel his erratically beating hear. He kissed the top of the silver head, his expression chagrined because Zero refused to look up.

“…It’s my bad… I should not have done that…” Kaname finally uttered the words despite not really meaning them, but he did not mind as long as they prevented the guilt from overwhelming the hunter.

“Damn right…” Zero breathed out, he found it easier to put the blame on the willing pureblood, as he was still confused from his own actions.

“It is getting late.” Kaname commented as the sky turned pitch dark.

“Uhm…” Zero nodded, but still not showing any sign of leaving. Instead, he kept snuggling up to the pureblood, an endearing action that did nothing but add to the brunet’s misery at the thought of pushing him away.  

“You had plans right?” Kaname reminded him. He did not want him to leave, he wanted the moment to last forever, as confusing as it was, but he knew nothing good would come out from giving into the temptation.  

“uhm…” The hunter nodded again while trying to brush against the sinful lips as if he was in a trance, vaguely remembering telling Kaname that he was supposed to help Gin pack instead of dealing with the neurotic brunet when they were snapping at each other back in the penthouse. Unfortunately, the urging need to taste those lips and stick closer to the pleasant warmth overrode all other thoughts.

“He is probably worried about you… you two…” his own words cut through him like a knife. He rubbed Zero’s hands, trying to commemorate every detail about this moment while restraining himself from ravishing the delicacy tempting him.

“Not really… he is not that fussy.” Zero commented humorously.

“Lucky him.”

“What?” Zero finally looked up to see the sad look on Kaname’s face.

“He figured out the best way to win you over… The very point that I missed. Setting you free and have the confidence that you will go back to him no matter what.” The side smile somehow irritated the hunter, but the pleading brown eyes clearly wanted him to deny the thought.

_‘The only favor I am asking of you, would be that you shatter whatever hope he is holding about you two getting back together.’_

Zero took a shaky breath, fighting harder to regain his composure as he pushed against Kaname’s chest, putting enough distance between them to look him in the eye, “Indeed, he knows how to handle me the best. I have come to depend on him a lot without even meaning to or him forcing me into it. We are blessed indeed.” He placed one hand over his belly as he took more steps backward, a lump forming in his throat.  

“I have to go.” Zero quickly turned away from the pained expression he caused the pureblood to wear, “I do have some packing to help with.”

“Goodnight, Zero.” Kaname whispered with a sad tone, not sure, if the hunter even heard him in his hasty exit.

*Smack*

Red brown eyes widened while a hand rose to nurse the sore spot where the white horse head-butted him square in the back of his scalp with enough strength to send the unsuspecting pureblood tumbling away. She neighed loudly while getting on her rear feet to show her irritation. As if the evil glint in her eyes was not enough.

Kaname was stunned at first before giving her a defeated smile, “I guess that I botched it up pretty badly, huh…”

As if going in a suicidal mode, he inched closer to the incensed horse and extended a careful hand. He was surprised to see Lily calming down as his hand drew closer. He was waiting for her to bite it off anytime soon, but his breath hitched when she stilled and allowed him to pet her head, going as far as nuzzling his head lovingly, as if to soothe his broken heart.

“Thank you.” He uttered in awe before leaving the stable and heading back to his place. He winced when the screech of the tire from Zero’s car pierced his eardrums.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ in Gin’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero burst in as if an army was chasing him. Still catching the breath that he did not know he was holding until he finally reached the house. He cursed when he found himself face to face with a stunned Gin who startled at his grand entrance.

“Err… Welcome home…. I guess? “ Gin got over the shock and gave the hunter a scrutinizing look.

“Yeah…” Zero inhaled, “I am back. Did you start packing… Sorry I am late.” He rambled while putting down his keys and removing his shoes to put more comfortable slippers.

“I am done actually…” Gin announced, “Zero… are you all right?” he cupped the hunter’s cheek, frowning when Zero averted his gaze.

“I am fine… Sorry… I lost track of time.” Zero removed his hand. Guilt rising when he remembered Kaname’s touch instead.

“Did you meet Takamiya-kun?” Gin inquired.

“Uhm… I was with him just now… he left to see Ichijou…” lies, lies and more lies… The voice of frustration screamed aloud inside Zero’s head.

“Really? That is good then… Dinner is ready, I was waiting for you to eat together since we won’t have time for breakfast tomorrow.” Gin guided him to the kitchen, “I called you twice earlier but could not reach you.”

“Hmm?” Zero was surprised because his phone was at the loudest setting. He pulled the device and groaned, “Damn! Sorry! I did not notice that the battery died on me.” He immediately put in the charger and startled when a string of messages came in as soon as he opened it.

“Are you sure you called only twice.” Zero quipped while reading the message.

“Yep… I did not think that the battery died but that you might have switched off as not to get disturbed.” Gin answered in a monotone voice while setting the table.

“Just like you…” Zero complimented while placing an apologetic kiss on the cheek of the taller man, “But I usually tell you if I am going to do such a thing.”

Gin shrugged nonchalantly, brushing the matter in favor of their grumbling stomachs.

  

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next day, early morning ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero and Gin did not expect for the last minute check on everything to last most of the night. They were grateful for Kaito who came by to drive them to the airport.

“What happened yesterday? No one could get a hold on you?” Kaito complained while taking a suitcase from Zero to put it in the trunk.

“Phone battery bailed on me.” Zero explained.

“Even he was worried about you.” Kaito made a head gesture towards Gin who went back inside to collect more luggage.

The statement confused Zero, “What do you mean?”

“He did not tell you?” Kaito asked instead of answering.

“Tell me what?” Zero inquired impatiently.

“Ichiru and I came by last night to see if you wanted to hang out. I did not feel like going back to the campus, hell I have not been there since the day before yesterday and I needed company for a drink. Of course you would have gotten nothing but non-alcoholic coctails…” Kaito rambled.

“Wooow… stop right there… say that again?” Zero halted him.

“I wanted company for-“

“No before?”

“The heck?” Kaito disliked the rewind thing the most and Zero knew it.

The silver hunter rolled his eyes and asked, “You said you came here with Ichiru?”

“Yeah… Late evening after I went to the hospital.” Kaito elaborated, “He did not tell you…”

“Tell him what?” Gin jolted them both since they did not hear him coming.

Kaito opened his mouth to talk but Zero beat him to it, “Nothing… Shall we go?”

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At the airport ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Everything went smoothly and the time to send him off finally arrived. Zero had to will away the blush because of Gin’s brazen attitude and public display of affection when he shamelessly kissed him and bent to kiss his belly before caging him in a bear hug.

“I missing you already… Damn!” Gin whined.

Tapping on his shoulder, “Don’t stay too long then… We might starve to death otherwise…”

Gin freed him and gave Zero the saddest puppy eyes, “Am I only wanted for my cooking skill…”

“Do you have any better talent?” Zero gave him a teasing tongue out.

“None that I can display in public.” Gin teased back while grabbing the hunter’s hips.

“Pervert!” Zero blushed crimson at the implication and smacked Gin’s chest harder than intending, sending him in a coughing fit.

“Careful of what you say dude!” Kaito warned while giving him a brotherly hug, “I am going to get the car, don’t make me wait too long” he turned to talk to Zero while jingling the car keys.

Once Kaito was out of ear reach, Zero gave Gin his deepest scowl.

“What?” Gin was confused.

“You know what?” Zero.

“Don’t be such a prude; it was a hug and a tiny peck.” Gin coaxed.

“Not that!” Zero all but shrieked, “but that is still unacceptable. Anyways, what is with the act yesterday?”

Gin blinked twice, completely lost.

“You asked if I met with Kaito knowing full well that I did not.” Zero finally explained, mortified to no end at being caught lying so blatantly and have Gin ignore it like it was nothing. He was not sure what pissed him off more.

“Oh…”

Gin’s response irritated him more.

“Oh? Why did you pretend like you believed such crappy lie?” Zero seethed.

“Did you want me not to?” Gin tilted his head.

The hunter was taken aback with how casually Gin was handling him.

“Or did you want me to go into suspicious husband mode and strap you down for a lengthy interrogation.”

Zero could see the older man turning serious in tone and expression.

He suddenly felt small under the scrutinizing gaze, “No… that is not what I mean.” He looked away.

Gin’s lips curled up slightly as he leaned to whisper near the unsuspecting ear, “Did you want me to doubt you and act all possessive and jealous.”

“Wha-..” Zero’s mouth gaped like a fish, lost for a witty comeback.

“Well… I did worry,” Gin’s shoulder slumped at the memory, “Heck! Thinking that you were with Takamiya-kun, then having him come look for you was awkward enough. Calling your phone and finding it switched off sent me in a pure fit of panic after they left. I tried to play it cool and waited some more before calling again…” His hands flailed, “and guess what… I found it switched off yet again….”

“So you were pissed…” Zero mumbled in a mix of sulking and apologetic tone.

“I was.” The hunter winced at the firm statement, “I was pissed and so worried that I was about to call 911 and file a missing person report.”

Zero’s eyes bulged out with disbelief because Gin was obviously not joking, at all.

The older man finally smiled, “But you came back, and everything felt better the moment I saw that you were just fine.”

Zero suddenly felt like the worst scum on earth.

“Aren’t you going to ask?” He whispered.

“Will you tell me?” Gin asked back.

“…”

The grey-eyed man sighed and put his duffel bag down after checking that he still had enough time before boarding, He flicked the forehead of the sulking hunter to get his attention and placed both hands on his own hips, “look… If I wanted to keep track of you and suffocate you in your every move, I am plenty capable of doing that. However, would you appreciate me doing such a thing?”

Zero shook his head.

“Would you like it if I did squeeze out the information about what happened yesterday when you obviously went as far as lying to me so that I do not inquire?”

“…”

“Look, Zero. You are independent, I am aware of that. You are not a kid, or a freaking lady that needs some kind of escort or protection. As your partner, I find it easier to trust that you will take care of yourself when you leave the house instead of making myself sick with worry. What you do and where you go are none of my business as long as you do not get hurt. Only in those circumstances you will see the devil in person dealing with you if you ever act recklessly like two days ago.” He pinched his cheek.

“You’re too good to be true, you know that?” Zero finally gave him a heartfelt smile before picking the duffel bag and handing it over to the traveler, “Don’t stay too long, we will miss you…”

He waved for as long as Gin was looking until he finally entered the gate.

Zero hurried to the car before Kaito blows his head off for being late. He cranked up the AC to the maximum inside the vehicle and aired his sticky shirt.

“I swear, I am going to melt before the rainy season even starts…” Zero growled at no one, “This summer is going to be a bitch.”

“Tell me about it!” Kaito complained, “but I might freeze to death before it even starts” he shivered at the cold air blasting.

“Deal with it, I am burning up here!” Zero snapped.

Kaito huffed at the foul mood, “Remind me to be nowhere around during your next pregnancy.”

“As if- wait. What are you doing here?” Zero suddenly had a stunned look on his face.

“Did you turn fucking amnesiac, I came to drive-“

“No… Not that… I mean why are you not at the hospital. Why did you even leave yesterday evening when you could have stayed the whole night?” Zero was too absorbed in his own dilemma to notice that something was amiss with the whole picture.

“Why you ask? Because he is not in the hospital anymore, ever since last night. Wait… Didn’t Gin tell you?” Kaito raised a questioning eyebrow.

“What the fuck! How did that happen,” Zero shrieked.

“His family happened.” Kaito stated flatly, squeezing the steering wheel until his knuckle turned white.

“You are kidding right?” Zero was baffled, “They are on the top of the list we put together for the prime suspects behind his abduction. You are telling me that _you_ allowed those scumbags to take him away from your fucking sight!!!!!? What were you thinking?” Zero yelled on top of his lungs.

“Stop screaming already!” Kaito yelled just as loud, certain that others could hear them outside the vehicle judging from the weird glances they were getting.

They both took deep breaths before Kaito talked first, “They were exonerated.”

“How?”

“Perfect alibies and no apparent motive.”

“No motives my ass.” Zero scoffed.

“That is how it is going to be. No other way around it.” Kaito sighed.

“Did you at least talk to him?” Zero asked with worry laced in his voice at the somber look haunting his friend.

“That old coot of an uncle was breathing down our necks the whole duration of our visit, you figure the rest.” Kaito shrugged as he drove away.

“Remind me why did I not lodge a bullet between his eyes?” Zero groaned.

“Because… the pleasure would be addicting.” Kaito snorted jokingly.

Halfway back to the Gin’s house, Zero received a call from Yagari commanding him to come to Cross campus, immediately. The two hunter exchanged a confused look before they steadied their hearts for another possible lecture.  

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ On campus ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“What did you just say?” Zero and Ichiru asked at the same time. They stood stunned in the middle of the chairman’s office with all eyes on them. Identical amethyst eyes with different shades stared blankly at the woman sitting comfortably on the couch sipping on the refreshment, courtesy of Cross Kaien. Yagari merely shrugged when his disciple sought his help.

Kaien was holding back from pressing his temples at the impeding headache he expected to get from the sticky situation. Kaito and Kaname acted as mere spectators from opposite corners of the room, unsure as to why they were requested to join in what seemed like a family reunion.

“Are you deaf, blind or just plain stupid not to understand my words?” The woman, who did not seem as old as she claimed snapped, directing a fiery glare towards the flinching twins.

“Oi… Watch your words!” Zero warned.

“Or what? You will sink your dirty fangs in me. Your grandmother?” She quipped, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Yes, the woman who came barging in early in the morning, escorted by a bulky bodyguard and sporting the trademark of the Kiryuu clan, amethyst eyes sharp as a blade, was claiming to be the one and only grandmother of the twins.

“I recall having no such person.” Ichiru seethed.

“Well…” She turned to give Cross a commanding look so that he intervenes.

“What she is saying is true, Zero, Ichiru. She is your grandmother, in the flesh.” Kaien confirmed. “I can vouch on that as well.” Yagari raised a reluctant hand, glancing with disdain at the woman who gave them a victorious smile. 

“So what if she is.” Zero addressed his mentor, “What does she want by appearing out of nowhere after all these years.”

“I am still here, you know? You can direct your inquiries to the person in question.”

“Well excuse me for not having the stomach to handle a relative who never bothered checking on their grandsons after the tragedy that struck them.” Zero imitated the disdain apparent on his master’s face.

“Special circumstances got in the way.”

“Typical answer.” Ichiru scoffed.

“Well, seeing that the main obstacle is no longer in the way… We had to be careful about approaching you for the sake of our safety and survival.” She sighed the answer in a fake dramatic way.

“Main obstacle?” Zero inquired.

“Are we going to play this game for too long? I am merely here as a grandmother seeking to see her precious grandsons after being denied the pleasure for so long.” She sighed, adopting a motherly tone that did nothing but make their skin crawl in disgust.

“Well…” Ichiru crossed his arms, “too bad but you will have to go back to where you came from, you have no business with us.”

“Even when I can be of help?” She half smiled.

“Do you think we would ever trust you?” Zero snorted.

“You will… in due time, for I only have your best interest in mind.” She answered calmly, not fazed by the defensive attitude of the silverettes.

“I think that you should hear her out,” Kaien voiced his opinion, “She is saying that she might have a lead on the case of Ichijou-kun’s kidnapping.”

The words successfully straightened Kaito and Kaname into full alert-mode as well as the twins.

“Is that true?” Zero could not help the temptation.

“Depends on how you treat your guest.” She taunted.

“What do you want?” Ichiru immediately switched to bargaining mode.

“Not much, really. Just asylum, for me and my people.” She stated flatly.

“Asylum? Your people?” Zero was confused.

She rolled her eyes, “Do I have to spell every little thing for you to understand?”

“You would not have to if you stopped talking in riddles.” Ichiru snapped, his patience growing thin.

“I want him,” She pointed to Kaname who quirked an eyebrow at the action, “To write with his own handwriting as the king of vampires a statement that would give us, the Kiryuu clan immunity from any persecution by his society. The same applies to you as the president of the, whatever you call it, association of yours to keep the hunters at bay. The oath have to be signed in blood and eternal.” She demanded firmly.

A moment of silence stretched before Yagari cleared his throat, “What makes you think that we would accept such a thing.”

“Well… You owes us that much after what we have been subjected to.” She talked with confidence that Yagari understood the underlying meaning of what she was saying.

The one eyed hunter glanced at his lover whose eyes screamed of obvious objection, and fear of the consequences if he ever agrees.

“I am afraid that I would not be able to do such a thing without knowing what I am dealing with.” Kaname’s voice startled them.

The woman stared at him for a while, their eyes fixated on each other without any of them backing down.

She finally sighed and stood up, “Very well… Since no deal will be finalized today, I see no point in lingering around this suffocating atmosphere. I will be around whenever you change your minds. However, I advise you to do it fast, that friend of yours may not have much time left.” She glanced sideway at Kaname while heading to the door, her bulky bodyguard following her closely.

The room remained silent until the discreet sound of the engine started and they were sure that the car left the campus.

“What the heck was that all about?” Zero was the first to talk.

“Someone put a bullet in my head right now…” Yagari groaned.

“Don’t be stupid.” Kaien breathed out, rubbing his temples while flipping the card with the number to contact her.

“Wait! You knew that we had relatives still around?” Ichiru noticed the underlying tone.

“It’s a long story.” Kaien tried to evade the topic.

“Did you, or did you not?” Ichiru gritted between his teeth.

“We had our suspicion.” Yagari finally answered him, “But they were in hiding until now, and very good at covering their tracks.”

“Hiding from what?” Zero scowled.

Yagari and Cross looked at each other, defeat obvious in their stance when they found no other way out of exposing the ugly truth, “From your father.”

“WHAT?!!” The twins gasped in disbelief.

The silence submerged the room yet again until Kaito cleared his throat.

“I think that was their way of asking you to elaborate.” He stuttered, curiosity getting the best of him in addition to the need to know how it related to his lover.

“I don’t think that is a good idea.” Cross tried to escape that very situation.

“Well I think it is!” Zero sat on the couch and waited.

“Zero… There are things about your clan that you are better off not knowing. There is a reason why we did not bother telling you about her.” Yagari was explaining in a calm voice, trying not to rile the silver hunter more than necessary.

“How about you stop beating around the bush and come out with it.” Zero snapped.

“We have the right to know if it will affect us now that she is back with whoever people she was talking about.” Ichiru joined his brother.

“Then, you will have to hear it from her first.” Cross declared, “For we promised not to tell you… ever!”

“Promised who?” Ichiru asked, but Zero was the one to answer the question, “Father”

Both Cross and Yagari nodded while the wheat haired hunter called her back.

His light colored eyes met the intense gaze of the pureblood who was waiting for his part of the explanation, “Kaname-kun… I believe that you need to hear it as well because it has a connection to the former king.”

Kaname’s expression did not change, despite the confusion that plagued him at the mention of Haruka Kuran.

When the old Kiryuu came back, the room was immediately cleared, leaving only the twins, Kaname and the guest to talk things out.

“I see… So none of you was aware.” She shook her head, “I would not say that I am impressed, he always thought things quite far in the future. I guess he missed this particular situation.”

“Are you talking about our father?” Ichiru asked.

“Yes.” She nodded.

“What is this about running away from him and what does the Kuran have to do with it.” Kaname inquired.

“Well… The Kuran did not have much to do with it as it was only one person involved. We will get to it after I answer their questions.” She did not bother to hide the disgust in her voice while addressing the pureblood.

“We would not know what to ask in the first place. How about you enlighten us about how it came to this.”

“That might take a while.”

“Make it short.” Zero snapped, having had enough of her playing around with their nerves.

“The short version would be that the heir of the Kiryuu happened to break a fundamental rule that would lead to internal conflict. The punishment was to correct his wrongdoing in a tragic way. However, things backfired and he managed to annihilate his entire clan in one dreadful night. The only one who managed to escape are those who hid underground, surrounding themselves by a cloaking spell while watching their kin getting slaughtered. That heir would be my ungrateful son, Kiryuu Takashi.”

“Pardon?” Ichiru was baffled, jaw dropping and eyes bulging out.

“Okay forget the short version! What in the fucking hell are you talking about?” Zero had hard time processing the fact that she just accused his father of being a cold-blooded mass murderer.

The old woman sighed in exasperation, “This would have been so much easier if his accomplices did not hide the truth from you two after he was gone.”

Behind the wooden door, Kaito stared at the hard expressions on Yagari’s and Cross’s face as they were able to hear the words. Hanabusa joined them shortly after and was just as confused when his enhanced hearing picked on that last part along with the reaction of the two old hunters.

“Will you quit it with the riddles already?” Ichiru complained.

“What is the rule that our father broke and the punishment it incurred.” Zero addressed the main topic.

“Before I say anything… I need you to know one thing. Despite everything that your parents had put us through, and the hard decision that your grandfather had to take, I never wished for any of it to happen. I am still grieving the loss of my family until this day, including your parents. I would not be here talking to you if I had not been crippled with the long years of waiting for this chance to present itself, the chance to welcome my precious grandsons in my arms once again.”

Ichiru and Zero were taken aback by the kindness she displayed as well as the emotions shining through her teary eyes.

“I never wished for things to turn out that way… I only prayed for the prosperity of our family and their safety… I would rewrite such horrible past if I had the ability to…”

“Okay! We get it… but we really will not understand anything if you do not start talking soon…” Ichiru talked with a calmer voice, trying to put an end to the dramatic display of overflowing emotions, a display that was making them more and more uncomfortable.

The old woman pulled tissues from her purse that she patted to wipe her tears, took a deep breath and met the violet eyes looking at her intently.

“Well… For you to understand… I believe that a little history is in order.” She paused and waited for them to nod, “First of all, do you know the actual age of your parents?”

Zero gave Ichiru a confused look and shrugged, “Around the time of the ‘attack’, I would say around their thirties or forties. We don’t really put a number on their birthday cakes and they always laugh about how much older they were for their looks.” The silver hunter smiled wistfully at how his mother would scold him playfully when he asks her about her age, saying that it was rude to ask a lady that kind of question.

“They are old, indeed.” the grandmother confirmed, “Takashi would have been almost ninety years old by the time he was killed. Sakura is barely twenty years younger.”

The twin’s jaw dropped, and would have reached the floor if it were possible, “You are kidding!” Zero gasped.

“That is impossible… Hunters may have long lifespan but they do age eventually…” Ichiru flailed, showing his confusion, “Besides… Don’t they marry very young to keep the population from declining or something… what? Are you saying that our parents married in their sixties and had us… Wha- I don’t get it.”

“That would sum it up.” She confirmed again, confusing them further.

“Simply put… Hunters are encouraged to sire offspring while reunited in the holy reunion of marriage at a young age. It is of course to avoid the decline and breed stronger hunters for future battles. However, hunters with the highest ranks are not pressured to obey that tradition, they are free to marry and sire whenever they feel like it because the possibility of them dying young during a mission would be highly unlikely. Your parents were such hunters.”

The words sent a weird sense of pride through the twins.

“It is to be expected from the descendants of the ruling family after all.” She smiled.

“Ruling family?”

“Oh!” She seemed as if she remembered something, “I guess the monarchy was abolished before you boys were even aware that it existed.”

“Monarchy?” It was Kaname’s turn to ask, “May I ask you to elaborate on that?” He tried to be polite despite the cold attitude she was giving him.

“I was going to without your interruption….” She mumbled, looking away from the brunet. “Well… Up until a century ago, or a little less, the system was quite different than what you grew up to witness.”

“How so?” Ichiru wondered.

“For starter, the hunter’s association did not hold absolute power over the society, neither did they dictate the fundamental rules and delivered the capital punishments. It was the Main family of the Kiryuu clan, in other words, Us”

“How is that even possible?” Zero had to wonder.

“The Kiryuu clan is… well was one of the biggest clans in the hunter society. The main family constituted the rulers of our race.”

“Wait… Rulers, as in presidents?”

The old woman laughed at what she perceived as a silly statement, “By ruler, I meant leaders, kings.”

Zero scowled.

“I guess your so called mentor hid this fact. As expected from a descendant of a family of servants. Especially someone who did nothing but bite the hand that graced him with a decent life.” Resentment was obvious in her voice.

“As I was saying…” she interrupted the protest that was about to start by continuing her tale, “Simply put, the hunter’s ‘organization’ was nothing but a legal body with the task of executing the orders of the royal family. Of course, the ‘president’ seat was assigned to the strongest. However, major decisions that would affect the fate of hunters, wars, capital punishments and the fundamental laws were issued by the main house of the Kiryuu, us.”

“heeeh… Is this why they are so eager to restore the monarchy for the hunters lately.” Zero directed his question to the door where he knew Yagari and Cross were standing. It was not a mere act of mirroring the vampire’s society, after all.  

“That is, until Takashi was born. It would mark the start of our downfall, especially when he agreed with Sakura to wait longer than needed to finalize their reunion.”

“I don’t understand.” Ichiru tilted his head.

“I did say that it was okay to wait as long as the hunters were powerful, but with him as the heir of the clan, it put quite a lot of pressure on the family while we waited for them to sire the next heir.” The grandmother huffed in exasperation when faced with the severe lack of information in the twin’s head, “Takashi and Sakura did play a number on us by not really settling down until a long long wait, despite being engaged since birth.” She shook her head at the memory.

“WHAT?!!!” Both Ichiru and Zero looked at each other and back at the woman who looked as if she grew another head.

The grandmother’s lips quivered to hold back a chuckle.

“That is the fate of those born into the main family, those with the duty of carrying the purity of the bloodline.”

Kaname’s eye twitched at the statement, barely holding back from asking her to elaborate.

“The cryptic~” Ichiru whined.

The woman grew silent for a moment… Looking around, hesitating a bit…

“Look, we are not asking anyone to leave… You have got something to say? say it? Your so called clan lost its glory long ago from what you are telling us, so there is no point hiding your dirty laundry anymore.” Zero commanded, his patience growing thin by the second. “If you don’t want to talk freely, then answer my questions.”

He leaned on his knees and looked her in the eye.

“Why did my father do such a thing as annihilate his own family?” He got right to the point.

The old Kiryuu sighed and conceited, “To protect you two.”

“From who?”

“From the fate awaiting you.”

“Which is?”

“Death.”

“Why?” Ichiru cut in.

“Because…” She did not want to say it.

“Because?” Zero urged.

“The curse.” She blurted.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Zero rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air, “What kind of bullshit is that?”

“You were not supposed to exist in the first place.” her words successfully shut him up.

“Because of that stupid rule?”

“It is a fundamental rule not to be broken that when a huntress is shown to be carrying twins, she has to abort them before the end of the second trimester, at all costs.” She stated the obvious in the hunter’s society.

“Fundamental? As in, dictated by the Kiryuu clan? _‘the rulers’_ ” Zero inquired sarcastically.

“Yes, and the heir to the _‘throne’_ thwarted it in our faces.” She replied with equal sarcasm, referring to their father.

“You know what? I don’t really get that part.” Ichiru got overly excited when the issue that ticked him off the most came up, “You are saying that you are all about power and siring powerful offspring, yet you kill the chance of having a powerful hunter? I mean… Let’s face it! The legendary hunters so far are those who were born from a set of twins, with two of them present here amongst us.” The younger twin pointed to his brother and Cross Kaien behind the door.

“The risk is too great, as it could endanger the bloodline entirely, just like the mistake an old friend of mine made in the past.” She spoke cryptically again. “She carried her children and sired an ungrateful son who not only brought her nothing but shame and disgrace, but ended up turning what she worked hard for into a playground for the creatures that took the life of her beloved husband.”

That is when Zero understood that she was talking about the chairman. Having had enough of her mockery, he clapped his hands.

“All right! You have to stop distracting us with your venom spreading tactic. Keep your judgmental shit to yourself and focus on the main discussion or get the fuck out of here!” He commanded with a thumb pointing to the door. Ichiru had to agree with his brother, especially since he did not like her probing into the pain of those that mattered to them.

“For the record, if she was that ashamed, why didn’t she just get knocked up with another?” Zero pointed the stupidity of the situation.

“Nii-san… that’s-“ Ichiru started to explain but the older woman finished his sentence.

“Impossible! The very reason our family implemented the rule.”

Zero looked at them both with a confused look.

“Nii-san… A huntress who goes through with carrying twins ends up becoming infertile for the rest of her life.” Ichiru explained the information he picked up while going through the hunter’s history.

“Hah?” Zero was stunned.

“Without exception, every woman ends up with a terrible infection that would claim her life if not treated. The only treatment is to remove her reproductive system completely. That is the curse no huntress could ever escape, no matter how advanced the science grew.” The older woman had the saddest look on her face.

 “So… Why kill us if the curse is not the babies themselves?” Zero asked after processing what he had been told.

“It is complicated.”

“Explain.” Ichiru ordered.

“You don’t want to know.” She insisted.

“We do.” They both declared at the same time.

“Fine!” She huffed, “The fact that Takashi defied his clan caused the start of a mutiny amongst the hunters seeking to overthrow us. Sensing an internal conflict would be equal to finding a golden egg when it comes to our clan. Therefore, in order to put an end to it. The head of the family, your grandfather gave Takashi a difficult choice to redeem himself. The main house must have only one male heir to ensure the absence of conflict. Having two boys is a recipe for disaster, therefore… He ordered him to get rid of the weaker twin.”

Ichiru froze at the last statement, and so did Hana behind the wooden door.

“Sakura and Takashi refused and ran away with the two of you. It was difficult to track them down, but they were eventually brought back. That night is etched into our memories to the point that some of us went mad even after escaping the carnage.”

“What do you mean?” Ichiru dreaded the answer.

“That night… the four of you were brought to the main house where every clansmen came to see the capital punishment bestowed upon the rogues. Cross was summoned as a witness since he was Takashi’s mentor and Yagari was a servant boy whom my husband took a liking to and raised as his own disciple and a playmate for his beloved son. Little did he know that he would be the one to end his life.”

Behind the door, Toga clenched his fist tightly, cursing at the woman for telling them such a thing.

“You’re lying!” Zero breathed out in horror.

“Am I?” She smile wistfully, “Why would I change what my own eyes witnessed. The very moment that my husband raised his sword to sever your pretty head,” She pointed to Zero, “Your father broke the chains tying his legs and kicked you out of the way while screaming the name of his playmate. The next thing we knew, the Cross’s boy was running off with the two of you in his arms and the ungrateful Yagari pointed his shotgun into my husband’s scalp and blew his brains out.” She spoke with a shaky voice filled with anger and resentment.

The twins were short of frozen from the morbid picture drawn in their minds. It took them some time to process the information.

“How did they survive?” Zero was the first to break the silence.

“Don’t answer, please don’t answer…” all eyes landed on Cross who was crouching as if praying with eyes screwed shut and forehead stuck to the door. The action confused everyone except for Yagari.

“Are you sure that you want to know?” She challenged, the anger and resentment still did not subside from her tone.

“Yeah… Especially when you are saying that, the whole clan was around. I find it hard to believe that they could flee such crowd and survive ever after.” Ichiru pointed.

“You think I am lying.” She stated flatly.

“Masking the truth at least.” Zero accused.

“Well… It is not going to be a pretty thing to know about you parents.” She warned the willing twin, “Their betrayal did not stop at turning a disciple and the heir of a decent family against us. They had external help, forbidden help.” Her voice suddenly grew dark.

Zero swallowed, suspecting the nature of the help.

“Not only did Takashi display his hidden nature and slaughtered his kin with his bare hands, but he called upon the worst beast to ensure no one survives to breath a word about the massacre.”

“How did you survive then?” Ichiru was trying his hardest to find a loophole and call it a lie.

“My husband sensed the imminent trouble and took the precaution of keeping a number of us out of harm’s way. We watched through the bars of our confines, helpless and scared at the time.”

“Scared of what?”

“Of the evil that went on rampage, of the son I carried inside me for nine months and spent endless hours raising him to be the best, and he was…. He was invincible, but not for the right cause.” She sighed, “Scared of the summoned evil he sought to destroy us.”

“What kind of evil?” Ichiru could not understand why he started feeling scared all of a sudden.

“One of them was wearing a mask with the emblem from the Valley of Darkness. The other however, wore a face almost identical to the one sitting right there, except for his eyes that glowed crimson in the darkness of that night.”

It was Kaname’s turn to freeze in shock when he understood what she meant, “Haruka.” He whispered.

Ichiru’s jaw dropped, “Haruka… As in… Haruka Kuran?”

The old woman nodded, “He stood on top of the tall wall, I can still remember how his coat and hair swayed with the wind. He kept his hands in his pocket, as if it was not worth using his full strength as he blew each and every person trying to escape through the gate of the main house, or chase after Cross and Sakura after they had taken you two away.”

“I don’t get it…” Zero interrupted, “Why would Haruka Kuran risk doing such a thing that could have easily resulted in a bigger war between our races. He was always known to be the pacifist amongst all the vampire rulers?” The silver hunter sent a quizzical look to Kaname who still kept a blank expression while trying to understand the truth of the matter.

“Well… You will have to ask your adoptive father about that because none of us expected him to get involved and we still do not understand what made him do so.” She answered while looking at Kaname.

“Cross-san must have had a hand in it.” Kaname stated, making a mental not of extracting the truth from the wheat-haired hunter.

“This does not make sense…” Ichiru pondered aloud, “What was the punishment anyways. Killing us all?”

“No…” She swallowed, tear forming in her eyes again, “Your parents are supposed to watch you getting beheaded before throwing them in an underground dungeon to starve until they die with your decimation as the last thing they ever see.”

Fury and anger flared through Zero’s aura to the point that Kaname had to use his own to brush against his back. He noticed the hunter jolting at the invisible touch but it made him glad that Zero relaxed soon after, visibly exhaling to calm his nerves.

“It still does not explain the involvement of my late father or the other person you mentioned earlier.” The pureblood changed the topic to dampen the tense atmosphere.

“No one is sure of anything anymore, our only speculation would be that our clan was getting too powerful to their liking, vampires and hunters alike, and that it was part of a bigger conspiracy to annihilate us. It is shameful enough to think that our own heir orchestrated it.” She sighed.

“That is also a speculation.” Zero suggested, “For all we know, my parents might have been manipulated as well.” He gave Kaname the look he had during his high school years, “I would not be surprised that their death was a mere act of tying loose ends.”

“I doubt it.” The old woman denied, “Takashi was not one to be manipulated or ordered, he is usually the one doing the manipulating. He had the making of a true leader, power, influence, brains and not to mention the best support.”

“Mother?” Ichiru asked.

“Yes. Sakura’s strength was her strategical talent, and ability to pinpoint the best possible outcome of the worst situation they find themselves in. You may never encounter any with her fast-thinking ability in times of crisis.”

“Fine, but why did the association not go after them for their crime?” Zero had to bring that up.

“Because… They were effective enough not to leave a trace that vampires were involved. It was dismissed as an internal conflict. Any weird injuries were told to have been caused by some form of animal, like a trained dog.” She scoffed at the absurdity, “No one believed us when we tried to explain that the beast was an abomination in human form. No one believed the existence of the Valley of Darkness, neither back then or now while they are still at work.”

The three listener stared at her blankly.

She blinked twice before speaking, “Did I lose you again?” She tested.

“Completely.” Ichiru made a definitive gesture.

“It would be very helpful if you stopped throwing these curve balls and followed one straight path in your storytelling. Were you this bad with bedtime stories?” Zero mocked her.

A thin eyebrow twitched at the insult, but she let it slide.

“By defeating his father, who was the president of the association at that time, Takashi should have claimed his right to the title. Instead, he passed it down to the second in line, who was supposed to be the heir of the Cross family. However, that boy was banished from the society, making him illegible for the title. That is how it fell into the hand of the last president, that crossdressing fag.” She all but hurled at the mention of the man,

“When we tried to reason with him about giving us protection against the beast who was still eliminating us. That person simply banished the whole clan with an execution order issued in case we decided to come back and claim our heritage. That is when we realized the depth of the ugly conspiracy.”

“I am having a headache…” Zero stood to walk around the room. “Let us recapitulate… Because of your stupid rule, you tried forcing our mother into aborting us. Our parents defied you and somehow had us. After which, you decided to sacrifice your own flesh and blood to prevent a fucking mutiny. Karma came back to bite you in the ass by having your people annihilated instead, by your own heir, a fucking pureblood and what you called an abomination coming from somewhere called valley of darkness?”

“Something like that.” She confirmed, purposely ignoring the crass language and the insult.

“Go on…”

“What is more to say…. That night made me regret ever giving birth to your parents and had me sink in self-despair knowing that we sired the dreaded seed of madness.” She almost sobbed.

“Cryptic again!” Ichiru groaned before his eyes widened, “Wait! Go back a second… Did you just say give birth to our parents?” Ichiru thought himself mistaken. Zero blinked twice at the crazy statement.

The woman all but smacked herself, “Oh dear! They did keep you in the dark about your own roots.”

Yagari gave a confused look to his lover and Cross reciprocated it since they did not know what she was talking about either.

“Maybe they did not know jack shit about it. Ever occurred to you?” Zero snapped, having enough of her insulting his mentor and surrogate father.

“Well… It is indeed a family secret.” She covered her mouth, regretting the blunder, “Unless Takashi and Sakura decided to tell anyone before passing away.”

“Telling anyone what?”

“That they were siblings, brother and sister.” She finally dropped the bomb.

“WHAT THE FUCK!?” both silverettes were on their feet, staring in horror at the woman sitting comfortably on the couch, Kaname merely sighed when the piece of the puzzle fell into place, “What… how… That is impossible… incest is-“

“Forbidden amongst hunters… Yes… However, how do you think we harnessed such pure powers over the generations?” She smirked at the paling twin.

“How?” Zero breathed the question, still not over the shock.

“Well… we have our ways; the girl born after the first son would be adopted by a direct relative for them to be raised as cousins and be wedded later on.” Ichiru had the urge to comment on how casually she was telling the story, “Such is the case of Sakura and Takashi. I had to separate from my daughter at birth and give her to my sister to raise as her own. It is the case for my husband and me as well as our own parents and grandparents. For thirty-nine generations, the family upheld the tradition without fail. ”

“That is just sick and twisted.” Zero drawled, not bothering to hide his disgust.

“Well… You would not be able to say anything about it when you are told the truth few decades into your marriage by your mother while she is in her deathbed in my case because that is when I got pregnant with Sakura, or when you refuse to abort and escape the dreaded curse in Sakura’s case. By that time, both of us were unable to see our husbands as anything other than that, partners in life and death, the men we could never go on without having them by our side to love and cherish.” She almost looked like a teenager in love while talking about her husband that it swayed Ichiru resolve when he wanted to bash their tradition.

“Why did you wait until now to come find us and tell us about all this?” Zero finally asked the question that nagged at him since the introduction.

“Because the dweller from the valley of darkness chased us all these years to finish his mission, even after Takashi passed away.” She explained.

“Do you know his identity?” Ichiru inquired.

“No one managed to get close enough to take off his mask without getting killed in cold blood. The only clue that we found is that he was a hired gun by Takashi and his helper. It was only recently that we discovered the truth and the name of the shadow organization named the valley of darkness. The only lead we had was the symbol drawn on his mask. The mistake of trying to attack them led to more killing of our kin and the escape of a scarce minority. We have been on the run ever since.”

“Why do I get the feeling that you are not telling us everything?” Ichiru noticed that she was still holding back thanks to his keen eye.

“Because I fear for my life and the safety of those traveling with me.”

“We are not about to grant you asylum until you prove your harmless intentions.” Kaname stated firmly.

“That is why we are offering a lucrative exchange, one that will save the life of your trusted assistant.” She insisted.

“How did you know about his incident without being involved in it?” The pureblood kept a calm façade.

“We have nothing to do with it and we have ways to prove it. As for how we came to know about it, a trusted source filled us in because whoever attacked him wishes to frame us for his imminent death as well as the other hunters.” She explained.

“What makes you so sure that he is in fatal danger? The medical diagnosis came back clear and the poison is clearing out of his system already.” Ichiru challenged her baseless assumption.

An evil smirk traced her barely wrinkled lips, “Oh my dear boy! Our family was never about the brute force that hunters pride themselves in. We have ways to dispose of our targets while sunbathing thousands of miles away.”

The cold words sent shivers through the twin’s spine. They waited for her to elaborate as she looked at Kaname.

“The poison from the hunter weapon that harmed him is merely masking the true factor that will claim his life. The first phase should have started sometime yesterday. If he was not sedated, he should have started to go on and off from a state of delirium. You would be talking to him and he suddenly starts rambling about whatever happened to him or maybe express deep fear that he believes happened to him for real.”

Kaname and Zero immediately glanced at each other, remembering the breakdown that Takuma started having when Kaname asked him to remember what happened.

“The second phase should start sometime later today or tomorrow. He will break in cold sweat with a fever so high that any human would self-combust from it. Of course, your so called medical team would dismiss it as a reaction to the poison being flushed out, but it is far from it as his body would start rotting from the inside. We call the last phase, ‘deceitful death’.” She smiled, a cold scary smile “Three days from now, he will be standing on his two feet, walking fine and acting as if he is healed completely. That is until the hallucinations come back and make him believe that the enemy caught him again and about to kill him. Except, he would be the one wielding the killing weapon and taking his own life by himself.”

The three listener suddenly felt nauseous, unable to imagine the blond noble going through that horror only to end up taking his own life.

She fixed Kaname with a long stare before getting up from her seat, “I am afraid I have to leave. I finished telling you what I came here for and the condition for further negotiations. You can take your time to think about it, but do not take too long. Time is not really in your advantage seeing as he has five days to live, at most.” She was heading to the door, but Kaname stopped her.

“Wait… Suppose what you are saying is the truth. How do we trust that you can save him? Do you have a cure?”

The woman gave him a look of victory that irritated him, “Any spell in our magic has its counterpart. Any killing potion we concoct will have a cure for such bargain. As a matter of fact, here…” She pulled three flasks from her purse.

“This…” She pointed to the clear liquid in the first one, “is the potion wrecking his body at the moment. You can run your test to find the same complex in his blood.”

“This…” She pointed to the blue liquid in the second one, “will counter the effect it has on the wounds. I am sure that you already figured out that your, oh so powerful blood was not able to heal them completely. Also, if my memories still serve me right, the doctor should be panicking about the reopening of the wounds by now. This a courtesy of our clan to prevent any festering infection.” She stated arrogantly.

“What is the last one?” Zero looked at the magenta liquid in the last smaller flask.

“That my dear, is a sample of the cure. The incomplete cure. This will merely delay the inevitable because a ritual is needed to completely heal him. You can give this to him while he is burning up with fever and take a blood sample in the next hour, you will find the curse gone for about half a day. Another sample taken the next day will show that it is back. This will merely suppress it for that long.”

Kaname took the last potion in his hand; a flash of the delirious Takuma jolted him again. He held the glass object and looked at the old guest, “We will contact you after we verify your credibility with these. However, if any of them leads to dire consequence, I will personally finish the job that Kiryuu-san never had the chance to accomplish.”

“If you find that we are sincerely seeking to help?” She taunted with a smile.

“You will be granted your asylum.”

“Kuran!” Zero all but shrieked, he was not sure that it was a good idea to grant them such a thing without risking them seeking vengeance under the protection of his own umbrella. It would turn them into sitting ducks waiting to be slaughtered.

“I know what I am doing here.” Kaname answered the question obvious in Zero’s disbelieving eyes.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

**_Me: I wonder what came over you to jump Kaname like that, Zero? *giving a perverted look*_ **

**_Zero: Shut up or I will shoot you before you get the chance to finish this sick story! *Scowling with beet red face and ready to pull the trigger while I run away*_ **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never mind the two previous lines,
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the read without having to take something for the migraine it induce.
> 
> The next chapter is just as nerve wrecking but I found it more enjoyable to write, I hope that it would be more enjoyable to read as well.
> 
> See ya next chapter (will be posted in few hours)
> 
>  


	53. Chapter 53

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will be more focused on Ichiru/Zero, not much action but interesting revelations :D
> 
> Enjoy

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

After the impromptu guest took her leave, a heavy but awkward silence engulfed the Chairman’s office. Many questions swam in each head with no plausible way to voice them without making things even more uncomfortable.

It was getting eerily calm until Kaname jolted every single person present by opening the door and giving instructions,

“I just ended a call with the Ichijou, they will be expecting us in two hours. That is barely enough time for us to drive there. Further discussions will be conducted in person there.”

“Wha-“ Cross stuttered and Yagari was about to speak but the pureblood would not have any of it.

“I will explain everything later. Rima and Senri were notified since they are on their way there from the airport, they are expected to reach before us and set the ground on my behalf.”

“Ground for what? What is happening here?” Zero had to interrupt.

“You will understand when we get there.” Kaname dismissed in favor of answering a call that he ended all too quickly.

“The driver is outside, Kiryuu-kun, Aido, Takamiya-kun as well as Ichiru-kun, let’s get going.” He issued the order and left the gaping crowd to process as he headed out.

It took them a moment to wrap their head around what he just said but they did not waste time to follow him to the car.

Alone in the office, Yagari and Cross stared at each other, puzzled.

“What was that all about?” The one eyed hunter grunted.

“That is Kaname-kun executing a plan he cooked up in a matter of seconds. I never saw him giving open orders like that before, but I have to say…” Cross trailed.

“He is too damn hard to refuse.” Yagari huffed, acknowledging that hateful feeling of being compelled to obey despite not really knowing why. Especially when he got it from the pureblood. He could sense the urgency and his guts told him that they should go along with whatever he has planned.

“Well… they can see it through just fine. I am sure they are going for a recon to verify her words about Ichijou’s condition.” Cross sank in his seat and had a distant look on his face,

”Meanwhile, we have our own demons to slay.”  

Yagari gave him a side-glance as his lips tightened, “I never thought that a day would come where I find myself forced to reveal the truth of that night.”

“It was a matter of time after his death.” Cross sighed, “It was foolish to wish that it would never come to this. The only mishap would be how they came to know about it.”

“The worst possible scenario.” Yagari finished his thought.

“It would be up to them to choose whom to believe. We gave her the upper hand by shielding them for too long.” The ex-hunter closed his eyes and breathed out as his lover held his hand over the table.

“We just need to tell them the truth. They are old and smart enough to see the difference and get it right. They are not those crying toddlers that you had to carry out of a bloody fight while they cried in your arms anymore.” Yagari hated to remind him of that night but he knew that the wheat-haired hunter would understand.

“Zero ended up with a nasty bruise and a phobia of sharp object long after,” he complained.

Yagari snorted, “Well, it was a miracle that no rib was broken with the way his father sent him flying with that kick. I think Sakura almost fainted on the spot if you did not catch him mid-air.”

Cross opened his eyes to scowl at his lover, “You make him sound like a ball to catch.”

“Well… He was that tiny.” The one-eyed hunter half smiled.

“We should be grateful that they were too young to remember it.” The older man stood and walked around before opening the door to leave.

Yagari followed in his footsteps, draping a comforting arm over his shoulder, “Soo…. Exactly how much are you planning on telling them?”

“Hmm…. Probably everything… even details you probably don’t know about.” Cross teased.

“You mean that you still have more secrets, old man?” Yagari teased back and was jabbed in the gut.

“Don’t get too cheeky.”

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Kaname-sama! It is such an honor to have you grace us with your presence.” The old uncle bowed a ninety degree in front of his king, an action that made the hunters quirk amused eyebrows. Without having the upper hand with the veto like back in the association, the old noble was nothing more than a lower class seeking to get on the good grace of the king.

“Thank you for accepting our visit on such a short notice. Could you guide us to his quarter?” Kaname ordered subtly, tilting his head to the other so that they follow him.

“But of course, it would be my pleasure.” The master of the house promptly complied, “The latest diagnosis was promising. However, the doctors were worried about the slow healing of his wounds. One of them reopened today when they were cleaning it. They advised us to procure more ‘powerful’ blood in hope that it might help, but we would not dare ask for such a thing, could we?”

Kaname almost snorted at the roundabout way the greedy noble was trying to procure his blood. He was aware that the man had the same mindset as his late brother, Ichiou. Kaname also knew that the blood he would give would not be for Takuma because his personal doctor would have notified him if they really thought that it would help. However, the pureblood was not there to argue, neither to expose their malicious intentions. Therefore, he merely nodded as if going along with the sly noble. _This is probably the reason they transferred him to the manor instead of leaving him at my hospital!_

Zero however was processing another piece of information, and Ichiru was having the same thoughts, judging from the look that he gave his brother. The reopening of the wounds was something their grandmother talked about as a proof of credibility. They were having a bad feeling about all of it, but mostly, worried for their friend who must have overheard the conversation.

They unconsciously held their breath when standing in front of a large wooden door, carved with intricate design and made out of reddish wood that contrasted elegantly with the beige satin paint of the walls. Their host twisted the brass knob and held the door open for them. One-step inside the large room, and they felt overwhelmed by the bustling place.

Maids were rushing in every direction with various items in their hands, a couple of nurses came out of another door and instructed them to bring a list of things written on a piece of paper. Shortly after they went back in, a man wearing a stethoscope emerged from the same door. He acknowledged their presence with a nod after the older Ichijou filled him in about their visit.

“This way please…” The doctor pointed a finger in direction of the adjacent room. Kaname led the group inside. He already sensed two familiar auras from outside and was pleased to find Rima standing up with hands placed on Senri’s shoulders while the mahogany haired noble sat on the chair next to Takuma, striking a very quite conversation by scribbling on the white board.

Zero had to hold back a teasing smile when he noticed the emerald eyes scanning the crowd and lighting up when they landed on the hazel eyes they were looking for.

After the usual greeting and a bit of pestering from his great uncle, Kaname managed to chase away the nuisance along with the medical team for some alone time.

The Shiki left their seat to the hunter whom they urged to sit by his lover while Kaname stood on the other side, checking the wound on Takuma’s shoulder that the doctor said had reopened.

Kaito made sure that Takuma could not see it and felt his heart bleed when the pureblood uncovered it only to find that it was starting to fester indeed.

“Kuran… That’s…” Zero jumped by his side when he noticed him pulling the light blue vial from his pocket. “Are you sure you want to do this?” The silver hunter could not help but voice his worry. If anything were to go wrong, he did not have the confidence of pulling the pureblood together after another guilt trip like last time.

“This is the only way to find out.” Kaname took a Q-tip from the nightstand and poured a drop of the gooey substance on it. He exchanged a knowing glance with Kaito who immediately pinned Takuma’s shoulder while holding his hand.

The green-eyed vampire was confused and started to panic when his lover’s voice soothed him, “Shhh… It’s going to be fine.” Most people present looked away out of respect for the couple when Kaito gave him a reassuring peck.

If Takuma had his voice working fine, he would have shattered the walls of the building with loud screaming when Kaname glided the dreaded potion over the edges of his wound. Kaito was horrified when smoke erupted on its trail and Zero was about to grab Kaname’s wrist and throw the damned flask miles away in the blink of an eye.

The only thing that stopped any of it from happening was the sight of the wound starting to close. In a matter of minutes, Takuma’s shoulder was healed, without even a glimpse of scarred tissue left behind.

Zero and Kaito had to gasp in amazement along with the others who finally got closer to have a better look. While everyone else fawned over the tiny miracle, Kaname did not waste a second more before he poured the rest of the liquid and stirred it in warm water. He then dispersed the crowd and gave the glass to Kaito so that he helps the noble drink it.

They waited impatiently for few more minutes. Meanwhile, Takuma was trying to make a sound and excitedly moving his healthy shoulder like a child who finally took off the annoying cast. Little did he know the true meaning behind his body responding to that specific formula.

A knock at the door sent everyone back in their initial seat and jolted Kaito away from the bed in time with a nurse coming in with a bowl of water and ice along with a towel draped over her arm.

“What is that for?” Hanabusa asked, but regretted his question when he remembered the words about the second phase. The nurse only confirmed his suspicion.

“Ichijou-sama have been having bouts of fever coming and going every hour, we are taking rounds placing ice packs around him and helping him keep his temperature normal. The doctor is not really worried about it as it is a normal symptom when it comes to vampire’s mechanism of flushing out hunter’s poison.”

The nurse felt uncomfortable at the eerie silence she received as a response. She believed that saying such a thing would cheer them up knowing that the patient was getting better.

Rima intercepted her by taking the towel and bowl, saying that she will take care of it before dismissing her.

With that last cue, Kaname felt the last straw snapping. He immediately stormed out of the room, leaving everyone else confused, except for Zero who had a wild hunch about his next actions, and hoping that he would be right.

Minutes later, the pureblood came back, relief and anguish flooding him when he heard the voice of his old friend conversing with the others, a sign of the healing potion working like it should.

“I was talking with your uncle just now.” He spoke when lively emerald eyes met his. It was the hardest to mask his worries from this person who stood by his side for so long, but he wasn’t ready to lose him yet. A little lecture would be worth it.

“Ugh! Please tell me that it did not turn out into a business meeting and shareholding bargain?” The blond noble fumed. There was a reason why he distanced Kaname from his clan, they were a bunch of greedy blood-sucking machines who only lived to satisfy their selfish needs.

“Almost.” Kaname held back a chuckle, “Well… The heart of the matter is that Senri and Rima will stay over to watch over you and Takamiya-kun will be your personal guard around the clock.”

“Huh?” Takuma felt his heart jump to his throat with excitement and disbelief at the same time. “How?”

Kaname’s lips curled up unnoticeably, “Well… Let us say that I made him believe the theory of a mole lurking around. The reason why I did not trust anyone in this house with the safety of my most trusted assistant and dear friend. I might have put a little threat in between though…” He shrugged.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Thank you! For doing what you did…” Zero grabbed Kaname’s hand before he left the limousine. They arrived back on campus and he waited for Ichiru and Hanabusa to leave the car before he could finally say the words. Kaname may have justified his decision with the need of someone to report on Takuma’s health, but Zero knew better.

Kaname may not be able to accept the fact that Takuma chose Kaito for a partner, but he would never deny him the possible joy of having him by his side in time of need, all while protecting their secret.

“Let’s hope they do not make me regret it.” Kaname answered jokingly while placing a hand on top of Zero’s. The hunter immediately retracted his.

“About yesterday…” Zero stuttered, not meeting the garnet orbs staring at him… “I don’t know what came over me… but…”

Kaname sighed. He knew this moment would come.

“Nothing happened…”

Zero startled and gave him a quizzical look, especially when he perceived the tender expression adorning the perfect face of the brunet, “Nothing happened yesterday… Whatever came over us in the stable was… fleeting… ephemeral… You don’t need to dwell on it much…” Kaname elaborated, confusing the hunter even more.

“Why?” Zero could not help but blurt the question. Normally, he would expect Kaname to act like a dog with a bone, using the incident to make a point that Zero felt the same and trying to win him back.

Kaname smiled and patted the silver head, “Because I know that Kiryuu Zero is not a cheater, not when he is about to have the family he always wanted. Blame it on my lingering affection that may have brought up some old memories along with your… you know… pregnancy hormones and forget it ever happened. Don’t beat yourself about it.” he slid his hand to cup the cheek of the stunned hunter one last time before leaving the vehicle.

Zero remained still, looking at the spot where the pureblood sat. “What was that about?” He mumbled, unable to process what just happened. His attention snapped back to the present when Ichiru knocked on the tinted window and urged him to join the others.

He was too distracted to focus on the flow of the conversation. It was good enough that he understood the gist of it; wait for Kaito’s report in twenty-four hours before deciding to seal the deal with the remaining Kiryuus.

 Zero was having a difficult time deciding what to think about the pureblood’s action. He did not really know whether to feel happy that Kaname was willing to forget about what happened the day before, or should he be suspicious that the pureblood had something up his sleeve. He found his eyes following his every move, transfixed with his lips as he talked to Cross, apparently telling him about what happened with Takuma and how it fit his grandmother’s predictions.

“Nii-san? Are you feeling all right?” Ichiru nudged him, and placed a hand on his forehead, “You’re looking pale all of a sudden?”

“Uhm… Maybe…” Zero gently pushed his hand and took a couple of steps back, “I think I am tired…. I haven’t slept much because I helped Gin pack…”

“You should go lie down then… It is not as if we will do anything anytime soon… It is all about waiting now. I will come get you if anything comes up.” Ichiru urged him to seek some rest.

“Um… You do that.” Zero gave him a shoulder squeeze as a grateful gesture before heading to his room where he immediately flopped on his bed, exhausted but not sleepy. He jolted suddenly and his hand flew to his bump. A smile graced his lips when he felt the fluttering sensation.

“What are you doing in there kiddo…” He whispered lovingly as he rubbed his belly, “Stretching? I don’t think so. I would start to worry if that was a kick, you ought to put more force into it if it was one…” He chuckled at his own words before his lips pursed again.

He was happy for the distraction. It was as if his baby was trying to comfort him because it was the second time he felt the fluttering sensation. The first time happened while Kaname slept on his lap the day before. Zero did not dwell much about the fact that both reactions happened when he was engrossed into thinking of the father of his unborn child. All he could do was be grateful that the stress was not affecting the development of his bundle of joy. 

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“Zero….Zero… wake up…. Zero… wake up”

Amethyst eyes shot open with a start before a scowl hooded them.

“What…” He groaned from the neon light that assaulted his sensitive eyes.

“You need to wake up one of these days.” The voice of his master led his eyes to the man sitting next to him on the bed.

“ugh!” He propped himself in a sitting position, barely registering what he was told.

“Are you all right?” Toga could not help but ask when Zero seemed to drift off to sleep again in that awkward position.

“Ask me that after I manage to get a good hour of sleep instead of a glimpse.” Zero complained with closed eyes.

“Look out the window, brat!” Yagari grunted while grabbing Zero’s chin and directing his eyes to the open window.

Zero scrunched his face before opening his eyes, but felt his jaw dropping when he saw the pitch-black sky outside. He was sure that it was not yet lunch time when he went up to his room.

“You get what I mean?” His mentor quipped, amused by the shocked expression. “Ichiru did not want us to wake you up for lunch. He said that you looked too peaceful for him to do something as cruel as waking you up. However, missing dinner as well would be out of question.”

“How did I sleep this much?” Zero wiped his face, disbelief still written all over it, his head suddenly snapped back to look at his mentor, “Did anything happen with Ichijou?”

Yagari’s expression turned from amused to solemn, “It seems that the fever is on the rise, constantly for that matter.”

“We have to call that person…” He jumped from the bed, about to head to the bathroom when Yagari grabbed his wrist, “Zero… You don’t have any question?”

Zero hesitated for a moment before meeting the worried gaze of that one blue eye, “I do… I have plenty of questions, but this not the time or the place.”

After a long sigh, Toga let go of his hand and watched him leave the room. He was surprised to see the silver head popping from door seconds later.

“Did you do it?” Zero asked, “Did you really kill my grandfather?”

Yagari swallowed before nodding.

“Was it inevitable…? Was it for the greater good?” He asked again.

Yagari nodded again.

“Which is it?” Zero leaned against the doorframe.

“Both.” His mentor answered.

“Then… I have no reason to judge or hate you for it… I might have done the same if put in your shoes.” Zero shrugged and left the confused man staring at the open door.

A hilarious chuckle escaped the black haired hunter as he flopped back against the bed. A sigh of relief escaped him in between the giggles.

“Like father like sons indeed.” He was surprised to hear the same words that Ichiru told him after hearing their side of the story spoken by Zero who reached the conclusion in less time and far fewer words. He could not wait to tell his lover how much the boys have grown without them even noticing it. Despite everything, they will always be the little munchkins who gave them more trouble than anything else in this universe, trouble that they welcomed with open arms.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero waited impatiently for Aido to finish his call.

“Kaname-sama is on his way.”

The silver hunter was unable to stay still. Too many things transpired while he was in happy dream land. The test result for traces of the toxin in Takuma’s body came back positive. He called Kaito and found him panicking because his lover is burning up to the point of melting the ice in record time. Everything was happening fast, too fast to his liking. He started doubting that they had as much as five days before the ‘inevitable’ happens.

The sound of the door opening snapped him out of his thoughts. Kaname made his way to the living room where they all waited for his arrival.

He greeted them with a nod before sitting on an armchair.

“I administered the incomplete cure personally. Indeed, an hour later, the fever, pain and everything else stopped, just like that. At this point, I fully expect his bloodwork to come back clean just like she said.” Kaname’s statement held double meaning, one of which would be the urgent need to seal the deal and save his friend.

“Kaname-kun…” Cross demanded his attention, “I have no intention of allowing such a thing as an asylum to be granted. It would pose too much danger for each one of us and those we hold dear. You have no idea what you are dealing with.”

Kaname interlaced his hands on top of folded knees, “All I know is that she has important information that could help us. The immunity I grant will not be absolute neither will be the one Yagari-san will provide. After all, we are not the only authorities around.” The pureblood had some kind of evil glint in his eyes, “Besides, I have the feeling that they wanted more than just that. She is an excellent actor and knows how to choose her words very, very wisely.”

The wheat haired hunter was impressed by the accurate judgement of character. “I guess I made the mistake of underestimating you… once again. I apologize for that.” He declared with a sheepish smile.

“Accepted…. Now… who should be the one contacting her?” His garnet-colored eyes were trained on the twins sitting next to each other.

Ichiru took a sharp breath and raised his hand, “I will do it.”

Cross immediately passed the card to him and handed the phone.

After minutes of anxious wait, the silverette hung up and threw the phone on the sofa with sheer frustration.

“Change in the deal?” Kaname stated the obvious in the form of a question.

“She thinks the asylum is too little of a price for saving the life of someone obviously so important to all of us.” Ichiru answered through gritted teeth.

“When is she coming to let out more of her greed?” Zero asked sarcastically.

“She is not.” Ichiru huffed as he sat down by his side.

“What do you mean?” Yagari asked, alarm obvious in his voice.

“She want us to be the one going to her place, at that hotel. Something about discussing things on her turf. What does she think she is, some Yakuza boss?” Ichiru was about to burst a vein from the irritating conversation.

“Close enough.” Cross shrugged jokingly, only to have few sets of glare directed his way, “Oh! come on! You don’t know her as well as I do… That statement does hold some truth, I was not joking… not entirely at least…” He held a finger up to stop Zero from shutting him up, “And that is why I am against either of you going without someone to guard your back.”

“Oh please~” The silver hunter all but whined.

“I agree with him.” Both Kaname and Yagari spoke at the same time before giving each other a disturbed look for saying the same thing.

“Well… She did not really ask me to come alone, so I do not see why we cannot bring some extra company.” Ichiru looked at his brother, begging him to stop the useless stubbornness every time anyone points out his need for a helping hand.   

“Fine! But you are not coming!” The silver hunter pointed to the brown-haired vampire. Aido was about to protest, but Kaname raised a hand to stop him.

“I understand. Just be careful about what you promise, and how you phrase your words.” Kaname gave one last tip. He expected something like this to happen and he trusted the twins to handle the situation perfectly fine. However, not going was out of question. If he could not be there in person, he could always send a familiar to be his eyes and ears. He was almost certain that she did not reveal the crucial information about the Kiryuu clan yet, and if she has plans of doing it, it would be when he was not around.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Half an hour later at the hotel lobby ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“I still think that I should have brought my gun…” Yagari grunted from his seat.

“Yeah! and have us kicked out and jailed for brazenly bringing in a freaking shotgun?” Zero snapped while going through the menu handed to him without really reading the content.

“We are not here to fight. They will not attempt anything until they acquire the immunity, and I doubt they have the manpower to go against us, even barehanded. That would be plain suicide.” Cross pointed the obvious, reminding his younger lover that they have three powerful hunter, one outstanding sword fighter and a noble vampire with a short temper if they ever attempted to hurt his lover. He merely wished that he would not have to explain the vivid ice sculptures in the room in case Aido was forced to neutralize them.

It did not take long for them to be guided to the top floor.

“So much for being fugitives.” Zero could not help but bring light into the hilarious situation.

“The resources of your clan can be easily describe as inexhaustible, especially if there is little number using them.” Cross explained, “and before you ask, your father had no interest in the wealth and glory, so he basically let it sit there. I guess she still had access to everything.”

“Okay… I know I said that we do not care about what happened with those people or the fact that you guys hid it from us, but you could have at least let us know that we were filthy rich. It would have made our life much easier, mine at least.” Ichiru complained while buzzing the door.

“This is really not the time, Ichiru!” Zero grounded.

“Say that to my accountant.” The younger twin huffed before holding his breath when they heard someone approaching the door.

A young girl with platinum blond hair and greyish violet eyes opened the door. She was wearing a simple white dress and looked no older than fifteen years old. The twins made a mental note not to be fooled by the appearance.

“Come in please, great grandmother is waiting for your arrival?” Her shy and young voice was soothing to the ears and so were her manners when she bowed respectfully and led the way looking down.

_Yep, definitely fifteeniesh!_

The twin thought simultaneously.

The old lady Kiryuu did not bother getting up from her comfortable seat, but beckoned the girl to sit next to her after acknowledging their guests.

“I trust that you brought the written statement of the asylum, stamped with an oath of blood and all.” She got right to the point.

“Yes.” Zero opened a folder he was holding and took out two documents that he spread on the table. He allowed the woman to peer at them but snatched them back when she reached to take one of them in her hands. “I trust that you know the meaning of a fair transaction.”

She smiled at him with an air akin to pride.

“But of course. However, as I said, after discussing things with my people, there have been some changes on our side.”

Zero held back from rolling his eyes, “What would those changes be?”

The woman looked around the room. Zero noticed that she was checking their company since her eyes travelled from Cross and Yagari to Aido who were dispersed against the three walls facing her. Her eyes travelled back to the twins sitting opposite to her around the coffee table of the living room.

She fixed Zero with an expressionless look before looking at Ichiru. They noticed her expression softening all of a sudden while her hand reached to hold the one of the shy girl still sitting next to her.

“We have the best interest of our family in mind. We are exhausted from running away all these years, from living in fear that there will no one left to carry the legacy of our glorious clan. That is why we did the impossible to preserve the younger generation. However, the bloodline would not be the same if the purity of our offspring gets corrupted.”

Cross was starting to have a bad feeling the more she talked.

“When seeing you two all grown up. I could barely hold my tears of happiness to see my grandsons healthy and alive. Believe it, or not, I never wished for any harm to befall you. I even went as far as pleading my late husband on hands and knees to spare your lives before that night.”

Ichiru and Zero started feeling uncomfortable from the motherly vibe she was sending their way.

“I know that this might seem unfair, however, I see no other way to convince you without twisting your arms a little.” She finally looked down, sighing as if a heavy burden was weighing her down.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Zero all but growled.

“Would you come back to the family willingly if we asked you to?” She asked, her tone telling them that she already predicted the answer.

“Hell no!” both silverettes answered immediately.

“We figured as much. That is why, we are not handing over the cure until the rightful heir agrees to come back to his clan and sire the next generation. This girl here is one of our finest and was chosen for her power and intellect to ensure the continuation of the bloodline.”

“What the fuck are you saying… She is a freaking child!!! No… Never mind that!!... Claim the heritage and be one of you… No way in hell!” Zero snapped as he stood up, his face scrunching in disgust and disbelief.

“Calm down… It is not as if we are asking anything of you. Being slightly older does not make you the candidate we are seeking, tainted as you are.” She snapped back before looking at Ichiru.

Hanabusa tensed at the meaning and took a couple of steps towards them but halted when his lover started talking.

“I am afraid that it would be out of question for I am already spoken for.” Ichiru stated with confidence.

“Oh please~ As if subduing yourself to a vampire could ever be called a commitment.”

Ichiru had to clench his fist so that he does not revise his rule of punching a female anytime soon.

“What is next?” She added, sarcasm dripping from her voice, “That you will take his name in the reunion of holy matrimony, give me a break. You are merely wasting your mortal life being his own personal blood bank.”

“Don’t you dare-“ Ichiru was about to snap, but Hanabusa’s hand suddenly pressing on his shoulders stopped him.

“As a matter of fact, yes. He will be taking my name sometime soon and toss away the one which caused him more grief and sorrow that the happiness I will bring him.” Blue eyes darkened with obvious threatening challenge to cross him any further.

“Oh really?” She acted surprised, “Well… Let me ask you one question before you get any more defensive.”

“Go ahead…” Aido was taken aback by her attitude, but decided to go along.

“Have you craved any other blood since drinking his for the first time?” Her eyes twinkled.

Aido hesitated a bit before answering, “No. That would be because-“

“Because he is your true love and vampires will only thirst for the blood of their mate once they find them yada yada yada… Quite the stretch when the mate is human, don’t you think?” She added.

“What are you getting at?” Zero urged her to continue, impatient for this cold warzone to dissipate.

“Oh nothing~ I am just making sure that my grandson is aware of the real reason his vampire would not be able to survive without him, for reasons other than _true love, that is.”_ Her smile widened when Zero and Ichiru scowled at her.

“I guess he hid it well as expected.” She stated.

Ichiru looked up to his lover who was glaring dagger at the woman, especially when Aido tightened his hold on his shoulders, “Hana?” Ichiru whispered.

“His ego must be a little too big to admit it, or he merely did not deem you fit to give you the advantage.”

“Advantage of what?” Yagari finally snapped, having had enough of the word play.

She gave him the coldest look, “The advantage of knowing that his body is rejecting any other blood, even the manufactured pill he is developing himself.”

A gasp escaped Ichiru’s lips as he suddenly stood on his feet to face his lover around the couch.

The older woman smirked, “Not only that… He is probably hiding the fact that he is growing stronger the more he drinks from you, becoming more resilient to hunter’s weapons and most of all, not easily weakened when walking under the blazing midday sun.” She finished her speech and laid back on her comfortable seat before adding the last strike, “I wonder if an opportunist like this is worth spending your precious life with?”

“Shut up!” Aido snapped, “You have no right to judge us because of your insignificant discovery.”

Ichiru was starting to feel light-headed as he looked from his lover to his grandmother and back to his lover. He pointed to the woman and spoke to him, “Is it true? What she is saying? All of it?”

Aido looked at the troubled amethyst eyes before averting them, guilt engulfing him more when he met the shocked eyes of the others, especially Zero’s.

“I don’t know about the super strength since I have not been injured by any hunter weapon lately. I might have healed faster than the others might during the last war, but I don’t know if it was because of your ‘powerful’ blood or the fact that I drank from you on a regular basis before fighting. As for the sun, I would not know since I always avoid it by instinct.” The noble vampire felt as if he was being interrogated for a crime he did not commit.

“What about the tablets.” Ichiru breathed the question out of his constricting throat.

Aido finally met his eyes, a defeated look haunting his electric blue eyes, “That would be the only truth in her statement.” The vampire felt his chest tighten when facing the horrified look in amethyst eyes and the way Ichiru’s hands flew to his mouth, “I am unable to consume fake blood or human blood, or any type of blood other than yours for that matter. It has been the case for some time now. I did not tell you so that you do not feel obligated to push yourself and provide me with more than you could afford and end up harming yourself because of me. I would never live with that on my conscience.” Aido’s tone was drifting from hesitant to loving in attempt to soothe his silver lover.

“Oh please~” The grandmother raised a hand in a dismissing gesture, making fun of the honest confession.

“Oh God~ Why don’t you zip it for ten fucking second, old hag!” The room went still when the silver hunter seem to be losing it as he screamed and pointed his gun square in the face of the sitting woman, “One more unauthorized sound and I will finish what my father started… I am not fucking joking here!” His pupil dilated in pure fury, making her swallow any more words.

Ichiru sent a grateful glance in direction of his brother. He walked around the couch and stood by his lover, reaching for his hand that he found trembling a bit. A small quivering smile traced his lips as he rested his head against Hanabusa’s collarbone, inhaling his sweet scent before raising his arms to cage him in a hug.

“I am sorry that you had to shoulder it on your own. I believe you.” His fingers combed through the golden lock, tracing soothing pattern on the scalp underneath.

Aido finally let out the breath he was holding and reciprocated the embrace, inhaling sharply as his eyes stung at the thought of his lover shying away from him for a second there.

“Thank you!” He mumbled as he buried his face in the crook of Ichiru’s neck.

Relief washed over the hunters, but Zero was still holding the woman at gunpoint. He felt bad for the girl curling in her arm, quivering in fear, but he found it to be the only way for him to get the meeting done and over with.

“Now… you will simply answer our questions, without trying to get on our nerves because I do not trust my finger much on this trigger.” He twisted the gun to show that he took off the safety, getting his point across.

“Very well.” She nodded, complying but not scared, not visibly at least.

Zero nodded at his brother who finally turned around to face her.

“What happened to him? Exactly! What did my blood do to him?” Ichiru was desperate to get the truth out of her and this would be his only chance.

“Because our blood is that powerful.” She answered curtly.

“What makes it different from any other hunter’s blood? We witnessed a lot of hunters getting mauled and drank from, and no vampire ever had trouble draining their next victims afterwards.” Zero shrugged, not buying her explanation.

“Because it is not any hunter’s blood coursing through our veins. It is the blood of the original hunters. The true hunters, not the makeshift one born out of consuming the so called first parent.” She scoffed in disgust.

“That is nonsensical seeing that the Kiryuu bloodline branched from the Cross and we know that-“ Kaien was eager to refute her words with proof of ancient record.

“What is nonsensical would be for you to claim higher status when your clan never managed to defeat our weakest members.” She successfully clammed him up, “It is only due to your genetic defect that you got the extra boost to stand on equal ground with us. Other Cross never stood a chance, _ever!_ As for your silly record, that is something written by a biased person, who could easily change things around seeing that we went into hiding for thousands of years before emerging again. Our own record can support the unknown facts of our history.”

“What is your point?” Ichiru asked.

“My point would be that we existed long before the rise of the ‘new hunters’ and have been fighting the supernatural for the longest. The stronger we grew the more desirable our powers became. We discovered over the course of history that the purest our blood becomes the easier it would be to use it as a taming tool. A way to tame the beast we hunt and use it to take down its own kin by tapping on its survival instinct.” She smirked, looking at the horrified blond noble.

“They would have no choice to obey because they would perish otherwise.” Aido summarized her words.

“That is sick.” Zero scrunched in disgust.

“The bright side of it. Those creature would not be able to harm anyone else anymore, neither would they be able to take the life of their tamer. A win-win situation.”

Ichiru gave Hanabusa an apologetic look. It was not the fact that his vampire was forever subdued by his blood that worried him, neither the fact that he would not harm anyone else. Ichiru was genuinely terrorized at what will happen to his blond noble when the time comes for his death to do them apart. Aido could not help the wistful smile drawing his lips because of how transparent his lover was being.   

“Would that be the explanation why we did not find the composition of whatever infected Ichijou in any of the hunter’s spell books?” Zero’s question sliced through the thick silence.

“About right!... You see, son-“

“Do not call me that!” The chain of his gun rattled, reflecting his irritation.

“What I meant to say is…” She lowered her voice to calm him down, starting to worry for her own life, “What we use is not your average ‘hunter magic’ derived from the vampire DNA existing in our system. Yes… sadly, our lineage did get corrupted by their genes at some point, but it did little to nothing in reducing our original abilities…. What I am saying is that we rely on pure witchcraft, the origin of all magic instead of relying on a fraction of it. That is what makes us exceptional.”

Ichiru let out a baffled laugh, “Unbelievable! Now you are telling us that you are a witch instead of huntress? What next, you will leave out of the window using your flying broomstick?”

The woman raised an amused eyebrow, “You of all people should know that I am telling the truth… I am certain that you can feel it inside of you, twisting and boiling inside with no way out… Power that you know exists but unable to channel out…”

Ichiru did not deny her words because there was some truth to it.

“That is because no one taught you how, and that is the reason I am here today, extending a hand to guide you towards your true destiny. To show you the infinite magic you are able to channel simply because you are a pureblooded Kiryuu, a status that you should hold with pride instead of burying your potential for the sake of _love._ ”

“Ichiru…” Zero could feel his brother swaying, and he did not like it.

“You should be just as powerful, why are you so intent on forcing him to sire another generation?” He asked, reminding his brother that she was brainwashing him for their own benefit.

“Indeed I am! However, none of us will be stronger than the offspring of the fortieth generation. A prophecy passed down since the oldest ages promised the ultimate power for the purest child and descendant of your generation. We cannot afford having such existence deprived from joining our realm, neither do we want their power to fall into the wrong hands and exploited for the worst evil.”

Zero’s hand unconsciously flew to his stomach. A gesture that did not go amiss by the keen eyes of the old woman.

“In fact, to prove our good intention. We will disappear from your life once the child is born. We only wish to ensure our lineage, whether you want to help raise them, or leave them to us to go back to your lover, we will not object to any decision. That is, as long as the child grows up in our clan, with his mother.” She pointed to the young girl in her arm.

Ichiru felt sick in his stomach.

“I need some time to think about it.” He whispered words that elicited a string of gasp and words of disbelief, “Calm down everyone… I said I need time. One last thing.”

“Whatever it is?” The old woman had a victorious smile on her face when Zero lowered his gun at the request of his brother.

“How will I be certain that you cured Ichijou before I decide to follow you?”

“Oh! that is easy because you will be the one performing the ritual.” She chirped, surprising the younger twin.

“I am?” Ichiru was skeptical, “But I-“

“You don’t know anything about magic or witchcraft, I am well aware of that. However, it is a part of you. As I said, counting from today, we have four days left. You only need two days to unlock your dormant powers that your parents sealed away probably after the massacre, and enough time to master this spell by following the instruction from the family grimoire. You just need to make up your mind before you run out of time.”

What happened after was a blur in Zero’s head as he could not register the fact that his brother was giving a thought to something as absurd as leaving his lover to join those who almost took their life and obviously wanting to use him a puppet for their own advantage.

He could not remember how they got back home or the conclusion they reached. All he could do is follow his brother with his eyes, wanting to know what was going on in his head. A thought he probably shared with everyone present in the room.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back in the hotel room ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“I would say that it went very well, wouldn’t you?” the old woman spoke with glee as she combed the fine hair of the young girl.

“Are you really sure that he will leave that person to join us?” she whispered.

“Well… Only time will tell… But I would not worry much about it. No matter what decision they might take, it will always play to our advantage. However, if the best case scenario happens, all we have to do is to pluck the annoying weed getting in the way.” She whispered back as she hugged the young girl, “All you need to worry about is prettiying up and be ready to change history by carrying the coveted child we have been waiting to welcome for so long.”

A sad look haunted the girl’s face as she stared blankly at the mirror, watching the smiling reflection of the woman hugging her, “Yes, great grandmother! As you wish.” Her voice sounded almost robotic.

She retired to her room later, siting on her bed-hugging pillow, and finally allowing tears to slide down her cheek. Another woman knocked at her door and allowed herself in in time to see the girl wiping her face.

The woman had similar features like hers, only strained with age. “Are you all right?”

“I am fine, mother.” The girl whispered.

“Silly girl!” her mother climbed by her side on the bed after opening the large window, “You know better than pretend around me.”

The younger gave her a tight smile before sinking in her arms, and let her tears flow freely at last.

“Did you meet them?”

She nodded, sobbing even harder.

“Did they scare you?” The mother started to worry more. She knew that her daughter was originally a crybaby, only putting a strong front so that she does not crumble since the day she had been chosen by the head.

The teenager shook her head violently before meeting the eyes of her mother, “No… NO! They are… he is… Oh god! Mother…” she bawled out.

“Do you want to talk about?”

“I saw it…” she sniffled.

Her mother froze at the words, “saw what?”

“They would be so happy, so good together… It was beautiful.” She started to calm down, remembering the moment Ichiru hugged Hanabusa, “The light was so pure that it almost blinded me.”

“Such blessing they have.” Her mother sighed while stroking her daughter’s hair.

“Their future was full of happiness and laughter… I never saw something so… so warm.” She snuggled to her mother relishing in the sensation that washed over her along with her premonition.

The brows of her mother knitted when she started to understand the cause of her daughter’s distress, “But the future can change any second.”

The words sent the little girl in another wave of sobbing and pained cries. Her mother’s shushing did nothing to ease the pain tearing at her heart.

“It was so red… crimson red… When he wavered… it was scary… will be horrible… Oh mother! I never wished for such a thing… I don’t want to see him like that… He does not deserve it… He never deserved to mourn the loss of his true love.” She looked at her mother with eyes pleading her to do something even knowing that she has no power of influence to change anything.

The mother pulled her in her embrace tighter, looking out the window at the stars dotting the dark sky, “We can only pray for the future to change again… You mustn’t make foolish requests like asking her to spare his life. She is probably going to eliminate him as soon as she gets what she wants. The best we could do is delay the inevitable until we find an opening to warn them. Please! Do not do something as foolish as going against her, I can’t lose you too.”

The girl felt the arms around her tremble. They hid the truth from her, but she was aware of the grief bestowed upon her mother. She never voiced it out loud, but her abilities as an oracle allowed her to foresee the demise of her father and the cause of it. She was just too young to differentiate a dream from a premonition at that time. She has always blamed herself for not warning him that the head will take her away for her useful power, that he will object the idea of his daughter getting thrown into the arm of the son of a traitor and bear his children at such a young age. That he will be killed in cold blood when trying to escape, taking her with him to save her.

“I won’t, mother! I already accepted my destiny and I will be fine as long as you are by my side.” She reassured, Unaware of the raven peering at them from the branch of a nearby tree.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the new moon residence ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

*Knock*

*Knock*

*Knock*

The door opened to a distraught looking Hanabusa. Yagari figured that the tension did not subside since the spat Ichiru had with Zero back at Cross’s house. It was the first time they witnessed the twins fighting that aggressively, yet they could not blame any of them for snapping and arguing their cases. Ichiru was confused upon finding himself to be the key to cure Takuma at a cost he could never imagine. Zero was livid for the fact that his twin was even considering the insane proposal of their grandmother.

“Did he say anything?” Yagari asked the noble vampire who would not meet his eyes.

Aido shook his head, “He locked himself in the bedroom ever since.”

“Can I?”

“Please…” The vampire led the way to their bedroom and knocked at the door twice, “Ichiru? Can you hear me?”

“…”

Hanabusa gave the hunter an exasperated glance before knocking again, “Ichiru… Love… Yagari sensei is here and he wants to see you. He will be standing right here waiting for you to open the door. I will be downstairs. Call me if you need anything.” he nodded at the old hunter before leaving the apartment to give them plenty of privacy.

Seconds ticked by and there was no sign of the younger twin. Yagari sighed and knocked at the door, “Ichiru… I am well aware that you know I am here… We need to talk… Now!”

His voice was commanding but kind nonetheless. The last thing he needed was for the silverette to go back to his rebellious strike.

It did not take a minute before the locked door clicked open and for Ichiru to peer out of the crack. Toga noticed the red rims around his eyes that averted his gaze.

“Did Hana leave?”

“Yes…”

Ichiru opened the door and walked bare feet to the armchair where he sat. He lifted his knee and folded them under his chin, hugging himself while rocking back and forth.

“You do know that you do not have to go through this alone, don’t you?” The older man started the conversation, “I am not sure about what is going on in that head of yours, but no one would blame you for anything if you chose to refuse her deal.”

“…”

“I know what being a Kiryuu did to you, and I wish I could erase the past and make it better. However, Ichiru… That past made you into who you are today. Those mistakes and misplaced judgement helped you grow from them and become a better person. However… There so much one can screw up before reaching a point of no return.”

“Is this your way of telling me that I am making the biggest mistake of my life and that I will regret it dearly after it is too late to take back?” Ichiru’s voice was strained yet sarcastic.

“Something like that…” Yagari admitted, “Ichiru… Remember when you asked me about your parents after Zero went to sleep today?”

Ichiru nodded, “You told me that Zero took after dad, but I was more like my mom, personality-wise.”

Yagari nodded, “It got to the point that it baffled me sometime. You have the same fire when it comes to protecting whomever or whatever you hold dear, that it sometimes blind you to everything else. The aftermath of that night was the hardest on your mother despite her being the one who devised the plan with your father. She did not have a direct hand in the bloodshed, yet she felt her hands dripping with blood for months after witnessing what the massacre it left behind. The only light grounding her sanity was the fact that you two were saved.”

Ichiru looked at his mentor, “What about you?”

The question surprised the older man, “What about me?”

“Did you regret it? Killing your own mentor… You said that he was like a father to you.” Ichiru was curious about it, as if he found someone to share the burden of causing the death of a family.

“I did… and I still do… It will haunt me to the last day of my life” Yagari squeezed his fist until his knuckle turned white, “But I found salvation in one thing.”

“Which is?” Ichiru urged.

“That he wanted me to do it.” Yagari gave him a quivering smile.

“Really?”

The hunter nodded, not surprised by the disbelief on the silverette’s voice, “It was near impossible to stage such coup without him intercepting it from miles away. Each one of us was ready to lose his life, never in our wildest dream did we think that we would make it out of there alive. However, fate had it that a powerful ally would be standing by our side without us knowing.”

“Haruka Kuran?” Ichiru wondered.

Yagari shook his head, “Your grandfather.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Well… He was a man of little words. However, he decided to make a big deal out of the execution of his own grandchildren. It was something I never expected of him. It enraged me to be under the tutelage of such cold-hearted beast. In blind fury, I volunteered to be the one taking him down. That day, before the four of you were brought in, he handed me a scroll and a letter. He told me to have a look at it after everything was over, that it was a keepsake from my late parents that he was supposed to give me later, but he was fed up with keeping it. It did not surprise me since he never liked to keep the wills of others or any precious belonging with him for too long, so I took them. When the signal came, I pointed my gun to his temple and hesitated for a second…. Ichiru… That second should have cost me my life when I was up against such a powerful man, but it didn’t… Do you want to know why?”

“Why?” Ichiru was intrigued.

“Because he was smiling at me…” Yagari gave a baffled laugh, “I can still see it vividly along with the words he said right after, ‘do what you have to do, son…’”

“He asked you to kill him?” Ichiru could not believe what he just heard.

Yagari sighed, “Something like that, but that was not the end of it. It is true that Kaien called out to the Kuran for help. However, none of us knew who summoned the other one, the masked man she called the dweller of the valley of darkness.”

“Who did?” The silverette finally uncurled himself and listened intently.

“It was much later on that I discovered it in the letter that your grandfather handed to me. There was two letters inside the envelope; one was addressed to me and one to your father. Your grandfather was the one who summoned that person and gave him the task of eliminating the Kiryuu clan once and for all, sparing only your little family. In his letter, he asked us to carry on living without fear for he made sure no one would harm his precious children ever again. The letter was written by the man who raised and trained me indeed, he was a kind man, but his burden was too heavy. Your clan was the strongest and the members were not easy to manage. As the leader, he was not allowed to show weakness. That is why he did not train his own son in fear of spoiling him. It seems that he was already planning on putting a stop to the inflating power that was turning poisonous to most of his clansmen, including your grandmother. He wrote it in his later that you two should be the last generation of pureblooded Kiryuu. He probably feared what was to come if he did not stop it, maybe referring to the prophecy she was talking about.  He played us, making us believe that he was the bad guy until the very end.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Ichiru finally asked.

“Because I want you to make the right decision after knowing the whole truth instead of bits and pieces.” Yagari explained.

“But this has nothing to do with the present time. It has nothing to do with the fact that someone is dying and only I can save him at the cost of breaking my own happiness.” Ichiru screamed in sheer frustration.

“That is why I want you to think carefully about how you want to approach the matter.”

“How so?” Ichiru’s pleading eyes followed the man standing from his seat and leaving the apartment.

“Did I forget to tell you?” Yagari had an amused look on his face.

“Tell me what?”

“Sakura took the best decisions in her life when trapped in a corner, all by herself.” He smirked before leaving the puzzled twin to his own volition.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ichiru grumbled as pulled on his long bangs. He yanked his hair tie, startling at the giggling bells hanging from it. He looked at them while his hair fanned out on his shoulders, shining from the reflection of the light against it. He pulled on one of the spheres and watched the glint of the spider silk thread extending from it. Despite wanting to be like his father in everything from power, personality and swordsmanship, Ichiru always strived further by secretly mastering his mother’s hunting technique. Yagari would never imagine how right he was when he said that Ichiru took after his mother, for he mastered her weapon before learning how to swing a wooden sword. Of course, that was a secret his mother made him keep. He did not remember having so much fun with his mother since that summer when his father had to go on a mission oversea and his brother joined their mentor for a summer training camp to prepare for his hunter certification test.

Sakura did not allow the little Ichiru a minute of rest between teaching him the lessons he missed at school and learning the craft as a hunter. She knew exactly when to push him over his limit and when to let him rest to the point that he never felt sick the whole time. It may have been the catalyst of his vindictive nature when his mother acted as if nothing ever happened and fawned over them like usual after Zero and their father came back home.

The beeping of his phone snapped him out of his musing. The message was surprisingly from Kaname, asking to see him asap, alone.

 

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Kaname’s penthouse, the office area ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Ichiru closed the door softly while speaking, “Did you need anything?”

“That was quite the young girl they chose as your future wife.” Kaname’s voice was full of mirth.

Ichiru rolled his eyes, “I see that you had eyes and ears despite your absence.”

“Of course, and I witnessed quite the argument between the twins.” It was dark and Ichiru could not see Kaname’s face since there was only one lamp illuminating the top of the desk and the back of Kaname’s chair.

“That would be none of your business.” Ichiru snapped as he walked closer, albeit slowly.

“You are right. My business would be the decision you have come to.” The pureblood started turning around.

“Don’t worry… I will not let your friend die.” Ichiru reassured.

“That is not what I am talking about. I am asking about what you _truly_ want, Ichiru-kun.” Kaname’s voice was grave and commanding.

“I don’t want to lose Hana.” He answered firmly.

“But…” Kaname trailed,

“But?” Ichiru was confused.

“There is a but, why don’t you just say it?” Kaname taunted.

“I don’t know.” Ichiru hesitated, starting to get scared, scared of confronting the real problem.

“You want the power.” Kaname’s words struck him like a lightning bolt, making him halt halfway to the desk, “It is not a crime to admit it. It is your right to claim your heritage after all.”

Ichiru swallowed before gathering the courage to answer with a shaky voice, “I want it… If it exist inside me like she said… I want it unleashed, I want it…” His voice was gaining confidence gradually as he started shortening the distance again, “I want to have the power to defend myself against everything… I want the power to protect those I hold dear… I want the power so that I do not grief the loss of another while thinking of how it would have been if I had what it takes to prevent it…. I have had enough of being the weaker link.”

He slammed his palms against the desk to emphasize his determination, “So, if you are not here to help, do not rile me up any more than this, Kuran!” He seethed at the brunet who had a side smile of satisfaction on his face.

Kaname lifted his hand and leaned into the flickering light, “Very well… However, you need to see something before taking any further action.” Ichiru startled when a dark Raven flew out of nowhere and settled on Kaname’s hand, the eerie atmosphere accentuated when he noticed that both Kaname’s and the Raven’s eyes were glowing red.  

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments?


	54. Chapter 54

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I noticed some of you were getting overwhelmed with the details and talking about rereading because you seem to forget some detail, so I thought about putting some crucial information here and there from now one so that you memory is refreshed without the need to go through the extra reading, hopefully. (I would be happy if you were rereading for the pleasure of it of course.)
> 
> You will find the information in the author notes at the bottom of the chapter.
> 
> Now!!! On to the chapter that I enjoyed writing for some reason ;)

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ five days later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“Hana~ You have to let go of me someday, I hope you know that?” Ichiru whined.

“Not now.” His lover reciprocated with a tighter squeeze around his waist.

“Silly.” Ichiru chuckled.

“Cruel.” Hana countered.

“How so?” The silverette acted innocent.

“You know the answer.” Hana buried his face in the crook of Ichiru’s neck, inhaling deeply before his lover felt the warm dampness spread across his skin.

It was only a second later that Ichiru felt his own tear glide over his cheek as he reciprocated the hug.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back to the present time ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero kept pressing on his temple, trying his best to concentrate on the conversation.

“Woow! That is quite a lot of stuff happening in less than forty-eight hours since I left.” Gin spoke over the phone.

“Tell me about it!” Zero rolled his eyes, “Enough about me… How are you doing there?”

“All good… I am actually heading out to see a relative.” The older man chirped.

“Can we omit the words relatives, siblings and parents from this conversation because I might seriously pop a vein this time?” Zero groaned.

“That bad?” Gin worried.

“I just… I don’t like it when…”

“Overwhelmed?”

Zero paused for a moment and his lips curled up slightly, “You are getting good at finishing my sentences.”

“hmm? Can I take that as a compliment?” Gin smiled in return while stretching his arm inside the sleeve that his attendant was holding up.

“I see it as a threat.” Zero teased, “I don’t like it when I feel that I have become easy to read.”

“Oh no! That, you are absolutely not.” Gin reassured.

“Yeah right!” Zero snorted.

“Trust me when I tell you that I am _really_ good at figuring out most people, but you? You gave me a lot of trouble and still do… Always keeping me on my toes.”

“That is good to know.” Zero sighed, “Gin… I have to go… I will call you tomorrow.”

“Oh Zero!” Gin prevented him from hanging up only to be interrupted by someone knocking and entering his hotel room, “Master, the car is ready and waiting for you” The foreign voice spoke.

“pffft… Master?” Zero let out a loud laugh.

“Do. not. tease.” Gin warned, “Anyways… I am not exactly sure about what is going on there but I will tell you two things. First, trust your instincts. Second, trust those of your brother. Do not let the unknown come between you two. Your strength is in your union.” Gin’s voice sounded more serious than usual.

Zero was silent for a moment, letting the words sink. He did not tell him everything, just that their grandmother came back suddenly and asked Ichiru to reclaim the heritage of the heir. He improvised the fight as him not wanting Ichiru to go with a so-called family, which did not bother to check on them when they were torn apart.

“What if our instincts dictate opposite paths?” He breathed out.

“Then,” Gin smirked as he imagined the hunter’s reaction, “Those paths are bound to converge at some point. You just have to find it.”

Zero blinked few times, puzzled by the riddle like answer, “How can you sound so sure anyways?” He was slightly amused if not for the discomfort he had been feeling.

“Because you were meant to be one from the start and that alone make you inseparable by history and destiny.” Gin answered.

“History?” Zero was confused.

“I have to go now… We talk tomorrow?” Gin was reluctant to ending the call but he had to, especially after checking the time.

“Yeah… we do that. Have a nice meeting. Oh! and please do not make me meet the in-laws as soon as I land there in the future, you sound like you have a lot of them over there.” Zero hung up and bolted from the bed of his bedroom and jumped from his window, too irritated to bother using the front door. He stomped towards the source of his fool mood.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Kaname’s penthouse ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“The idea is not that bad, but there are too many flaws to work on and too little time left.” Ichiru pointed to the main issue.

“That is why we need a third person to help out. I am afraid that you will have to convince him.” Kaname pointed to the door opening from his office to the living room.

“Who?” Ichiru tilted his head in confusion, already unfazed by the fact that Kaname’s eyes remained glowing red. His question was answered almost immediately when said door flung open and a miffed twin of his barged in.

“I swear, if this is your new method of harassment, Swiss cheese will look so much prettier after I am done riddling you with bullets.” Zero all but snarled, “I was trying to have a fucking international call in peace after all the crap I had to deal with today…” He glared in direction of Ichiru, “And you had to go and play with your fucking powers to piss me off! And you are still bloody doing it!” he screamed, almost pulling on his bangs from frustration.

Taking it as his cue, Kaname finally retracted his aura and the lights of the room were back on. That is when Ichiru realized that every object of decoration was floating and twirling midair until it went back to its original location. He immediately understood that the pureblood was activating the seal by pushing the boundaries of the power threshold he was allowed to use. Zero, being the warden of the ritual, will of course feel the impeding threat by the tattoo reacting to the seal.

 

“I see that you kept the access card.” Kaname let out a small smile while pointing to the object in Zero’s hand.

Ichiru gave a quizzical look that made Zero squirm under his gaze and unconsciously hide the card in his back pocket.

“Have a seat, Zero.” Kaname ordered softly.

“You think you can order me, _Kuran…”_ Zero seethed.

“Here we go again…” Ichiru whined while digging his elbow in the armrest and cradling his face with his palm, waiting for the spat to finish.

“I am not ordering you as much as looking after your wellbeing.” Kaname corrected.

“No kidding! Is the part of pushing the limit of the seal to have the tattoo on my back itch to the point of wanting to grab a stick to rub it part of your plan of looking after my wellbeing?” Zero was beyond furious. The perks of the binding curse they put on Kaname is that any excess power that Kaname uses would be channeled to the ‘warden’, namely Zero. However, the channeling is what annoyed Zero the most, it starts by the rose tattoo on his back glowing, warmth spreading across his back. That much was okay, but he hated the part where Kaname decides to push the limits, which would make the tattooed part of his shoulder blade itch like crazy before literally burning as if the irritated skin could not tolerate the fabric on top of it. “Maybe you are developing some masochist side these days?” Zero snorted, knowing that Kaname was suffering from his own mischief.

“Nii-san~” Ichiru begged.

“Oh you are in the mood to talk to me so soon?” Zero snapped at his brother, “What are you doing here anyways?”

“That is what I was trying to tell you, so now. Can you please have a seat?” Kaname finally held his temples. He expected Zero to be irritated after the fight with Ichiru and his stunt with the seal, but it seemed like he pushed the hormonally charged pregnant vampire a bit too far.

“I am not. Make it short!” Zero crossed his arms over puffed chest.

“Sit down, Zero!” Kaname finally ordered with a dark look on his face.

“No.”

“You will not be standing for too long.” Kaname explained through gritted teeth. Ichiru started to worry when the temperature dropped slightly in the room. _This can never be a good sign!_

He was about to say something but his brother continued the challenging nonetheless, “Are you threatening-“ Zero suddenly started blinking, his vision growing blurry before he started losing balance because of shaky legs.

“Nii-san!” Ichiru shrieked and jumped to hold him, feeling the distance stretching as his brother leaned sideway in slow motion.

In an abrupt movement, Ichiru found himself halting midway when the pureblood who was sitting on his comfortable desk chair behind him was now in front of him, holding his brother up.

“I warned you.” Kaname was downright annoyed with the hunter, “Now…” He maneuvered the light-headed silverette to the seat in front of Ichiru’s over the desk, “Sit and keep quiet.” Ichiru sat down as well, worry obvious in his expression as he looked from his brother to the pureblood.

“Easy for you to say…” Zero groaned, “How did you-“

“I said _keep quiet._ ” Kaname repeated with a calmer voice as he pulled a glass from the liquor cabinet, poured water and dropped some greyish powder that he stirred. 

“Drink this, you will feel much better.” He offered the glass, but Zero did not take it. He fixed him with a suspicious stare instead. Kaname sighed, “It is safe, for you and for your baby. Unlike your situation right now if you let it be.”

Zero looked at the glass that Kaname put on the desk and followed the pureblood while he turned around and sat on his desk. Whatever he was coming down with left an unpleasant sensation of weakness and shakiness. He did not like it, and Kaname looked like he knew exactly what was going on with him.

Conceding defeat, he finally gulped it down and waited for less than two minutes for the symptoms to vanish completely.

Kaname kept following his expression intently along with Ichiru.

“Feeling like the fog in your head had cleared up yet?” Kaname asked

Zero nodded, frowning, “What was that?”

Kaname reclined on his seat and interlaced his hands under his chin, “Aconite poisoning. To be more precise, you inhaled the steam of a certain specie called _Aconitum vulparia,_ which is a type of Aconite that tend to irritate the central part of your nervous system. It is not life-threatening per se, but it can take quite the toll on vampires.”

The twins gave him a confused look, “How did it happen?” Zero finally asked.

“During your visit at the hotel, did you notice anything about the scent of the room?” Kaname asked the question as if he already knew the answer for it.

“hmm…” The twins hummed.

“There was the scent of the air freshener, I would say that it smelled pretty good. Not flowery though” Ichiru shrugged.

“The perfume of the old hag was so strong it almost made me gag.” Zero complained.

“Exactly as Aido mentioned.” Kaname nodded.

“Hana?” Ichiru perked

Kaname leaned on the desk and started explaining, “I saw him down in the parlor earlier. He did not look so good and we talked a bit, that is when I noticed the dilatation of his pupils as well as the fact that he felt as if the room was getting warmer.”     

“Hana never really feels warm. His power keeps him-“ Ichiru interjected.

“Cooled down at all times.” Kaname finished his sentence, nodding when the younger twin confirmed, “The initial reaction differs from a vampire to another, especially if the dose was small. I was able to notice it because of an incident during our high school days. Aido was looking into some sort of vaccine that will render us immune against it because this aconite was used as a tool of interrogation and the overdose had some nasty long-term side effect. Let us say that it was during the days where his only goal was to piss off the scientists at the hunter’s association.” Kaname explained with an amused tone.

“He is still doing it though, pissing them off.” Zero snorted.

“Maybe,” Kaname shrugged, “But that particular experiment did not go so well since he accidentally inhaled some of it. Luckily, I came just in time to notice the weird state he was in and looked for a quick fix from what I knew about it. That is the medicine I gave you earlier, it would be effective as long as one takes it on the same day.” He reassured when Zero placed a hand over his belly with a worried look.

“Are you sure?” the hunter inquired.

“Positive.” Kaname affirmed.

“Did Hana take it?” Ichiru was worried for both of them.

“Immediately.” Kaname gave him a relieved smile.

“Why would that bitch do something like this?” Zero clenched his fist, his instinct of a mama-bear kicked in with the intention of ripping that woman apart, grandmother or not.

“Well…” Kaname was relieved when they finally reached the main topic of discussion, “First of all, I should be grateful that you prevented me from attending the meeting in person. Secondly, I assume that your honorable grandmother would stop at nothing until she gets what she wants.” He looked at Ichiru.

“Can you please not put the words ‘honorable’ and ‘grandmother’ in the same sentence?” Zero pointed sarcastically, amusing the other two companions.

“She probably used the strong scents on purpose to cover up the faint one of the Aconite. The purpose I could think of would be the following scenario. She wanted to ensure that her deal would go through. For that to happen, she needed Ichiru-kun to be pressured in the right direction. However, for that to happen, he needed to waver first.”

“She did not need special intervention for that.” Zero mocked.

“Yes. She did not need it for the brief waver that happened inside the room, but she needed it to be permanent for her plan to work. That is where this special kind of hallucinogen comes in handy.”

“How so?” Ichiru asked, ignoring his brother’s sarcasm.

“You will sway toward her suggestion. Why? Because it is well known that, you are the weaker twin. She is your grandmother, so she might have an idea that you would want to get rid of that unpleasant label. Therefore, she tapped into that weakness to pull you away. However, if they investigated you as well as they seemed to have, they are certainly aware of the strong bond you share with your brother as well as how deep your involvement with Aido is, to the point of making those ties almost unbreakable.” Kaname explained smoothly.

“I still don’t get the point.” Zero was now curious to see the end of this explanation.

“Simple really!” Kaname started drawing pattern with his fingers on the table, “Let us say that the Aconite heightens your emotions in that situation and keep them that way. It accentuated the insecurities of Aido when his secret was revealed. He probably thought that Ichiru-kun would doubt his commitment. That will leave him with the nagging fear that his lover will leave him and go with his clan. Aido would eventually convince himself of that possibility and let Ichiru-kun go without putting up a fight or finding other solutions to save his friend without sacrificing his relationship.” He paused for a moment to wait for any question that never came, “As for Zero. He was obviously outraged by the suggestion, and more outraged by the fact that Ichiru was even considering it. That rage was intensified and turned into blame, especially when Ichiru was weighing his option, which was unacceptable for Zero. Under different circumstance, you would talk it out calmly and try to get over it together while keeping Takuma’s wellbeing in mind. However, Zero was too engrossed in the possibility of losing his brother and his anger stemming from all the history of his clan to see the big picture. If this dragged on any longer, Ichiru-kun would start feeling cornered, isolated and blamed for everything. He would finally shoulder the responsibility of throwing himself in the fire to salvage at least one thing after his relationship with Aido and Zero turns sour, is that of saving a life, Takuma’s life. Basically, the plan was to break you guys apart and ensure that you are never getting back together as a family.”

“That fucking conniving bitch.” The twins seethed at the same time.

“We can trash her all we want later.” Kaname stopped the onslaught of cursing and swearing that was about to erupt.

Zero sighed after breaking a pencil he took from the penholder earlier, “I assume that you two cunning minds concocted a tactic already.”

Kaname and Ichiru gave each other a knowing look.

“First things first! Are we good?” Ichiru asked his brother.

“As long as you do not become their puppet.” Zero stated flatly.

“That may not be entirely possible.” Ichiru winced.

“What do you mean by that?” Zero started feeling his genuine irritation building up this time.

“Well… The plan would be…” Kaname started explaining.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next day ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The tense atmosphere over the breakfast table was suffocating. Cross regretted the idea of having the twins come over to sort things out.

“I am leaving.” Ichiru stated flatly after putting down the napkins, “thanks for the food.”

“Ah! Ichiru-kun!” Cross called out but Zero already went up the stairs back to his room by the time his twin came back.

“Is this going to last for too long?” Yagari complained.

Ichiru sighed, “We tried sorting things out last night, but it only ended up in another fight. There is no reasoning with him as long as he does not understand the gravity of the situation and how much stress I am under, same thing applies to you by the way.” Ichiru snapped at his lover who was about to say something.

“Me? wha-“ Aido stuttered.

“Well… It would be helpful if you said something instead of moping around like an abandoned puppy! Last time I checked, you wanted me to take your name and be with you for the rest of my life. Did you suddenly start having second thoughts?” Ichiru crossed his arms.

“No.. I…”

“Forget it!” The silverette stormed out of the house.

“What was that about?” Aido pondered, looking at the confused old hunters.

The dejected noble hurried after his lover, walking in silence until they reached their apartment. Aido was very exhausted since he did not sleep a wink since the day before. It felt even worse when he went up to his place and did not find Ichiru after Yagari left.

He crawled into the bed and spooned his silver lover after wearing his pajamas. He felt as if Ichiru was slipping away and he had no clue how to fix this rift.

“Ne? Ichiru.” He whispered against the silver hair.

“Hmm…” Ichiru hummed.

“What are you thinking about right now?” He tested.

“Sleep.” Hanabusa was slightly disappointed.

“Can you hear me out?” he begged, “Without getting angry at my first words?”

Ichiru grumbled for a bit before shifting and turning around to face his worried lover.

“What is it?” He rested his head on Hanabusa’s shoulder, giving him a bit of courage as well as anxiety about what he was about to say.

“I think you should go along with their offer.” He blurted out and felt Ichiru stiffen instantly.

“Why is that?” Ichiru allowed him to elaborate. It was obvious that Hanabusa had something in mind, but Ichiru’s tone was obviously cold and irritated from the suggestion.

“uhm… I was thinking… Refusing outright will only make matter worse and they obviously have quite the few tricks up their sleeves.”

“Tell me about it…” Ichiru trailed, looking away from his lover.

“So… I was thinking of getting some of our own.” Hanabusa chirped.

“How so?” Ichiru asked curiously.

“Well… They want an heir, right? Let them have one.” The vampire shrugged.

Ichiru pondered before his eyes narrowed on his lover, “Hana… I am not putting my nephew in the cross fire and Zero will never accept that his unborn son would become their center of attention, besides-“

“Wooah! Hold on there… who said anything about Zero’s child?”

They both blinked in confusion before Hanabusa smacked his own face, “Sorry… Now that I think about it, that was quite an ambiguous way to phrase it. What I meant was that you will have a child with that girl.”

“Hana!” Ichiru was about to bolt but Aido held him.

“By donating your sperm!” He rushed the words that made his lover halt, and look at him as if he grew another head, “Artificial insemination??? Ever heard of it?” Hanabusa waved a hand in front of his stunned lover, cautiously explaining his point.

Ichiru finally slapped the annoying hand away and gave the idea a serious contemplation, “I don’t like it. I am sure they won’t either. Their aim is to get me back and keep me so that I do not turn on them.” Ichiru pointed, “In addition to the heir. Besides, do you see me fathering a child and forgetting about them?”

Hanabusa flopped back on the pillow, hating the fact that Ichiru was right. His lover refused to give up on Keiichi when Zero wanted nothing to do with him, he could not imagine him keeping away from the life of his own child.

“Then I will wait for you…” He whispered.

“What?” Ichiru asked in a tone of disbelief, he had hard time understanding what his lover was saying even when he was obviously out of the drug effect.

“Just promise that you will come back to me.”

“Hana! What in the world, have you been spouting since the fucking morning? Are you really letting me go? Just like that? Did it ever occur to you that I might refuse the deal?” Ichiru was beyond furious.

“I would not allow you to refuse.” Hanabusa fixed him with a determined gaze, “because I do not want to see you crippled with guilt and remorse, convinced that whatever may happen to Ichijou would be your fault alone.”

The silverette clammed up; he had no words to say. Everything his lover spoke was on point. Ichiru would never forgive himself if Ichijou were to become a victim of his selfishness. However, he was still not ready to accept that it was the only way out.

“I had a plan B, actually.” Hanabusa spoke hesitantly.

“It seems like you did a lot of thinking last night.” Ichiru mumbled.

“Kind of…” Hanabusa shrugged, “I did expect you to want to be part of your child’s life. I honestly do not like picturing you together with that girl or anyone else for that matter.”

Ichiru could not help the small smile when his lover’s eyes glowed red for a moment, showing the extent of his jealousy, “That is why I suggested the artificial insemination. As for the problem of being part of your child’s life… Well… It is a bit of a stretch.”

“I am listening.” The younger twin was starting to find amusement in the situation.

“I was thinking of claiming your right for custody.” Aido spoke quickly to the point of making Ichiru blink a few times.

“You mean…” the human lover trailed.

“You do not get married to that girl of course. After the child is born, we would have finalized our marriage by the human laws. Automatically, we acquire the right for adoption. Since the mother will be technically a minor, that would be a big flaw in the eyes of the court and you can use it as an advantage to win full custody of your baby. That way, not only you do not have to separate from your child, but we get to raise him as ours.” The electric blue eyes were sparkling at the image of a family he was weaving in his mind.

“Hana…” Ichiru trailed.

“hmm?...”

“I am drowning financially just to open a new bar and will need a couple of years to restore my accounts to a stable state. You have been cutting down on your personal budget and putting it into your research budget because the raise you asked for did not come through yet. This condo sucked the life out of you to purchase because you did not want either your father or Kuran to pay for it. Can you tell me where are you planning to get the money for hiring lawyers that will go against a clan who not only know no boundaries to get what they want, they probably have millions lying around waiting for them to dangle and bribe the government itself with it. Trust me, if this child get conceived and is as magically charged as they claim they would be, there is no way the Kiryuu clan will give it up without a fight, a bloody fight that we can’t counter because of a fucking asylum.” Ichiru voice was dark and sinister, crushing every hope of the custody plan ever working.

Heavy silence surrounded them as Ichiru turned around and pulled the cover to sleep, or try to.

Hanabusa crossed his arm under his head on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. He was not mad nor disappointed, instead, his brain was working out other solutions knowing that Ichiru was probably doing the same.

One detail ticked him off all of sudden, “You know, Ichiru… As the heir to the clan, I can tap into our wealth if I had to. You know that right?”

Ichiru did not bother opening his eyes, “What wealth? A family of doctors that does not own a hospital or a tiny walk in clinic.” He teased in a joking tone. Chuckling when Aido spooned him again and hugged him in a suffocating squeeze.

“We do have plenty of assets.” Hana nibbled the now laughing silverette.

“Yeah! Wait for it… When the court ask for you to show them your financial resources, you father will bring the deeds to the villas and halls that he owns.”

“So?” Aido asked with confidence in their real estate fortune.

“They are all underground Hana… Believe it or not, humans do crave the sun.” Ichiru explained sarcastically.

“Oh~ right. I forgot!” Hanabusa all but smacked himself.

“Lack of sleep is making your brain shrink hubby. Get some rest…” Ichiru reached a hand back to stroke the golden hair blindly, a gesture that became natural over the years.

“Don’t wake up and leave me alone.” Aido yawned.

“I won’t.” Ichiru mumbled.

Half an hour later, Ichiru could feel the breath against his neck steadying. He carefully unlocked the strong arms and tiptoed to the living room. Flipping his laptop open, he started typing. It took him about an hour to finish what he had to do, satisfied, he stretched and tiptoed back into the bed and brought the loving arms around him. _It can be convenient when you have a heavy sleeper for a lover!_

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next day ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Zero waited in the lobby until his grandmother joined him, wearing a traditional Japanese kimono. He noticed that all her wardrobe consisted of such clothing each time he met her.

“I am surprised to see you coming here on your own.” She sat next to him, but Zero backed away subtly when she tried to place a hand on his knee.

“You should not be. Just like I know that you have an idea about what I want.” The hunter taunted with a fake smile.

“What might that be?” She gave him a small smile, “I believe that I told you about the purity being an important part of the deal.”

“Yeah… Yeah… However, you are forgetting something,” A gleam of mischief showed in his amethyst eyes, “Even before turning vampire, I have always been the stronger twin, and I am the rightful heir to the heritage. So~ I believe that you are making a huge mistake allowing someone like Ichiru to wield your magic when he can easily turn on you… Anytime.” The hunter explained.

His grandmother looked into his eyes, as if looking for something, “I thought you were quite tight together.”

“More like tolerating each other.” Zero rolled his eyes.

“Is that so?” She hummed, “What makes you think that I will believe that you will not turn against us either if we chose you?”

“So it is possible to choose me.” Zero smirked when he caught the slip.

The grandmother straightened softly and gave him a defeated smile, “Of course it is. You are both the precious children of my beloved son, and you are both of the coveted generation that is destined to take our clan to a whole new level of power.”

“What will it be then?” Zero inquired, already claiming victory when she started to have second thoughts.

“What about your partner?” She asked, “I seem to recall that you are living with your lover as well.”

Zero snorted, “A relationship that is a few months old is much easier to break than one of years. Besides, I am not into Gin as much as Ichiru is into Hanabusa. Another advantage as to why you should choose me instead. You will also not have to worry about the Aido clan coming after you in any way possible. Gin, on the other hand, does not really have the kind of drive to cause trouble when _threatened_ a bit.”

The grandmother all but laughed aloud, “Oh goodness! Here I thought that you were the softhearted one. I guess that I miscalculated.”

“And… What would be the rectification?” Zero asked expectantly.

“Lets see…” She pondered, “Well… It would make me look even more ridiculous if I were to force your succession upon our clan when they are already averse to having Ichiru as the heir, so here is what I suggest.”

“I am all ears.”

“We unleash both your powers. It can be done simultaneously. The members of our clan can sense your magical aura, so we will be able to determine the strongest out of the two pretty easily. If you are as strong as you claim to be, they will oversee the fact that your blood is tainted.” She leaned in to whisper the last words, “Besides, it is not like Ichiru has not been consuming vampire blood himself.”

Zero was a bit surprised that she would know about such an intimate detail but he did not bother looking into it.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The third day ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Takuma’s health was no getting any better, and Kaito was starting to lose his nerves because of the dragging.

A meeting was finally agreed upon for the twins’ power to be unlocked so that they determine the heir to the clan. Both parties were surprised and annoyed by the sudden change of conditions. However, the words of the grandmother and the leverage she held were too strong to deny.

They gathered at an old house by the outskirt of town where the Kiryuu woman waited for them.

“Okay then! Let’s get started.” She held a scroll and stood over the bed where Ichiru laid. The chanting conjured small beads of light that floated above the silverette before finally sinking in his body leading to his skin giving off an ethereal glow as he drifted off to sleep.

The same was done to Zero and she instructed to leave them alone until they woke up by themselves.

The Kiryuus left the room, leaving Yagari, Cross and Kaname alone with the sleeping twin.

“I don’t like this.” Yagari grunted.

“Neither do I.” Cross nodded

“Why did they decide to drag Zero into it as well? After she degraded him that much during that last visit?” the one eyed hunter stared at his disciple, worry obvious in his eye.

The young girl interrupted their conversation by bringing in a bunch of pillows.

“I am sorry to intrude.” She nodded and made her way inside. She adjusted one under Ichiru’s head and lifted his eyelid to check on the state of his iris. From his angle, Kaname’s eyes narrowed when he perceived a soft golden glow in Ichiru’s eyes, but he took it as a good sign when the girl’s face lit up in a shy smile. She continued putting pillows around the sleeping man.

She did the same with Zero, however, Kaname grabbed her wrist in time when she was about to tuck one by the hunter’s waist. “I will take care of it, it seemed quite hard to put one under Ichiru-kun, allow me.” He acted like a gentleman that she could not refuse.

Kaname did not see the point of the pillow in that place but he gently lifted Zero’s midsection and placed it, careful not to put too much pressure over his bump or the props that Zero wore to hide his pregnancy, making him look a little more buff than his brother. He could not help sliding his hand against the stomach of the sleeping hunter and take the chance to concentrate his senses while Cross and Yagari were busy talking.

*ba-thump*

*ba-thump*

*ba-thump*

His lips curled up in a tight smile, relieved that the muffled heartbeat was as strong as it should be. He could see Zero’s anxiety when they asked him to lie down while explaining how the ritual would go. The hunter wanted nothing more than to ask if it would harm his baby, but was unable to. Kaname made a point to monitor the child thanks to his acute hearing and intervene if anything were to go wrong.

_“Everything is all right in there,” He thought internally._

 They later understood the purpose of the pillows when the twins started jerking violently in all direction, hitting the soft cushions each time. Anyone who would try to calm them down would end up flying to the nearest wall by the protection field surging around them.

There was a few moments of panic, but the grandmother looked as calm and composed as ever. The young girl by her side only nodded with a reassuring smile when Kaname looked her in the eye. Hanabusa came in time with the ruckus and was lost as to what was happening. Luckily, the following explanation calmed his panicked mind.

“Their parents bound their power at a young age, the surge of the suppressed magic could manifest in various ways. We half expected them to destroy the room itself if it got out of control. The pillows she placed were dipped in relaxing scented oil that dried on them; they lessened the impact of their hits as well as the sudden surge of power.”

Her explanation was interrupted by a groan that Ichiru let out while getting up from his bed.

He rubbed the back of his head and rubbed his still closed eyes. Hanabusa was by his side in a heartbeat. The silverette clutched the arm of his lover and squinted to look at him.

“Woah! What the hell?” Aido tumbled back and almost fell on his behind from the shock.

“What?” Ichiru was confused by the reaction.

“Did anyone else see that just now?” The golden vampire looked around the room to see equally shocked expression.

“Yeah…” Cross whispered.

“What?!” Ichiru urged.

“Your eyes were glowing gold just now, like really glowing…” Hanabusa answered, barely believing his own words, “Not anymore though…”

All eyes landed on the old woman who kept observing the younger twin; there was a hint of amazement in her expression that she quickly hid when she became the center of attention.

“That is what happens when we are about to use our magic, just like vampire’s eyes turning crimson when they are about to use their power.” Her explanation was brief but effective.

“What about Nii-san?” Ichiru wondered, still not liking the idea of Zero going through such risky experience as well.

“Is it normal that he is not awake yet?” Cross shortened the distance to Zero’s bed.

The grandmother frowned at his question, “They should have woken up at the same time.” Her voice was uncharacteristically laced with worry as she approached the hunter in time with Yagari trying to wake him up.

“Oi… Zero… Wakeup… Zero!” He shook his shoulder, panicking when no answer came through.

He only stopped when Kaname squeezed his shoulder to get his attention, “Yagari-san, wait! Listen…”

The room quieted down and allowed the non-vampires to actually hear the soft breathing as well as the mumbling of the hunter, “Five more minutes… wanna… sleep s’more…”

Relief washed over them, but Yagari’s turned to anger instead as he clenched his fist and whacked the head of his disciple.

“Ngh… What was that for?” Zero jolted, nursing the non-existing bump on his head.

“For sleeping at times like this.” Toga barked the answer.

“I was not.” Zero denied.

Everyone noticed that his eyes were still the familiar amethyst color, assuming that the ritual did not work.

“You were…” Cross confirmed.

“Even snoring a bit.” The grandmother added, surprising everyone by her teasing smirk.

“I do not snore.” Zero growled at her, remembering what was going on before he passed out.

“You do.”

“Do not”

“You do.” She insisted.

“Uhm… Kiryuu-san…” Cross tried to come in-between to calm things between the two short tempered persons.

“I said, I DO NOT SNORE!” Zero’s scream made the frames hung on the wall rattle and fall and his eyes glowed a deeper yellow than Ichiru’s.

“Is that so? I guess I was wrong.” She shrugged.

“What?” The ex-human blinked in confusion, unaware of the changing of his eye’s color and how they changed back right after.

“Some manifest their power by the will of their mind,” She looked at Ichiru, “and some channel it through their emotions.” She looked at Zero.

“Seeing that the second case is quite fluctuant and needs more practice to control, I guess we are sticking with our first decision, that is to have Ichiru as the heir to our clan.” She announced the verdict despite the massive effort she exerted to hide her trembling when she came in contact with Zero’s aura.

Zero muttered profanities under his breath while getting up from his bed and putting on his shoes.

“Does this mean that you will show me how to save Ichijou?” Ichiru inquired.

“Certainly, after you sign an agreement that you will leave with us after you made sure that he is out of danger.” She smiled at the shocked expression.

“Leave?” Aido stepped in.

“You will be provided with blood from our clan to sustain you in exchange for giving up on him. We are not that heartless, after all.” She stated sarcastically.

“I am sure that it was not his point.” Cross interrupted the onslaught of the golden vampire, “I thought you sought asylum and went through all this trouble to come back to your old dwelling.”

“That is partly true. However, we are not planning on residing where we can be easily found just yet. Only when we are sure that no one will come after us, then we will go back to the mountain dwelling. Meanwhile, Ichiru will join us where we are hiding.”

The atmosphere suddenly turned tense, leaving everyone on edge all of a sudden.

“What if we refuse?” Zero asked through gritted teeth

“You may have reawakened your magic but do not think that it will give you an advantage over us when you do not even know how to use it. Which means that you will not be able to save your friend or find us to seek possible revenge. I would say that it is a losing choice that no one would advise you to make.” She sneered.

“Fine!” Ichiru’s voice surprised them, “I will do it.”

“What?” Aido shrieked.

“Well then, you will have to sign here.” She gave him a document.

“Ichiru, hold on a minute? Do you realize what you are doing?” Hanabusa held his wrist before he signed, eyes distraught and begging him to reconsider.

“Making the right choice.” Ichiru gave him a wistful smile and glanced at Kaname who immediately pulled his underling away and kept him from interfering.

The face of the old woman shone with glee when Ichiru finally scribbled on the paper. Having acquired the papers for the asylum earlier, her ambitions were about to come true in due time.

She turned back to face the rest of her guest, “I will kindly ask you to leave, except Ichiru because his training will begin right away so that he can save your sick friend in time.” She looked at the setting sun outside the window.

“I am not leaving without him.” Hanabusa seethed, looking at his lover who averted his enraged gaze, “Ichiru!” He tried reaching out but Kaname was easily holding him down with one grip over his arm.

“What if I wanted to join in the training?” Zero suggested, reluctant to leave his brother alone.

The grandmother gave him an undecipherable look before the young girl by her side spoke, “There should not be a problem. The only ones advised against practicing this particular spell or any spells for that matter are the huntresses carrying a child because it could put them in great danger as well as the life of their child.” she explained, “Some of us lose our ability to use our powers during such times.” She was looking away from the scrutinizing eye of her grandmother.

The old woman sighed and looked into the determined eyes of the silver hunter, “Seeing that you are one of us, there is no reason to deny you the privilege. However, you will have to wait for another time and allow Ichiru to teach you when he learns enough himself. I do not mean to be rude, but your control would be harder to master and you will be dragging him down when time is not really your best ally at the moment. Please understand…” She spoke calmly.

“Well… All other matters aside, I see no need for us to leave.” Yagari crossed his arms.

“You will leave.” She snapped at him, “We are about to divulge the heritage of our clan to the heir and no other prying eye should be around.”

“Oh please~” The one eyed hunter scoffed but stiffened when the woman started muttering something.

"By the power of the moon and the sun, as this night merge into the day, we break the spell, cast it away. Let the dream come to an end, let the unseen reveal itself."

Kaname, Aido, Zero, Cross and Yagari took few steps back when the room was suddenly filled with armed men pointing their swords and guns their way.

“That is a basic spell that we teach our children. You only need to have the Kiryuu blood running through your veins to perform it though.” She shrugged, amusement obvious in her voice. “Now… Shall we escort you out gently or resort to unnecessary violence.”

“Everyone, just leave… I will be fine.” Ichiru finally took Zero’s hand and squeezed it while guiding his brother out.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The fourth day ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

The tension in the room was extremely thick as the waiting game stretched.

Zero kept flipping his phone restlessly. Kaname contended himself with sipping on a glass of wine that Cross provided. Toga busied himself with work he brought from the association and Aido buried himself in his lab, telling them to contact him if there was any news.

They felt pity toward the noble who was cut off that abruptly by his lover. There was no worse way of breaking up than taking such one-sided decision like Ichiru did, and nobody could imagine the impact it had one the blue-eyed vampire. To make matter worse, he found his father waiting for them when he got back yesterday, eager to see his son in law because Ichiru was not answering his calls during the past week. Kaname cringed when he found himself to be the one explaining the situation to the doting father. He could see the fury blazing in his eyes when he realized how hurt his son was, but the older Aido surprised him by showing compassion for Ichiru.

The wise noble was currently sitting across the table facing the pureblood, mirroring his actions. Cross Kaien, fidgety as always, kept pacing around the living room.

“Sorry we are late!!” Three different voices resonated from the entrance, leading to all eyes directed that way.

“Did you come together?” Cross welcomed them.

“Nah~ Kind of bumped in each other at the gate.” Ichiru took off his sling bag and took a seat, feeling out of breath.

“Then? What do we have?” Yagari finally asked.

“We will start with Nao.” Zero pointed to the prefect pulling out his laptop.

The prefect stuttered a bit when all eyes landed on him, he knew that he would be in for a long tedious lecture for what he was about to show them, but he could not keep quiet knowing that it could be important.

“Actually… I have been into… gaming… online gaming… and other stuff lately… like… uhm…” He looked from one pair of scrutinizing eyes to another, starting to lose his wits.

“Hacking?” Zero caught the drift, and Kaito patted on his shoulder, “Don’t worry pal, we’ve all been there at some point.”

Relieved, the teen tapped an address and some code before turning the screen around for them to see, “I stumbled on this video in a section known as the underground of the internet… It is famous for being the cesspool of-“

“Of the worst cyber-criminals in the world.” Both Kaito and Zero finished his sentence, having dealt with it before in their lines of work.

“What are we about to watch?” Cross asked, impatiently waiting for the video to load.

Naoto bit his lips, “Something I wish I did not have to see, ever.”

“It better be good for dragging me out here.” Kaito grunted.

“I don’t think it would be… good.” Nao mumbled before hearing gasps that signaled the start of the video.

Kaito felt his heart stop when everything turned white in the screen and it showed his lover standing in the middle of what seemed like an illuminated cubicle.

Words started typing in the corner and disappearing right after.

The first section was.

:: “Name: Takuma Ichijou… Rank: B… Element: disintegration… bounty: 25k… requirement: Alive… request: Decapitation”  

They started having second thoughts about watching any longer.

:: “Start!”

They all but flinched when an ice disk flew and slashed the side of the noble vampire. Something that looked like an arrow scraped his face before an icicle stabbed his thigh.

There was a lot of blood, a lot of cutting. However, what puzzled the watchers who got over the first shock was that Takuma was not reacting.

His eyes were dull, merely looking at his injuries every time an object found his way inside or through his body. Someone seemed to be talking to him from time to time, Zero assumed that it was the ice wielder, since Takuma’s eyes will look as if staring at someone behind the camera.

“Why is he not moving, not attacking…? He is not restricted at all.” Kaito gritted, frustration getting the best of him.

“He might be drugged.” Ichiru pondered.

Kaname stared closer to the screen, “He seems… disoriented… but not drugged… that amount of pain would have sobered him up long ago.”

A sudden distortion of the screen interrupted their observation when Takuma was shown again, standing without restrain, in the same clothes but with no blood or injuries, as if someone pressed on the rewind.”

This time, the ice-wielder showed himself, visibly wiping the red liquid from his hands before tossing the tissue aside. The red dot stood out in the middle of the now pristine white cubicle, as if it was never smeared in the first place.

Kaname started reading his lips since no sound came through.

“Stretch your arm for me.”

They saw Takuma raising his arm sideway until his hand was at shoulder level with the vampire standing by his side. The ice-wielder conjured a sharp icicle and started dragging it slowly from the shoulder bone to the wrist, leaving a gashing wound on its trail while Takuma merely stared at it through hooded eyes.

“Such…” Kaname gulped and dug his fingers on the wood, “beautiful and healthy color your blood has. I wonder if I can make a beautiful canvas if I spilled some more.” The brown haired male was beyond incensed but worked hard not to blast the computer in front of him.

“I can’t watch anymore.” Kaito turned around.

It was gruesome, cruel and painful to watch, but the others forced themselves to continue until the end.

“Kaname-sama, if my knowledge is accurate enough. Weren’t the first vampires able to control various elements of nature?” The father of Hanabusa pointed. He did not have time to talk to Ichiru since they seemed absorbed with the video, so he opted to help them out instead.

“Yes. That is correct.” Kaname nodded, still watching as the hateful criminal slashed the arm of his best friend.

“Would they be able to numb the nerves of their victim?” The old noble suggested.

Kaname literally blinked few times, realizing how emotionally involved he had been that he missed that one point, “Actually… That is possible… Ichijou may have trained to fight mind control, but if his nervous system is specifically targeted.”

“That would make him unable to feel or react even if he wanted to.” Zero finished the idea.

“Like a stranger caged inside his own body.” Ichiru concluded, sending a shiver of terror through everyone.

“That is not the only thing happening.” Naoto turned the computer and pointed to the shadows, “Notice something?”

“They are shifting.” Zero answered.

“He said something about the light hurting his eyes, but he said that it was neon light.” Kaname was puzzled.

“No. It is sunlight, which is why it was hurting him.” Zero added.

“But, how come the other is fine.” Kaito finally joined them again.

“He is not.” Ichiru denied, “If you look carefully, he is not as relaxed as when we confronted him, his discomfort is obvious, especially here.” He paused at a specific position.

“Wait… go back there.” Kaito played back the video and played again and again until the patience of the others grew thin.

 “Kai-“ Zero was about to urge him but Kaito lifted a hand and stopped him.

“Wait, look carefully at the shadows.”

Everyone complied and numerous gasps entailed.

“Kaname-sama!” Aido’s father all but shrieked, “That last part!”

“… was certainly painful enough to jolt his senses.” Kaname pointed to the painful expression on Takuma’s face while the abductor was cutting his stomach open.

“But there was no wound or stab in that part of his body.” The old noble immediately took out his phone, “I think I know whom to call.”

“What is going on here?” Kaito wondered.

Ichiru gave him a victorious smirk, “He is about to be saved, that is what is happening.”

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The fifth day ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“I do not see the point of my being here neither my father’s.” Hanabusa grumbled, glancing discreetly at his lover who got out of the car to lead the group into the old house where his grandmother was waiting for him.

An upside smack over his head made him glare at his taller red-haired cousin who stood beside him, “If you did not sulk like a child and haul yourself in that lab of yours, I would have had the time to explain everything to you. I can’t believe that I had to cut my trip short just to drag you out of there. If not for my uncle, you would find yourself hanging from a tree with a blazing fire lit under you for as long as you try to freeze it.”

Aido had a positively frightened expression on his face, if anyone could manhandle him as well as Kaname did, it would Akatsuki Kain, the one who had to deal with him during the worst years of his rebellious youth, “You are angry.”

“Not really~” Kain pushed his hands in his pockets and gave his shorter cousin a smile that made his skin crawl in terror, “I am just thinking of what to tell Ruka when we miss our dinner date tonight, no~ thanks to you~”

“Forgive me” Aido clapped both hands over his head. His bitter mood made Akatsuki argue with him for over an hour before he finally snapped and threw him over his shoulder to leave.

“We will see about that.” Kain muttered as they entered the parlor.

“Welcome… I should assume that we are all here to celebrate the recovery of your friend. It is a shame that He could not be present himself.” The grandmother gestured with her hand to the open buffet she prepared, “as well as the welcoming of the rightful heir back to his loving family.” She hooked a hand around Ichiru’s arm. The gesture made many eyebrows twitch in disgust and irritation.

“I am afraid that I cannot let that happen.” Nagamichi Aido stated firmly, interrupting the gleeful announcement of the old woman.

The lady Kiryuu flicked him with a degrading look before speaking, “And who might you be?”

“Nagamichi Aido. The father of Hanabusa Aido. Ichiru-kun would be my son-in-law, though I prefer calling him my son instead and I am not about to stand here watching them part ways because of a deal that will benefit only you.” The noble lifted his chin and puffed his chest in an intimidating posture, unaware of the way his son was gaping at him from behind until Kain smacked the dropping jaw up back in place.

“Aha~” The grandmother nodded in understanding and inhaled sharply before answering, “I am afraid there is not much you can do. A deal was already agreed upon and dire consequences shall arise if anyone tries to break it.” She warned with a threatening undertone accentuated with a golden hue flickering in her eyes.

“Consider that deal void.” Another female voice resonated along with the tapping of a cane that followed. The guests shifted away to allow the Kiryuu grandmother to see who was addressing her.

Midori-sensei took a few steps and blatantly smacked the hand clutching Ichiru’s arm while nudging him away like a kid back to Zero’s side.

“How dare you?” The grandmother seethed when the cane blocked her way.

“I dare to do anything I want when a fraud claim to be the savior of my lord’s protégés.” Midori-sensei seethed back, allowing her eyes to morph red and her aura to darken, “Your deal is void because your witchy mojo did not save Ichijou Takuma, I did!” She tapped her cane on the floor, almost breaking the wood to silence the murmur that erupted.

“What nonsense are you talking about?” The huntress was peeved, “You bloodsucker would go to any lengths to keep hold on his power now that he unleashed it. This is all a ploy for your spoiled young master there to keep my grandson as his blood bank.” She looked at Ichiru in effort for him to side with her.

“My son may have been a playboy, and had little control over his bloodlust, but that was because humans offered it willingly.” Nagamichi started explaining, “I don’t find it weird since he is a natural charmer for you to think that he is playing around with your grandson. I think that might be because he grew up as the only son amongst three sisters-“

“ehem… Uncle-“

“Dad~” Aido whined “You are not helping much by saying that.”

The doting father caught himself blabbering thanks to Kain and Hanabusa’s nudge, “Uhm… What I meant to say is-“

“What he meant to say is” Midori took over the speech, “We are not low enough to claim merits for something that we did not do.”

 “Kiryuu-san!” Cross intervened when the host was about to lash out once again, “We figured out what plagued Ichijou-kun and removed the root cause of it without using any kind of magic or power, just pureblood and surgical intervention.”

**_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Flashback of the previous day_ **

 

They were lucky enough that Midori-sensei was in town and did not waste time to drive her to the Ichijou estate.

Kaname ordered the complete evacuation of the room leaving only Kaito, Ichiru, Zero, Nagamichi and Midori inside. Cross and Yagari stood guard outside the door.

In swift movements, the twins spread the sheets after Kaito helped Takuma out of his top garments and explained the procedure.

“Stop being difficult and drink.” Kaname ordered in a frustrated tone. Who knew that Takuma would be the hardest to tempt when it came to biting and drinking from the vein.

“Why do I need to? It is not like you are all so sure that he has control over me.” the sick blonde vampire pressed his lips stubbornly when Kaname squeezed his cheeks with his arm pressed against his mouth.

“Did you hear anything Takamiya-kun said?” Kaname whispered against his face, “The time lapse of the video, the way your injuries healed to be reopened again, it all points to fast healing. You and I both know that you are not one to heal fast because you never consumed fresh human blood in your entire life. Now, you tell me how you healed that fast from all those injuries that left no trace whatsoever?”

Takuma gulped and stared into the incensed eyes of his friend. 

Through puckered lips he asked, “Are you sure that nothing will entail from this bite?”

Kaname understood his worry, “As long as you do not desire for it to happen, my blood will only negate any hold that vampire might have had on you when he influenced you to bite him.”

The sight of Takuma’s fangs sinking in Kaname’s flesh sent a weird surge of anger inside Kaito that he had hard time suppressing even after looking away. The only comforting thought that soothed him was knowing that it will help save his lover, and that is all that mattered to him.

Takuma pulled away suddenly and pressed his temples, wincing.

“Did you feel a jolt going from the back of your head to the front?” Kaname held his wrist and waited for the nod that drew a smile on his lips, a smile of relief, “He was still controlling you, idiot! But not anymore…” He ruffled the fine hair of his friend; the tender gesture sent a warm feeling through everyone witnessing it, including Zero who found himself smiling at the action.

Ichiru had to nudge him so that he snaps from his trance, “You can gawk all you want later after we are done.” The younger twin teased.

“I was not gawking!” Zero shrieked, leading to everyone looking at him, including a surprised Kaname and Takuma.

“Daydreaming…” He explained sheepishly, “You guys were taking too long that I drifted to sleep.”

He was fully aware of how stupid he looked but he made a mental note to make his twin pay for it when all of this was over.

“Make sure to keep your eyes open for what is to come, we are shorthanded as it is.” The mother of his gynecologist grunted as she beckoned them to get in position.

Nagamichi injected the anesthetic and watched as Takuma counted down from ten. As soon as the patient was out cold, Midori-sensei proceeded with preparing the skin over his stomach for surgery.

“Nagamichi, are you sure you want to be around?” The woman asked.

“Hmmm?” The old Aido asked back, confused by the question itself.

“I am about to cut him open and look inside his stomach, you are aware of that, aren’t you?” She teased as the noble paled.

“Oh right! I think I will keep watch to help the others in case that problematic uncle swings by.” He all but bolted out, leaving the woman chuckling as she disinfected the skin.

“Like father, like son.” She muttered.

“Two peas in a pod I guess.” Kaname shrugged.

“Is he as squeamish as Hana with blood and organs?” Ichiru asked, amused by the idea.

“Those two may be outstanding scientists but they never qualified as doctors let alone surgeons.” Midori-sensei spoke fondly of the two.

Zero could not help but notice the familiarity she shared with the nobles and Kaname.

It was Kaito’s voice that interrupted the pleasant silence that followed,

“Wasn’t she the gynecologist that took care of Yuki during her pregnancy? Is it safe for her to be cutting him?”

Kaname had hard time keeping himself from laughing aloud when the doctor fixed Kaito with a murderous look.

“Takamiya-kun…” He tried explaining without them noticing the mirth in his voice, “Midori-sensei is old enough to have practiced any kind of medical specialty you can name from the top of your head. She is a walking medical encyclopedia. If anyone can ‘cut’ him without risking any spying activity on us, that would be her.”    

Kaito’s mouth shaped in an ‘o’, amazed by the bit of information before he dropped his second blunder of the day, “How old?”

Her brow twitched noticeably to the point that Ichiru and Zero feared for the safety of their friend, “Would it satisfy you to know that the late grandfather of Hanabusa Aido is actually my brother. That I have been the personal tutor of both Nagamichi and his son and that I pity Ichijou bocchan for having an insensitive lover like you to waste his time with?”

It was Kaito’s turn to twitch an annoyed eyebrow at the insult, but he was taken aback by the last bit.

She gave him a victorious laugh, “Worry about others finding out after you deal with the sparkly eyes you give each other constantly. You are lucky enough that his hyena of an uncle is dense when it comes to this kind of things. I will have your head if anymore grief were to befall this kid.” She spoke with a threatening but motherly tone as she held the scalped to make the first incision.

A little over an hour later, she stitched him up and they gathered to look into the white bead she extracted from his intestines. They tested the solution they brought on it and almost jumped in a happy dance when they got the reaction they needed.

  ** _∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ end of Flashback_**

 

“The cause of the hallucination that Ichijou-kun was seeing and would be seeing if not for Kuran’s intervention would be because of the powerful mental hold the blood of the culprit still had over him. As for the physical symptoms, they were caused by this.” Cross lifted the jar that made the eyes of the old woman widen in recognition, “This bead is made out of the concentrated extract of a certain plant. It was jellified to ensure that its effect would last long enough for you to strike your bargain. Meanwhile, a mole ensured the fluctuation of the effects by administrating the right doses of stimuli.” Having taken off his glasses, the ex-hunter gave her a threatening glare.

 

**_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Flashback after the bead was extracted_ **

 

“Does this mean that it’s over?” Kaito asked in disbelief. He was half expecting them not to find anything. He had hard time believing that the last wound, just before cutting off Takuma’s arm was meant to place a lethal object inside of him.

“We have to monitor him for few hours before celebrating.” The doctor advised with a smile on her face, “But I am positive that he is out of imminent danger for now.”

“All right!” Zero clapped, “Time for the next step of the plan.” Ichiru nodded while they hurried to clear the area of any surgical evidence that Midori-sensei tucked in her medical bag.

Zero opened the door and whispered to Yagari so that he calls for the medical team to enter.

Ichiru assessed all doctors and nurses present with a serious look that made some of them squirm, before he burst into a goofy laughter.

“Well… This is going to be quite embarrassing.” He sputtered.

“What seems to be the matter?” The stern doctor asked, pushing his fake glasses while going over to examine his patient, “Why is he unconscious?”

Ichiru blocked his way while acting all sheepish, “I might have tried something that backfired.”

“What?” The words elicited a lot of murmur around.

“That is why he called you in.” Zero snapped in a loud voice that shut them up.

Ichiru thanked him and turned to face the medical staff, “Okay… I know that this is not going according to the plan, but it seems that I need any extra help I could get for the ritual to succeed. Therefore, as grandma told me, I am reaching out to the people of my clan who were positioned here to ensure the success of the _plan._ The plan to _save_ my friend’s life” He talked in a cryptic voice and waited for anyone to come forward.

When no one reacted, he gave a quizzical look to his brother. Zero shrugged and looked away.

With puffed cheek he looked back and placed his hands over his hips, adapting an authoritative posture, “All I am saying is for those of the Kiryuu clan to step forward and perform their duty towards the rightful heir of their clan.” He all but growled the order, allowing his eyes to glow golden to show his power for their perceptive eyes.

The vampires backed away in fear and a couple of human nurses shrieked, but four other stepped forward and knelt at his feet. They looked up with eyes glowing a shade similar to Ichiru’s before they reverted back to the original color. Kaname dismissed the rest again, but followed them out along with Nagamichi, Midori and Kaito this time.

The woman and three men stood by Ichiru’s order and waited for his instruction as he paced the room. They watched as he untied his hair and looked at Takuma before fixing them with a hard look.

“Who was the one responsible for keeping his health going through that downfall?” He asked curiously.

The four looked at each other before the taller one spoke, “We took turn injecting him with the vial to keep the constipation as well as the bead from disintegrating fast.”

“I see…” Ichiru squinted his eyes as if trying to remember something, “She wanted me to praise the one keeping the communication secret and precise, but I cannot seem to remember the name… How embarrassing, it feels like it is at the tip of my tongue.”

“That would be me, my lord!” The woman chirped, “I have been responsible for bringing the medical supplies to be able to come and go as I please and inform the mistress of anything new. No praise is needed as I was performing my duty.”  She bowed deeply.

Ichiru smirked all of a sudden in time with Zero pulling out his gun, “Well… Here is the news guys! You just failed that fucked up duty of yours and you will be escorted as criminals to the association, that is your bloody praise!” The hunter found pleasure in announcing their demise.

Everything that followed happened suddenly and fast as a fight erupted and the four disguised nurses tried to attack the twins. Three went down with grave injuries but the woman managed to slip out and open the door to escape only to bump into Kaname who was blocking the exit.

Her eyes widened in horror when a wire slipped around her neck and intense heat seared against her skin. It was a horrifying sight to see her slowly getting beheaded by the thermos-cut wire that Ichiru squeezed around her neck. The strong smell of blood alerted the residents and the elder Ichijou came running only to wail like a woman when he saw the head rolling on the expensive carpet.

Kaname gave him an exasperated look, “We just disposed of the mole that threatened your nephew’s life.”

After calming down the crowd, Ichiru looked at his father in law.

“Father,” Ichiru felt awkward calling him that after almost breaking thing off with his son.

“Yes dear mischievous son of mine.” The lord Aido ruffled his loose hair with adoration despite the blood covering Ichiru’s hands. The action comforted the shaky silverette beyond limit.

“I need a small favor.” Ichiru asked shyly.

“Anything as long as it is not leaving the family.”

**_∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ end of Flashback_ **

 

 The old Kiryuu had a difficult time keeping a straight face with all the scrutinizing gaze seizing her after her conspiracy was exposed.

She let out a hilarious laughter, “Took you long enough to figure it out. It shows how limited your resources can be and how easy it was to breach your barriers as well as to shake the foundation of your trust in each other. Give me a break! You think you won? Who is the one holding the contracts binding all of you against harming us or going against our words?”

“Talking about this?” The grandmother was floored when she saw her young protégé holding up the contract stating the commitment of Ichiru as the heir.

“Silly child!” The mother grounded, “What do you think you are doing?” She could not believe her eyes.

“Oh! You are probably meaning to scold this one.” Ruka came in dragging a tied girl identical to the one handing the contract to Akatsuki.

“What? What?” The grandmother as well as all clansmen present were dumbfounded.

Ruka pushed the girl to the grandmother’s feet after removing the gag from her mouth, “Mistress! I am soo sorry, I don’t know what happened.” The young girl was terrorized to the point that Zero had to give a quizzical look in Ruka’s direction. An action mirrored by everyone from Cross campus.

Ruka shrugged, “I merely showed her a good dream where she brought the contract to her grandmother who would praise her for doing such a good job, and she did, didn’t she.” her voice dripped with mirth as she looked at the replica by Akatsuki’s side.

The air around her blurred and what came forth made the old woman drop her jaw as she recognized the aura of a pureblood, “Of course she did and she praised her more for allowing the borrowing of her appearance. Nice to meet you, Kiryuu-san! I am Yuki Kuran. Although I am not sure if this should be a greeting or a goodbye.”

“What is the meaning of this stupid masquerade?” The men of the family finally stepped forward, enraged from the sight of their head being humiliated beyond redemption.

“This is the meaning.” Kain shoved his hand forward and halted their footsteps when they saw the contract burst in flames, “Take another step and this shall be your fate.”

It took a while for the grandmother to regain her composure and have a witty retort, “Hmph! That would violate our asylum, who would be stupid enough to lay a finger on us.”

Kain quirked an amused eyebrow.

“You didn’t!” The grandmother turned around and walked quickly to the safe that she opened and sighed in relief when she saw the folder containing the documents still untouched. It was a careless mistake to leave Ichiru’s contract out in the open but she was glad that she kept the others locked up.

“Oh that is not the fun part.” The fire wielder snapped her attention back to him, “I was the one who wrote those contracts and I may have mistakenly used a special kind of ink.”

The woman was confused, so she pulled out the documents and checked them only for her head to pound because of the rising blood pressure, threatening to pop a vein.

“What kind of Ink?” Ichiru asked curiously, as he was not aware of that part of the plan.

“Fading ink.” Akatsuki smirked victoriously. “Extra measures since we could not possibly falsify the stamps. The blood was red fading ink as well, which leaves her with a blank sheet.”

“Nifty!” the younger twin whistled amazed by the craftiness of the lawyer.

“I could say the same about you.” Akatsuki pointed to the ashes in his palm, “Improvising with a fake signature on the contract that they wrote. Quite the smart move in case we failed to retrieve it.”

They both laughed, oblivious to the ruckus that the enraged head of the Kiryuu was throwing.

“You insolent fools! You think you can walk out just like that after humiliating us?” She howled, while all her people prepared their weapons.

“Zero.” Yagari tapped on Zero’s shoulder after checking the sky through the window.

Right on cue, Zero chanted the spell to dispel the illusion they casted before coming.

Kaname stepped forward, “I would advise you to put down your weapons because we are not here to hurt anyone today.” He spoke with a low threatening tone, “However, if you insist on starting a fight, take a moment to weight your options.”

The grandmother gritted her teeth and gestured for her underling to drop their weapons.

Kaname nodded, “Wise choice. I assume that you can sense that this house is completely surrounded with no escape route. The auras of dozen vampires from noble class and up as well as hunters with weapons ready to fire. Deciding to withdraw from such losing battle is certainly a wise choice.”

“I could not agree more.” Nagamichi stepped up by Kaname’s side, “Now, you do not have to worry about threats whatsoever.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” The old woman snorted.

“What I mean,” The noble spoke a tone darker, “We will not threaten to kill every last one of you,” it grew menacing, “Neither chase after you as you run for your lives. Do you know why?”

“Why?” She stuttered, starting to fear for her life.

Nagamichi gave her a sinister smile, “Because my _sons_ happen to dislike it when I interfere in their personal matters more than needed.”

Kaname held back a snort as he pulled a paper from his pocket that he gave to Yagari.

The one eyed hunter pulled one of his own before spreading them on the table, “These are the actual asylums granted by the vampire and hunter societies. You can take them and disappear from our sight once and for all.”

Every individual of the Kiryuu-clan blinked a couple of times in confusion.

The grandmother clutched the papers and read them, disbelief written all over her face when everything turned out to be true.

“What is this part about internal conflict being the exception?” She asked, noticing the additional clause that did not exist in the previous one.

Ichiru was the one to answer her with an ice ball that he kicked her way. He snapped the string between his fingers when she finally saw the head of the mole she sent in the Ichijou estate caged in ice. “It means that this will be the fate of anyone trying to harm those dear to us like you did with Ichijou-san. I have no qualm eradicating every last one of you next time you pull a dirty stunt like this.”

He turned around to leave but halted midway along with the others, “Oh right! I expect every scroll, grimoire and reference to be sent my way by next week. If I suspect that you are still hiding something, I can always hunt you down wherever you hide. Just so you know… I am well aware that you came back from a small village located in Eastern Europe.”

His grandmother stiffened at the revelation of one secret hideout they used, “I also know that your current hideout is exactly a fifty nine miles south from here, the area is populated by a Yakuza group that I am well acquainted with. You can say that the head is an old friend of mine that I still share a few drinks with. I will also figure out your next location in no time in case you thought of escaping.”

They paled when faced with his accurate information and his menacing tone. “The main point is that I want nothing to do with any of you. As long as you give up what I need and stay out of my business, Zero and I will not bother coming after you anytime soon.”

They flinched when Zero locked the safety of his gun again before tucking it in his pants, “I am hungry…” The silver hunter yawned and stretched while leaving the house towards the car.

The old woman finally fell on shaky legs to the floor when the house was vacated of any stranger. The mother of the young protégé rushed to her side, “Are you alright?”

She found herself thrown away with sheer force, “Am I alright?” The old woman stood on her feet, “With everything falling through, you are asking me if I was alright?” She heaved while using the table for support.

She looked at the open door where only the dust of the leaving cars remained, “I will be alright after I am done with those insolent fools?” She yelled on top of her lungs, rattling everything in the house.

Her underlings shared worried glances with each other, deciding to tiptoe around the sore loser for a while.  

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Cross campus, Ichiru and Hanabusa’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Ichiru came out of the bathroom, peeking at his lover who was sitting on the couch of their living room.

“Hana~”

“…”

“Honey~”

“…”

“Cutie pie~”

He could see Aido’s nose crinkling but the stubborn vampire would not budge.

“Come on~ How long are you going to sulk.” He sauntered and flopped by his side on the couch, tilting his head in effort to face the vampire who was doing his best avoiding his gaze.

“Until you come clean.” Hanabusa muttered.

Ichiru huffed; “So much for celebrating the small victory.” he grabbed a pillow on his lap.

“…”

“Fine!” The silver lover conceded, “What is it that you want to know?”

“Who did you conjure your plan with?”

“Zero and Kuran.”

Hanabusa suspected as much, “What was it about?”

“Tricking the trickster.” Ichiru stated flatly.

“Hah?”

Inhaling sharply, the younger male aimed for a fast, short and concise explanation, “After the stunt of the Aconite thing, we figured that she was aiming to trick us into reaching something. We were not absolutely sure of her true motive so we decided to play along while waiting for her to make a mistake. All while tricking her into believing that she was succeeding. We were going with the plan of the fake contracts to avoid the problem of the asylum, as unethical as it may have sounded. However, things spiraled out of control when she made me sign the commitment. Luckily, the discovery that Nao-kun came out with gave us the much needed breakthrough.”

Hanabusa mumbled the last question, “When did everyone get involved.”

Ichiru chuckled, “When you were sulking like a child in your lab. Since day one, Zero and Kuran practiced the illusion spell on larger scale, especially when she displayed it herself that day. That is how Ruka and Yuki snuck into the house, the night Takuma recovered from surgery, and retrieved the contract that I signed. We worked separately until the fifth day where everyone combined their tasks. Zero and I camouflaged the small army stationed outside since early morning, the day to night and night to day thingy. The climax is what you witnessed earlier. Pretty good job, wouldn’t you say so?”

“I would have liked it better if I was not under the impression that you tossed me aside.” Hanabusa dropped his head into the crook of Ichiru’s neck.

“Oh~ poor baby! Were you sad?” Ichiru cooed while ruffling the golden locks, it hurt him just as much to make his lover endure such harsh treatment, but tricking your allies would be the first step to trick your enemy and for the plan to succeed.

“I was, very…” Hanabusa whined, pushing Ichiru into the couch like a moping puppy.

“hmmm… Well… I just drew a bubble bath,” Ichiru pushed him off with difficulty and stood to walk toward the bathroom while Hanabusa watched his every move, “How about you come take your revenge by doing whatever you fantasized about all these years.”

Electric blue eyes widened, “What- are you… now way!”

Ichiru faced him, walking backward while unbuttoning his shirt to let it slide over his shoulder, allowing his lover the luscious sight of his pale supple skin and perky nipples “I just happen to be in the perfect mood for a make out session in a bathtub.” Ichiru bit his lips, suppressing a laugh at the almost drooling expression of his lover as Hanabusa gulped.

“But… but… We never agreed on a temperature and you always complained about… how… how dangerous it was to do it in the wet space.” Hanabusa all but pinched himself to check if he was dreaming.

“Hmm? Did I say such a thing?” Ichiru acted innocent all while stripping slowly, “I don’t remember… Why would I go through the embarrassment of buying the appropriate lube for the occasion then?” He tilted his head before bending seductively to pull down his pants and jump out of them to hide behind the bathroom door.

It was at that moment that Hanabusa threw caution to the wind and ran after his lover, forgetting all about sulking and getting angry with him in favor of grabbing the cute bottom that disappeared behind the annoying walls. He gasped when He found his lover naked and about to go into the tub. He took off his clothes in a frenzy and jumped in with a big splash.

“Hot!” He screamed as his skin turned pink.

“Warm for me.” Ichiru gave him a tongue out before Hanabusa pushed him back against the tub to cover him with his own body and claim the naughty lip and tongue that escaped inside, “Where was that item you purchased for the occasion?” Hanabusa asked in between the kisses.

Ichiru stretched a hand and picked a transparent bottle that he handed to his lover while Hanabusa parted his legs and placed butterfly kisses on his neck down to his collarbone.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Back to the present time ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

They slept tangled in each other, without bothering to wipe the trace of tears covering their faces. Despite everything that happened and how well it ended. Ichiru and Hanabusa felt like their bond underwent a harsh test that made them stronger for sure, but frightened them to no end nonetheless.

Meanwhile, in Cross’ house, Kaname sat across from the silver hunter who was having a late night snack.

“I don’t really like it when you stare like that.” Zero complained.

“You were not joking about being hungry earlier.” Kaname teased the flustered hunter who shoved yet another sandwich that Kaname wondered if the combination inside it was even edible.

“I was literally starving.” Zero complained.

“What do you think?” Kaname asked suddenly.

“About the food?” Zero verified.

“No, the earlier debriefing.” Kaname clarified.

“Annoying as hell. The thought of that bastard alive and running loose seems like it will give me trouble sleeping.” Zero grunted at the mention of the ice-wielder. They worried that he was still alive since his hold on Takuma was not broken until Kaname’s blood negated it.

“Do you mean that it will make you sleep more?” Kaname teased again.

“How did you reach that stupid conclusion?” Zero huffed.

“You seem to sleep more when under stress.”

“do not!”

“do too”

“do not”

“You do”

“do not”

“We can go at it the whole night.” Kaname warned,

“That should be my line,” Zero challenged with a fierce bite of his alien sandwich to emphasize his point, making the pureblood chuckle uncontrollably.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

**I hope that you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. The next update will be after I post a pending chapter for another story, but it will not be for long :)**

**As promised, I will be putting reminders of important clues at the end of certain chapters that will help refresh your memory, I hope that you find them helpful.**

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ _Reminder of the day_ ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

**About First-borns:**

They will be known as the first vampires later in the story. The purebloods are actually the vampires from the second generation onwards.

The ancestor of purebloods and of all vampires for that matter are known as the first-borns. A handful of them existed ten thousands years ago (Kaname’s first memory after the apocalypse).

The bite of a firstborn can turn a human into a vampire and after providing their blood; the vampire becomes a stable level C immediately without the risk of falling ever. That is how they formed their army.

The descendant of a firstborn and level C resulted is the noble class of level B.

They have an immense amount of powers that allows them to control various species.

The major difference between a firstborn and a pureblood is that, if a human ingested the blood of a firstborn, there was a chance for them to acquire the powers to fight vampires, thus becoming a hunter if they did not perish.

However, if a human were to ingest the blood of a pureblood, they have no chance of becoming a hunter.

Ten thousand years ago, few problematic firstborns rose for supremacy aiming to make humans their slaves and rule the world. Other pacific firstborns did not agree with it and sided with the humans, the first parent (hooded woman) was the prime example of them. It took around three thousand years of discontinued battles to eliminate the problematic firstborns. Some of the pacifists perished during battles, others could not handle the repetitive bloodbaths and decided to go into slumber escaping everything…

The hunters and purebloods joined hands once again to eliminate the slumbering firstborns as well. Even those who helped saving them previously because they were scared they might awaken and become power hungry like their vicious kin… However, they seem to have missed some of them while thinking that they eradicated everyone.

A fellow firstborn can kill another by taking his heart out or cutting off his head, which is the same between purebloods. However, if hunters wished to take one down, they have the only option to rely on one weapon that should be wielded by a descendant of an old bloodline that possessed powers that can subdue the strongest vampires ages ago.  The weapon and the  bloodline is still unknown because Kaname does not remember accurately.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ the end for the r _eminder of the day_ ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

  

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See ya next chapter
> 
> Love ya all!!!


	55. Chapter 55

**Gosh! You cannot imagine the pain I went through to get this chapter out! T_T (tears of happiness seeing it finally posted)**

**Before I forget, I set up a facebook page where I will start posting all stuff I am writing and planning to write as well as sharing stories that I read and liked, etc… It would be a good way for me to let you know that I am alive in case I took too long to update.**

**You can find me by my name : belle sapphire and profile pic of Zero wearing glasses. (cover pic is of Kuroko no basuke)**

**The page name is: fanfiction – bluesapphire24.**

**It is not much like the other chapters, but I hope you enjoy the read nonetheless XD**

**See ya later!**

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

Inside a lush forest on the border of the city, a group of people walked slowly, trekking through the narrow path. Many grumbled about the steep route they had to take to reach the hideout but never dared protesting aloud. After all, they have been running for so long to have that kind of will or energy, especially after seeing their kin slaughtered whenever they tried to walk into the light.

It was unfair for the youngsters to suffer the sins of their predecessors and shoulder their crimes, but the breakthrough they hoped for failed miserably and they found themselves back to square one.

At the front of the line, the old Kiryuu walked briskly in her Kimono, keeping her back straight despite her old age. Next to her walked the young girl with her mother behind her. On the other side walked a tall and bulky man acting as her bodyguard at times, knowing fully how capable she was without his assistance. His primary role was that of a consultant of course.

“Leader,” He whispered, noticing that the young girl could hear him but paid it no mind.

“What?” She hissed, not bothering to look at him.

“Your people are getting restless.”

“They will quiet down soon.”

“I do not think that this will be as easy as before.” He explained hesitantly.

“They have nothing to complain about. We acquired something valuable out of the ordeal, despite it being less than what we bargained for.” She snapped, raising her voice at the beginning to warn whoever wished to contradict her words.

“However… Our plan.”

“What? You think it failed?” She whispered with a mocking tone laced in her voice.

“It did not?” He blinked.

“Oh please…” She scoffed, “if nothing else, we are on our way to a certain victory. I never expected the wonderful surprise that welcomed me.”

“I am afraid you lost me there.” The man leaned a bit, as if to hear her better.

“It is because you are too blind to see.” She mocked again, “The chosen one was already conceived and growing inside a powerful womb as we speak. Not only that, he will have his power at birth like any other Kiryuu…”

The young girl paled. She was quick to understand the reason for which she was told to mention the danger of using witchcraft while carrying a child despite talking to two males. _The rumors are true!_

The man all but halted at the incredulous announcement. They reached the clearing by which the dwelling resided. She took a seat on a polished rock while the others proceeded to place the heavy luggage inside.

She looked at her aghast and veiny hand, narrowing her eyes on it before her lips curled up in an unsettling smile. It has been two days since they left Cross city after the fall out. They moved around hotels and different locations in case Ichiru was bluffing about knowing about their secret dwelling. She had no intention of providing him with any grimoire as long as she could. _Who is crazy enough to offer the hanging rope in the hand of the enemy?_

“Leader? What do you mean by saying that it is already conceived?”

She remembered what she was about to explain, “Standing by my side, you are a fool not to have noticed the overprotectiveness they all displayed toward the tainted twin.”

The man narrowed his eyes, not seeing the meaning of the words.

“For the chosen one to be conceived, a certain set of condition have to be present in its fated carrier. They have to be powerful of course, and descendant of certain bloodlines. However, purity is merely a hoax. As long as the right bloodlines merged in the favorable condition, it can be anyone. However, the determining factor is that only one carrier can exist at a time. If one is found, and impregnated on such a night, there will be no denying the fate dictated by the prophecy.” She explained with confidence, looking up at the bright full moon shining above.

The eyes of the taller man widened, oblivious to the shuffling of the people around, “Are you saying that…”

“I suspected that he is the carrier based on the rumors saying that he has attributes of both genders, a unique and powerful specimen. However, Kiryuu Zero is a skeptical person who is hard to approach. That is the reason we had to lay with the devil in order to get on his good side. Too bad that sort of backfired on us.” She shrugged.

“You mean to say that Ichiru was not your target?”

She shook her head, “That one was merely a tool towards a purpose. If Zero has one undeniable weakness, it would be his twin. They take after their parents with their blind care for their families. Having Ichiru back in the clan will force Zero to acknowledge us eventually. Having Ichiru sire a child would bind him and thus pull Zero to us naturally.” She gave a vile smile at the devious idea

“How would that help? It would probably put us in more risk seeing what we are aiming to do to his child.”

A glint of irritation shone in her eyes, “Hmmm? Well, we can always blame that on their natural enemies, two birds with one stone.”

The man sighed, shivering from how morbid and heartless this woman can be.

A detail popped in his head, “How did you know that he conceived?”

She explained the conversation about the use of magic and noticed the reaction of Zero when she mentioned how powerful the child would be. “Moreover, a powerful hunter like that would not allow himself to grow so out of shape. Besides, it is hard to believe that a vampire that young would start developing a beer belly.” She joked, reminding him of the loose clothing and the slight overweight on the hunter when he laid on the bed. “It is disgusting to see that even the pureblood is helping conceal the truth, like how he prevented her from placing the cushion under his midsection, and how he gazed at his abdomen while the ritual was performing, obviously monitoring the health of the unborn child.”

She marveled in her thoughts aloud. “*sigh*, if only they were not that stubborn. Ichiru would have been the bridge to get to him. We would welcome him into our coven along with his child. Once the child’s power manifest, in a couple of years, all that is left for me is to cut his chest open and devour his heart,” she stared at the blue vein, “the transformation would be complete and revenge would not be a dream anymore. Nonetheless, our glory will be brought back with these two hands in due time.”

The man shivered in horror and excitement all the same, “Is there a chance to still achieve this plan regardless?”

“Of course… We just need to keep pestering them.” She laughed hysterically, “Luckily, we are not the only one out for blood.”

The young girl clutched the bag she was holding, her face contorting in anger and frustration. She jolted when feeling a hand squeezing her trembling shoulder and glanced to see the worried face of her mother. They both abhorred their leader and her way of doing things. They both wanted nothing more than to be free of her, but she had too many loyal followers blinded by rage and revenge that they fail to see who could be their true savior.

Dipping in the dark magic was never a solution and the clan’s history is the best proof of that. The seer, as they called the little girl who can predict the future, already saw the end of the old woman as soon as she started pursuing the twins. She did not bother telling her because she wanted her dead. However, she now started to wonder if she should have told her just so that she would give up trying to hurt the two men that the girl grew mysteriously fond of.

She lived with the clan for as long as she remembers, she could distinguish the auras easily thanks to her foreseeing eyes, that is why she felt blinded by the pure light emanating from the silver twins. After awakening, Ichiru’s aura was pure gold, a soothing light that seems to cleanse your soul just by looking at it. Zero however, was that of a blinding light as if descending from the heavens to strike the darkness away. Never in her life did she expect to witness such a sight. Their auras were beguiling, imposing respect and reverence, auras of true leaders with caring hearts.

Her eyes drifted to the murky aura surrounding the old woman currently devising her next horrendous plan and sighed. _Can someone just stop her!_

The girl never thought that her prayer would be answered sooner than later.

The old Kiryuu moved again, standing to head for her sleeping quarter. She beckoned the young girl and her mother whose roles were catering to her personal needs.

The dwelling consisted of an imposing house built out of wood standing atop of a small hill and hidden by the large trees surrounding it. The women and the bodyguard were almost by the patio when a familiar humming sound reached their ears.

Every single person, outside the house and inside of it, froze and paled in pure terror at the ominous melody. Saying that they were familiar with it was an understatement.

It was the very trigger of the trauma that they will never shake off. Every time they believed they were finally reaching peace and quiet, it will come to shake that foundation and remind them that they were nothing but fugitives, chased by an enemy forever lurking in the shadows.

“I guess we made a little too much of an uproar…” The eyebrow of the leader twitched in irritation as the grip over a cane she held tightened.

“There is no time for counter measure! What shall we do?” The bodyguard started to panic, his head snapping in all direction expecting them to emerge out of nowhere.

“There is nothing to do but to fight of course,” she stated flatly.

Years of experience in this mouse and cat chase taught them to move instinctively. Women and children scurried in a corner of the house, forming a protective circle in hope to remain alive. The strongest fighters surrounded the leader and the foot soldiers took the frontal line of the defense circle. Each of them cocked their weapon, eyes glowing golden and ready to launch.

Their heart rate soared when the air shimmered and the vile creatures they called enemies showed themselves.

There was merely nine of them, standing in a perfect line and keeping the exact same space between each other. They were barehanded, only animalistic claws adorning their slightly hairy hands. Hands that are the only part visible out of their whole bodies covered in their black attires. The hoods of their tops gave them a look of ghosts, as if there was no face to be seen. Only when they raise their head could their prey notice the mask they later realized was made of white metal covering their identity. A mask bearing the mark of their organization, Valley of Darkness. The body of a snake coiling and ending with the head of a dragon traced the white surface and sent terror in whoever came across it.

The one in the middle raised his head first, jolting the soldier close to him who looked like a little kid compared to his imposing build when he took a step closer.

“I believe that we paid our dues after the last massacre?” The grandmother spat, “Seeing you after so long makes me believe that you are only doing it for the pleasure of killing us now.”

She received no answer. It was always the same, no answer was given, frustration builds up and her clansmen end up making the first move to attack. However, this time will be different, she will get to the bottom of it.

“The one hiring you died a long while ago. We acquired asylum and left no reason for anyone to come after us. I do not see who would employ a bunch of mercenaries to come after us again.” She highly doubted that Ichiru would have any ties with them. No matter how large of an influence one gets in the underground network, this particular organization is the nastiest and the most elusive to pinpoint out of all of them. They only managed to catch the tail of the lizard and the repercussion taught them never ever to look for their lair.

The complete silence grated on their nerves. The hot blooded youngsters, fed up with these killers could not take it anymore. They trained days and nights for this moment, to kill them all, these dwellers, vampires and hunters all the same. They were filled with the rage of being constantly undermined when they were once the apex predators ruling everything.

Leader’s commands be damned, they wanted to start their revenge, they were thirsty for blood and the little number of their enemy encouraged the adrenaline rush. The first launched on the one seemingly being the leader. The swing of his sword was dodged with a minimum swift movement, sending him tumbling down the dirt.

Another feisty wizard crossed his two hands and inhaled to breath out fire, intending to burn the unfazed man. His jaw slackened when he saw his fire twirling into a ball around the enemy and vanishing without leaving a scratch.

The sight alarmed their leader and she shouted at them to stop when realizing whom they were dealing with, but it was too late, the hot-blooded men lunged their attack and the remaining eight dwellers responded. The two leader stood in front of each other while their subordinates killed each other.

In the end, the eight masked dwellers joined the side of their leaders leaving heaps of bodies scattered at the feet of the Kiryuu head.

She issued an order for the women fighter to come out. Another wave made itself known and they prepared to attack but the leader of the masked enemy raised his hand, stopping his men.

“You asked for a reason.” The muffled masculine voice was void of emotions.

“Yes.” The old woman confirmed.

“You made a pact with the wrong person.”

Her eyes widened at the realization. She never expected them to catch wind of it.

“What does it matter to you?” She scoffed.

“Everything.” He stated flatly

“You will be standing in my way for too long then.” She stated the obvious.

“As long as it takes.”

“Well then, I guess I will have to finish what my men started.” She growled, her muscle rippling from her hands up to her face as her eyes glowed fiercely before turning into narrow slits. Her mouth morphed into salivating beastly sight with growing canines and snarling nostrils, her hands grew claws, long and sharp and her back arched in a posture of predatory attack as her size increased twice.

The sight did not seem to faze the enemy as much as her own people, at least from what their body language could tell.

“Making a pact with the devil, tapping into the forbidden magic, to what end will you go for your foolish resolve.” The mockery in his tone escaped no one. He slowly removed the gloves and surprised them by showing normal human hands, unlike the others.

“Shut UP!” She let out a beastly growl and lunged at him. He dodged her attack with ease and equal speed, never striking back.

Their dance from hell lasted too long for the spectator’s liking. The seer, being out with the other could see her loss at the hand of this unknown man, barely keeping her lips from curling up into a delighted smile.

Her heart jumped at times when the nasty claws would catch some of the black fabric, but grew relieved when no blood was shed.

Minutes later, the hideous form of the Kiryuu leader was panting and growling from exhausting, glaring at the man who never broke a sweat through the whole ordeal.

Her eyes narrowed when she caught a tattoo under the tattered clothes.

Her beastly voice scratched at the ears when she talked, “So you are the one… The one they call the-“

Her words were cut off with a barrel against her head.

“I guess whoever called you was aware of my movement as well, wanting us to meet.” Yagari Toga huffed while keeping his shot gun at the thing that made his nose crinkle in disgust.

“I cannot say that I am surprised.” The masked man stated, “After all, we are not the one tasked with finishing this off.” He shrugged.

“aaaah…” The one eyed hunter had a solemn look on his face…” ….Just like this barrel ended his life, it was destined to end the form of madness he warned me about.” He explained while remembering the words written in the scroll that his master handed him before that fateful night. _The men of the Kiryuus are hunters, predators and soldiers… Their women, however, are the leaders, masterminds, and puppeteer…  Once the seed of madness reaches one, they are nothing but a rabid dog waiting to be put down._

At first, Yagari thought that his master referred to Sakura because of her dangerously high intellect and incredulously genius plans when it comes to fighting strategies. However, the second meeting with the grandmother made him realize that he had it all wrong. Pact and treaty be damned when this vile creature is threatening his beloved sons, he would gladly die if it meant to ensure that the twins and Kaito would not have to deal with these people ever again.

“You…” The beast snarled at him, glancing back to dispose of him despite the exhaustion.

*bang*

It was fast, brief and almost unreal, the way her body fell to the ground and dissolved in a disgustingly murky black substance absorbed by the soil.

Without wasting a moment, Toga pointed his gun to the masked man standing not far from him.

There was a moment of still silence. They were both assessing the situation from their own perspective.

“I am not interested in fighting you unless you intend to harm those I side with.” Yagari declared his conditions.

“None of them is on my list.” The masked dweller reassured.

“What about these.” Yagari swiped the remaining men of the Kiryuu clan who held their weapons despite being gravely injured.

“I believe that you have no intention of getting in our way either.” The masked man stated with a traces of mirth in his voice.

Toga huffed and tapped his gun over his own shoulder before turning on his heels. He left without saying any other word, a silent agreement to treat this as if it never happened. The one eyed hunter knew that there would be no one left to tell about the breach of contract he committed, but could not feel happy about it.

 Indeed, the carnage was unsightly, the place turned in a butchery where only women and children were spared with the promise of never uttering a word about this in exchange of leaving some of the men barely alive. They were given a destination to reach in a matter of days if they wished to live and no one objected.

The seer, being one of the fighter needed to die. Her mother jumped between her and the leader who approached her.

“It is okay mother… He will not kill me.” She stated confidently, looking at the warm aura emanating from the bloodied man. Mysterious as it was, she felt no hostility in him.

“What makes you so sure?” He asked.

She took few steps closer and reached out her hands as he leaned down to compensate their difference in height. Her delicate fingers held the mask and tugged at it after making sure that no one other than her mother was looking.

Their eyes met and both smiled at each other in acknowledgment, “Because you know what I am and because of that alone, you will never hurt me or my mother despite our allegiance.” She gave him an innocent but mischievous look.

He gave her a breathy chuckle while patting her head and taking the mask back. “Dealing with seers can be cumbersome, but you are quite the interesting one, Aya…”

The girl startled and looked at him with wide eyes… Eyes that soon watered with unshed tear of happiness. She caught herself in time to prevent them from falling, looking away in embarrassment. How long has it been since anyone called her name? Hearing it now in that tender tone somehow reminded her of her kind-hearted father who left a little too soon. Even her mother did not have the habit to call her name at all. The clan only referred to her as the seer, and nothing else. She was starting to forget her given name with time.

She watched his broad back growing far away in the distance before shimmering away just like the way they appeared. She bowed slightly and uttered a choked ‘thank you’.

Some of the Kiryuu clan were relieved, but most were panicked, enraged, grieving and the chaos was only beginning.

Aya looked around, her heart going to those who just lost a loved one. However she stiffened when someone emerged from the darkness of the lush forest, the moonlight and fire posts reflected his ethereal appearance and sent pure terror through the young girl’s heart.

She simply muttered, “vampire” and all those around her looked in the direction her eyes fixated.

“My… My… My…” Icy eyes, untamed hair and immaculate appearance, “Such a heartwarming scene is more than what I expected as a welcome.” He eyed the dead bodies, the injured and the wailing children.

“Did I ever express how deranging your perspective can be… Sir?” A light haired woman held a napkin to her nose while walking with him.

“You are not capable of seeing the beauty of this sight… a pity.” He answered her, “Then again… You were a pet to these people for far too long…”

The sarcasm did not escape Lady Hanadagi. Her face twitched in irritation but kept her temper in check.

“What are you doing here, vampires?” A man stood, despite his dislocated shoulder and faced them with glowing golden eyes.

The sight did not faze the two vampires standing not far from him.

“Collecting a debt.” He deadpanned, leaving confused stares at his trail.

Lady Hanadagi noticed how clueless they were and looked at the ice wielder, “I don’t think she told anyone. This is why I wanted to intervene.”

The blue eyed vampire hummed while rubbing his chin, “This is troubling… Why? Why did I have to associate with a dirt-bag from the clan of sinners knowing full well that nothing good would come out of it. Spoilsport!” He whined like a kid.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” The man seethed at being treated like a bug

“The head…” A chocked sound came from the bodyguard who was about to puff his last breathes, “made a pact… *cough* *cough* with him.” he pointed his shaky finger to the male vampire, stunning every single one of his clan.

“What?” Aya’s mother was shocked but her daughter was unfazed.

“And she did not bother seeing it through… Seriously~ gloating about her plan being a success and planning to win all she wanted when she did not do the basic thing that she had to so that I do not come and slit her throat, not like I had to sadly.”

“It’s a lie” a statement that would resume all the murmurs and protests around. With a bored face, the vampire fought the urge to pick his ears as a distraction.

“aaahhaan… After all that big talk about ridding me of a great threat and giving me the war and desperation that I wanted, she turns into a gross puddle and leaves whiny brats behind. Talk about troublesome! I am never doing anyone any favor anymore… Putting that bead burn my fingers so bad that I had the urge to kill that blondie instead of sparing him as a bait.”

“Haaah?” One of the guy all but growled cocking his spear and lunging at the vampire “Don’t underestimate us, bastard!”

If the dwellers of Darkness had the mercy of leaving a breath of life inside them, the two vampires did nothing but erase them from existence without exception to women and children.  

Aya watched it happen in the blink of an eye, as if it was a nightmare she wished to awaken from. She startled and almost stumbled back when the female vampire appeared in front of her out of thin air. She swung her arm with the intention of slashing the little girl with her lengthening claws.

Aya closed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the pain to come, but nothing occurred.

She cracked on eye open to see the ice-wielder holding the raised arm of Lady Hanadagi. He nodded in direction of Aya’s mother and the pureblood complied by changing preys.

“Mom!” the girl tried running to her mother whose knees gave out under her.

“Patience, little girl, patience.” The eerie voice echoed near her ear as he held her still with his cold hands. She watched the pureblood grab her mother by the hair and crane her neck to have ample access for her aroused fangs.

“Please… no…” She whimpered, knowing full well how pointless it was.

“No?” He pondered, “Let’s see… can u give something in return of such selfish request?”

“Anything….” She attempted

“Good girl!” He closed his mouth to her ear, “Now… How about telling me about this chosen one.”

Aya froze… She was aware of bits of piece but did not know the whole story. What is worse was that whatever she would tell would put both Zero and Ichiru in danger. Something inside her refused to let that happen, she felt compelled to protect them from harm powerless as she was, without even knowing why she would go that far for someone she knew for such a brief time.

“Hmm? Guess I will have to look myself” He craned her head and hissed.

“Wait… you shouldn’t!!!” She whispered in an alarmed tone, “I am of a pure lineage… my blood…” She was lying… Unlike other Kiryuus, her mother was nothing but a mere human without a drop of hunter blood running through her veins.

“Oh my! Are you worried about having me tamed?” The vampire’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

“What?” Lady Hanadagi quirked a quizzical eyebrow.

The male sighed, “You, children of these days, are way too ignorant of our way of life.” He shook his head in dismissal. “Now that I think about it, there was that other method.” He pondered as he cupped the back of the small head with one large hand.

Aya’s eyes widened as much as her mother’s when she felt the pressure against her scalp, she let out a silent scream from the pain of feeling a forklike sensation squirming inside her head. Tears flowed freely through unblinking eyes and she could take no more.

Once done, she crumbled to the ground, barely holding on her consciousness.

“Interesting…” The vampire hummed in satisfaction as he opened his eyes lazily, “truly interesting…”

He grabbed the girl and pulled her up once again. This time, he had her facing him.

“You see… Ojou-chan… I hate to say the word… I truly do hate it but,… ‘Old’ vampires like us know more about this world than what you will ever learn if you survive.”

Aya did not react, “pfff… How weak have these people become…”

“How about we get this over with? I am thirsty…” Lady Hanadagi was impatient.

“Make sure not to kill that one.” He reminded her as she sank her fangs. She growled the acknowledgement.

“As I said, ojou-chan… Your blood is indeed nefarious for us… But you are underestimating us, the original vampire, if you think a half-breed like you can tame us.” Recognition flashed through his eyes as they glowed red, making Aya realize her foolish attempt at deceiving him.

She saw the fangs elongating, white, long, thin and pointy, gleaming in the moonlight. She felt them sink deeply in her shoulder and the squelching sound faded away as the fog grew thicker inside her head.

Once done, the ice-wielder looked at her lifeless eyes and noticed her shallow breath. He heaved his disappointment, “Child, do you know why the first turned humans were powerful vampires compared to the common class nowadays?”

Lady Hanadagi rolled her eyes at being called ‘child’ when the vampire saying it detests being called anything with the meaning of ‘old’.

“Do tell…” She played along.

“Because our venom is so powerful, it nearly killed all humans we ever bit. It can be instant or take days, but they end up dead anyways. The few that remained became strong enough to serve us. The common factor between them would have been their strong will and desire to live in addition to exceptional physique.” He reminisced

“Oh really?” Lady Hanadagi actually came to appreciate the information, looking at the girl in his arm.

“No… this one will not survive.” He answered her thoughts, “The only one who survived my bite was the one I took as a mate to start my own lineage in the far past.”

“A lineage it was…” the female pureblood could not hold the sarcasm.

“Never mind that, you would want to hear the story…” He dismissed it in favor of his cheery mood.

“What is it?”

“The woman was strong willed, powerful and determined on taking me down.” he saw realization flashing in her eyes, “Yes… a so called hunter… One of the first generations indeed.” His gaze became forlorn, “She made me want to have her… So strong… So bright… So breakable.”

The witnesses shuddered at the perverse tone.

He suddenly stopped and shrugged after swinging the girl to the ground again, “Boring is the fact that she turned into a broken doll soon after the birth of our first child, becoming a baby machine until they took her life without resisting.”

He ordered her to take the girl along with her prey and follow him.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ The next morning in Hanabusa’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Ichiru stood leaning against the sink, and glancing at the mirror of the bathroom. He slowly brought a hand up to gaze at it, as it started trembling…

He clutched it, willing it to stop. The trembling increased and his teeth clenched in frustration until a slightly colder hand covered his.

A breath of relief escaped his lips when he caught the reflection of his lover, just out of the shower with dripping hair looking at him through the glass.

“Good morning!” The vampire leaned to kiss a willing cheek that lingered in his touch as if to draw comfort from it.

Ichiru closed his eyes, not minding his pajama top getting wet from his lover’s body. “I did not notice that you finished your shower.” He huffed at how lost he was in his dark thoughts.

“I noticed.” Hanabusa deadpanned as he unclenching the hands and held each one of them in one hand to flip them and examine. He winced when noticing the traces of nails digging into the flesh.

“I can’t…” Ichiru tried retracting them but Hanabusa caged him with his body against the sink and gripped the hands. Their eyes met through the mirror again.

“Tell me…” Hanabusa had an idea about what was tormenting his lover but did not voice it.

“I can’t… I don’t want to…” He squeezed his eyes shut again.

“Ichiru… Look at me.” Hanabusa’s voice was commanding.

Amethyst orbs, haunted with worries rose again to look at his electric blue eyes.

“Tell. Me.”  

“You will hate me.”

“I won’t… In fact I can’t” Hanabusa stated flatly.

“I hate myself.” Ichiru slumped against the sink, clutching its edges and not daring to look up, “I always craved power that I did not have… I was envious of everyone around me… Acted the lowest to get even… I… not just killed my family…” He choked on his own words, “I whored myself to vampires…”

Hanabusa had to literally stifle a fit of giggles from erupting at the nonsensical statement, which made Ichiru raise his head and glower at him.

“Sorry… Sorry love… I know that we are being serioupffft… God! Please give me a moment…” he clutched his stomach and burst in laughter.

“What’s so funny!” Ichiru bellowed, mortified by the way Hanabusa acted.

“but… Can’t help it!” Hanabusa gasped the words while wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, “Whore?” he burst laughing again.

“Hana!”

“I told you never to use that hilarious word again because… pffft… if I did not know better… seeing that I am the one who took all your firsts practically… *chuckles* I would seriously have believed you.” The vampire finally composed himself and stood by his brooding lover again, cupping the cheek of the face that looked away from him.

“You were not the first to bite and drink from me.” Ichiru mumbled, touching a sore spot for Hanabusa.

Despite his fiery temper, the golden noble inhaled sharply and placed a tender kiss on a pale forehead after pushing the silver bangs away.

“In vampire society, that is called a fair trade. For human to dig for information, some of us coax them to give up some of their flesh blood as an exchange instead of money.” He shut the soon protesting lips with the pad of his thumb, “You did not know that they would not do it if you refused, you were young, desperate and just lost the pillar of support you spent four years of your critical phase of life relying on.” he did not mention Shizuka’s name despite talking about her, “You wanted to make things right and become a better person, overcome your darkness.”

“But I ended up sinking deeper, practically begging to get turned.” Ichiru protested, not liking the victimizing that Hanabusa used to justify his actions.

“Ichiru… I know that you are changing the subject… This is not what was originally bothering you.”

Amethyst eyes avoided his fervently, refusing to acknowledge the truth. Finding himself caged by Hanabusa’s body again, Ichiru let out a frustrated sigh and tried to wrench the arm gipping the sink and standing in the way of his escape.

“Use that new power of yours to blow me away…” Hanabusa whispered, holding his position like steel.

Silver eyebrow twitched, letting him know that he hit the sore spot. Ichiru gritted his teeth in anger and hissed, “What of it…”

“Pardon…” Aido’s eyes were trained on him constantly, as if examining every twitch of facial muscle.

“What good would come out of it…” Ichiru hissed, “I wanted power… for what…”His hold on Hanabusa’s forearm grew painful, “I wanted to be useful… To protect… but first thing I did was snap the head of that woman…” He dug his fingers so hard that they would have drawn blood if they had claws, but Hanabusa clenched his jaw and did not utter a single protest… “Now… I have this rage inside me… waiting to rip and shatter the first thing that triggers it… And I am enjoying it… the thought of killing again… it’s appealing…” He gave his golden-haired lover a pained expression, contradicting his own words.

Hanabusa pressed his lips tightly and inhaled, reluctant to make light of his lover’s turmoil but really needing to voice his own…

Through strained voice, he uttered the words “First… Mind letting go?” He pointed to the arm Ichiru was clutching while twisting his body in a way to ease the pain, “I think I can’t feel my arm anymore… The blood flow I mean…”

Ichiru blinked few time before realizing what Hanabusa meant. He let go immediately and caught a glimpse of the angry bruise that soon faded away. Hanabusa regretted standing clad in a towel instead of getting dressed just to have avoided that guilty expression on his lover’s face.

Ichiru was about to storm out of the bathroom only to be yanked back by the collar of his wet shirt.

“Where do you think you are going, Kiryuu Ichiru!” Hanabusa stated with a haughty tone that would remind anyone of his high school self whenever he spoke to Zero or Yuki during their prefect’s days.

_Full name? Goddamnit!_

Ichiru cursed internally knowing that he was in a lot of trouble now that Hanabusa flipped on his overly serious side, which did not happen so often; only when Ichiru turned too dark and cynical.

The silverette turned around to face his sentence, barely able to raise his gaze and look at the man standing with crossed arms in front of him.

“Mind reminding me of your name once again?” Hanabusa asked

“huh?” Ichiru gave him a dumb look.

“Answer!” An authoritarian voice made him flinch.

“Ichiru… Ichiru Kiryuu…” Ichiru answered reluctantly

“That is right, Kiryuu!!” Hanabusa hissed the name with contempt on purpose

“so-“ Ichiru wanted to challenge anything he had to say instinctively.

“The freaking clan that apparently used to rule the hunter society huh?” Hanabusa was much faster

“wh-“

“Some sicko family who endeavored in breeding the purest lineage of hunters.”

“Oi!”

“Oh I forgot that they were not only that but had some mojo of witchcraft going on… What does that make them… Let us say overpowered hunters?” An air of mockery haunted the vampire’s tone

“Are you making fun of me?” Ichiru was miffed at this point.

“How many times did I say the word?” Hanabusa’s voice went back to dark and serious.

The confused Ichiru was lost again.

“How many times did I repeat the word ‘hunter’?” Hanabusa reformulated his question.

Ichiru rolled his eyes in annoyance, “one too many…”

“Because that is what you are.” Hanabusa poked his forehead painfully while talking, “Because that is what you were born as”, he poked his chest this time making him tumble a step back, “Because you are a predator, ingrained here inside you… The instinct, the burning urge to find your prey and hunt it… To reach out until you have it in your grasp…” Hanabusa gripped his chin painfully making him look into his eyes, “Once you have it… You will want to watch as its life fades away… rewarding yourself with the kill to quench the beast roaring inside you…” he finally let go of the chin with a snap.

Ichiru rubbed the red mark the squeeze left behind and glared at his lover, “You are saying that I am a monster”, he stated flatly as he watched Hanabusa wear a pair of flannel pants.

“That? Yes, you are… A freaky monster at that…” The vampire stated as a matter of fact that made Ichiru even more irritated before the second statement left him dumbfounded, “I am one too.”

Hanabusa chuckled at the disturbed expression on Ichiru, “Because I lost count of how many times I wanted to devour you and keep you inside me forever because I worried other vampires may have their eyes on my prize.” He stalked in predatory fashion… Ichiru started feeling a bit threatened for some reason.

“Why do think it is that I was able to wait patiently for you to be ready to go all the way while I was barely able to keep from mauling you the first few months we started dating? Somewhere inside, my beast roared as it narrowed on you as my prey… The prey I shall never allow anyone to take from me…”

Ichiru jolted when the wall greeted his back realizing that he was backing away as Hanabusa stalked towards him, “Monster? Yes I am…  you wanted power… Well… What do you know? I have always craved it… Even if I have more than others, I would forever desire more… rage that makes one want to rip and shatter the first thing that triggers it… Try being in my place while you are helplessly writhing in pleasure under me, at my mercy…” Blue eyes merged red…

“Ha-… hana…” Ichiru’s arms flailed against the wall where the vampire caged him, seriously starting to get scared.

“*Nani~” The threatening tone suddenly turned childish, dispelling the tense atmosphere that rose…

“What the fuck?” Ichiru’s shoulder slumped when Hanabusa’s eyes turned back to blue with a playful glint to them.

“Scared ya?...” A tongue out turned him royally pissed, not to mention the finger flicking his forehead before the bullying vampire jumped away and out of the bathroom.

“Hanabusa…” Ichiru growled as he grabbed any toiletry he could reach, throwing it in the direction of his lover… “IHATEYOUYOUMEANIE!”

“Hai! Hai! Hai! You love me too much to be able to express it… I know honey, I know…” Hanabusa pranced playfully, dodging every object thrown his way before spreading his arms wide open to catch the silverette that came jumping into his embrace with a harsh kiss following it.

“I love you, baka!” Ichiru mumbled with a light blush tinting his cheeks, “Sorry…” He hugged his golden-haired lover and squeezed his legs around his mid-section, reveling in the gentle hands rubbing his back.

“I apologize too… I had to be a bit harsh to show you that what you are going through is normal… We all have that scary phase that we have to go through… Hunter and vampires alike… I am always by your side and will help you adjust and control it instead of suppressing it, like we always did… Okay?” Hanabusa all but cooed lovingly at his constantly nodding lover.

It was a shame that he could not see the glistening amethyst orbs full of gratitude. There was too many reasons to list as to why Ichiru came to fall in love with this arrogant vampire, but the one he recalled now was the fact that Hanabusa, unlike any other person, never treated him as a fragile piece of crystal that could break any moment, he would worry and fuss but never turned overbearing. If Ichiru were to cross a line, Hanabusa would swiftly put him back in his place…. When he drowns in his dark thoughts, Hanabusa would counter it by the shock treatment of showing him what evil looks like through his own disguised nature as a vampire. He lost count of how many times his jaw dropped at his lover’s antic, but never once felt anything but grateful for it.

“Your shirt is wet and getting cold on you…” Hanabusa’s motherly tone made him snap out of his haze.

“It’s fine… Its summer.” Ichiru mumbled, wanting to stay longer in this position, as childish as it may sound.

“No.” Hanabusa grounded, “The AC is on and you are quick to catch colds.”

“grrr…” Ichiru finally unlocked his legs and allowed Hanabusa to put him down. Raising his hands like a child, he made his lover sigh as he tucked the hem of the shirt and pulled over his head.

There was a long pause with the shirt stuck to Ichiru’s face before Hanabusa finally removed it. Ichiru noticed the confused look present currently on his lover’s face as he looked at his side. Purple eyes travelled in the same direction to land on the object of confusion…

“Ichiru? When did that-“

“I have no idea…”

  **∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Gin’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero lounged in the TV room, watching one movie after another, bored to death.

He seemed to overdo it with the investigation to the point of practically living in Yagari’s office that his mentor kicked his pregnant butt back to his home with a house arrest order. He also stripped him of every piece of investigation since they hit a dead end and chewed the existing evidence multiple times.

A bee sound suddenly stopped, making the hunter curse continuously while looking at the AC that was blowing on him along with the TV that turned black suddenly.

_This can’t be happening!!!_

His worries subsided when the main power switch fixed back everything except for the AC. He groaned and removed his baggy shirt, leaving him in boxers and tank top to fight off the heat while finishing the movie.

Sleeping became a hassle because of his growing belly. He missed sleeping flat on his stomach so badly. Seeing that he closed his six months of pregnancy made it all the more obvious that he needed to rethink of upgrading his wardrobe and how difficult it is going to be to conceal his state.

_I might as well turn into a shut in for the next three months! Huh… little one… wouldn’t you like that?_

A small flutter inside him brought a satisfied smile to his face. His unborn son have been communicating quiet frequently, but he was still waiting for that badass kick that Yuki promised him.

An advertising ban slid across the screen for the next movie to be aired caught Zero’s attention as it reminded him of a certain memory.

He did not realize that he lost focus on the final scene as he drifted to the day Kaname took care of him during that time of the month for the first time in Cross’s house. It was that movie that started airing and he did not get a chance to watch because of the overly comfortable embrace he found himself in.

Kaname had his revenge by forcing Zero into few other ‘movie nights’ where they would cuddle on Zero’s couch. The hunter smiled unconsciously at how he realized that watching anything with the overly critical pureblood was a pain. The thriller turned into a dumb flick because Kaname kept predicting the scenarios or criticizing the stupidity of it. A romance turned into a case study where he wondered why the protagonist would go or say something that way when it is obvious that it would have the opposite result. A drama was the worst because it simply frustrated the realistic man and jugged all his norms, even the twisted ones.

Another fluttering sensation made Zero chuckle. His son seemed to be more active whenever he thought of his annoying father.

“He is quite the piece of work. Lucky for us, we can watch whatever we want in peace and quiet.” He rubbed his half exposed belly and talked some more until interrupted.

The microwave signaled the ready pockets waiting for his lazy self to eat for breakfast.

On the way to the kitchen island, his computer blinked with the usual sound of the incoming IM call. He made the detour in time to answer it.

“Hey you!” The cheerful voice of the grey-eyed ethic teacher betrayed his heavily sleepy eyes.

Zero glanced at the time, “Did you sleep at all?”

“Too many things to do~” Gin whined.

“Seriously!” Zero internally envied him for he hated sitting around. He grabbed the collar of his top and started airing himself as he felt the fabric stick to his sweaty body.

“Is it that hot?” Gin wondered.

“The AC just broke!” Zero snapped as if it was Gin’s fault, which made him chuckle.

“There is a number on the back of the remote that you can call.” The older man reassured.

“Don’t wanna.” Zero sulked leaning back on his chair.

“hmm?...” Gin was barely keeping up the conversation.

“Why did you bother calling anyways?” Zero regretted the question knowing the sappy comeback, but the microwave saved him with a reminder beep. “Hold on!”

He stood and allowed Gin a view of the tight tank top that rose a bit above his waist thanks to the sitting position. The dark haired male furrowed his brows when he caught sight of something unfamiliar.

When the pregnant hunter came back, he voiced his question,

“Zero? Could you turn around and lift that shirt?” He asked politely.

“You are not taking a picture of my ass for jerk off material.” Zero deadpanned as he munched on his pocket.

Gin had to literally wince from the crass comment, “I had no intention to and too tired to even attempt it. Now, turn around and do not show me your ass but the small of your back, if you please…”

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Hanabusa’s apartment ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Wow!” The vampire breathed out his amazement as he caressed the skin of his lover on his side, just above the waistband of his pants, “It looks as if it has been there since forever…”

Ichiru looked at the finger tracing his skin with a deepening frown, “Yeah… Can’t help it!” he shrugged.

“I think I like it!” Hanabusa grinned childishly as he literally dropped on his knees for a closer look.

“uh oh~!” Ichiru’s sudden sound surprised him and he looked up to see a cringing look on his silver lover, “If Zero has it too, there is going to be a storm blowing somewhere!”

“Ack!” Hanabusa barely hid his concern when understanding the predicament.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Gin’s house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“WHAT THE FREAKING FUCK IS THIS?????” Zero’s scream could be heard by the third neighbor of his block from how loud it was.

Gin did not know how to calm the magnified string of profanities spilling for the last five minutes ever since he pointed to the source of Zero’s current foul mood.

He resigned himself to watch as the hunter twisted his body and arms with the small mirror in hand, attempting to see what was lodged in the small of his back. Gin was amused by the way his pregnant belly was protruding more since the hunter was not hunching his back to hide it like usual.

 In the end, Zero grabbed his smartphone and clicked a picture to see and it did nothing but make the screaming an octave louder.

“WHERE THE FUCK DID THIS BLOODY FUCKING TATOO COME FROM!!!??!!!” He screamed at the innocent device showing him a pair of wings conveniently inked in the small of his back.

“I thought you got it done recently without me knowing.” Gin answered sheepishly.

“Why in the blazing hell would I do that?” Zero pulled at his bangs and gritted his teeth in frustration.

“Why make such a big deal out of it?” Gin tried to sooth him in vain, and he had to drop the last bomb to make him snap instead, “You already have two anyways. If nothing else, I find this one quite sexy, especially since it is placed between those dimples in the small of your back, could not imagine a better place-“

“Gin!” Zero had a low dark voice that would send shivers had Gin not gotten used to it. He still sweat dropped despite the distance separating them.

“Be thankful that you are not physically present right now.” Zero hissed, venom dripping from his voice and eyes, “Count your blessing for not turning black and blue on this blasted day… I already have two, so you think that it is not a big deal?... I will tell you what exactly is wrong with this…” He pointed to the taming tattoo on his neck and then a thumb to his back, “I NEVER ASKED FOR ANY OF THESE AND NEVER WANTED ONE FUCKED UP TATOO IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!!”

That marked the end of the conversation and the one of the computer that sustained Zero’s wrath and became nothing but metal scrap against the opposite wall.

 The hunter groaned when his phone rang.

“What?” He snapped

“Don’t do anything rash.” Gin was worried.

“I am going to Ichiru’s place.” Zero hung up knowing that the piece of information would put his mind at ease,

“It is probably because of something that the old hag did to me in the first place.” He muttered, as he got dressed before grabbing his keys and leaving in a haste.

  

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Cross Academy ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

   

Zero’s fury subsided considerably when he found out that Ichiru fell in the same predicament, but he was still irritated because of the new mark.

Cross was helpful enough to point out that it could be the mark of the Kiryuu coven because he clearly remembers Takashi, their father, having a similar one just above his knee.

“By the way Zerorin…” Cross swooned looking at his grumpy adoptive son with wiggling fingers expressing his intention.

“Dare come closer and you won’t have those digits anymore.” Zero seethed at the idea of having anyone groping his bump at the moment.

“Awwwn~ but it is so nice and round… begging me to pat it….” Cross put a finger on a pouting lip, “How am I supposed to bond with my grandson with you blocking me every time?”

A tinge of guilt made Zero waver a bit, since he could not say ‘you can bond when he is born’ seeing that they would be miles away by then.

“Did he start moving?” Hanabusa asked, ever the worrywart physician monitoring his health like a hawk.

“uhm… A bit, yes-“ Zero was about to explain but regretted his words when an overly excited Yuki jumped and placed both hands on his stomach rubbing and patting with her hair getting into his nose.

Kaien, never one to miss a chance, joined his daughter, cooing and rubbing to attempt getting a response.

On the couch, Zero felt stifled by the two hovering over him, blocking the bliss of the AC he strategically moved the piece of furniture to face.

A vein popped in temple and the foul mood came back tenfold.

“You guys… Fucking CUT IT OUT!” To their surprise, not only did the anger make the furniture rattle, but Yuki and Kaien were propelled into the wall, knocking the air out of their lungs for a moment.

There was a moment of still silence before Kaien rubbed his head and spoke, “Zerorin, you are not supposed to use magic while pregnant.”

The remark reminded the others of the possible cause for they forgot that Zero’s power awakened as well.

Zero himself was startled but soon composed himself and grumbled, “Don’t annoy the hell out of me and I won’t lose control like that. You know what she said, that my power stemmed from strong emotions.”

 A silent agreement was forged that day so that Zero’s mood would be kept in equilibrium as much as possible with a promise of revenge after giving birth.

“Nii-san…” Ichiru wanted to tease one last time, “you know that unborn children can start hearing from the womb around the third trimester right?”

Zero gave him a confused look, “So what?”

Ichiru gave him a sheepish smile, “You should hold back on the cursing, I would not want the first word coming out of my nephew to be the ‘f’ word.”

The remark earned him a nasty glower and a huff, but Zero’s retort was swallowed with the knocking.

“Ichiru-kun… Hanabusa told me about your bath… You can use ours anytime you guys need as long as it does not turn into a victim as well.” The honey haired noble vampire whispered to the blushing silver twin after handing some catalogues she got ready for the small party Ichiru was planning.

“Thanks.” he stuttered and noticed Zero raising an eyebrow, mortified at the thought of his twin questioning him later.

“Oh Zero!” She squealed, making her way to the sitting silverette, “You popped quite nicely.” Her hands were already rising in the position Zero hated the most and everyone paled at the prospective of another power blast.

Yuki intervened fast by cutting her way and grabbing her hand in a friendly fashion, “Ruka-san, remember that gathering I need to attend? I will probably need your help picking the outfit, I am such a klutz when it comes to those weird galas.”

The noble woman was swept away by the once in a lifetime bright pureblood queen.

“Oh Zero you popped!” Zero started mimicking the feminine screech, “Oh you are so round! Oh you look so bubbly! I am f- pregnant for God’s sake, not a balloon or a soda can” He glowered at no one before huffing and standing.

“Going somewhere?” Ichiru asked.

“Sleep… If I can.” He snapped at him while slamming the door of the guest room close.

The younger twin sighed at his brother’s antic and grabbed the duffel bag Zero left by the couch.

Hanabusa eyed it with a quizzical look.

Ichiru answered the question looming in blue eyes, “His A/C broke and staying with Cross is out of question, so I told him that he can crash here for few days.”

Hanabusa nodded in agreement. He had no problem with having Zero over since they practically lived together for a couple of years in U.S and few months in Japan. If he had to admit, Hana would be expressing how ecstatic he was to have them three together even for few days.

Ichiru could read his lover like an open book, and smiled at the expression. He saw his guests off and went to join his brother.

_I wonder when did these two start getting along so well…_

The younger silverette pondered, remembering the headache they used to give him whenever they find themselves in the same room in the past. Little did he know that it was because they cared deeply for him each in their own way that they came to tolerate each other.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

“So~ What is the deal with the bathtub?” Zero asked, smirking when his brother’s face was turning all shades of pink.

“Nothing.” Ichiru grunted while taking the clothes from the bag into the drawer, sparing occasional glances to the way his brother tortured the pillows to get into a good position.

A sigh of helplessness escaped his lips and he opened the cupboard to pull a bigger and fluffier pillow. He climbed on the large bed and started tucking it along with the others in the position he figured Zero was seeking. Twins are amazing in the way they can sense each other’s discomfort, and it applied more to the Kiryuu twins.

“Your back is getting sore more often lately.” Ichiru remarked as he kneaded the tense knots while Zero snuggled the pillow he was hugging, moaning in relief.

“Lack of exercise.” Zero pointed,

“You are not hitting the gym with a bump like that.” Ichiru chuckled.

“mm… Gin already ordered for a couple of fitness machines to be delivered to the basement soon~ he said something about a coach to ease birth or sumthin.” Zero was starting to drift off to sleep due to the comforting massage.

“Must be nice to have so much money to spare.” Ichiru quipped, “Quiet the kept wife, aren’t we.”

The teasing earned him a side glare, “What part of me is ‘kept’”

“Did you spend; purchase anything ever since you move in together?” Ichiru dared.

“Crap…” Zero’s eyes widened. It was true that Gin took care of everything as if it was natural for him to do so. He was so subtle about it that Zero never noticed how pampered he was. He frowned when remembering the way he had his card conveniently ready to order the stuff they chose for the nursery as well.

“Told ya…” Ichiru was talking based on the rare visits where he noticed Gin making all the grocery shopping and stocking up the kitchen as well as bringing Zero’s favorite snacks. He would be left flabbergasted if he knew to what extent the spoiling of his brother was going.

“By the way… I have not seen him around lately… Kuran…” Zero mumbled without looking at Ichiru, remembering another man who had similar spoiling tendency.

“hmm?” Ichiru hummed mischievously, “Missed him.”

“Cut. it. out.” Zero warned. He was not sure when or why Ichiru started pestering him about Kaname as if he wanted him to really feel that way about him, and it was really annoying the hunter.

“He had been visiting Ichijou-san often lately. I called Kaito yesterday and he was complaining about the ‘bastard pureblood’ was bringing work to ease his lover back into the routine.” The younger twin laughed at the exasperated tone of the older hunter.

“He probably wants to take his mind off the traumatizing experience.” Zero stated flatly, knowing how easy it is to drown in work to avoid unnecessary thoughts and how Kaname would do it whenever he is not in the mood to drown in liquor instead.

“You would know better.” Ichiru grinned and earned a punch to the shoulder.

“Were you having a make out session in the bath and it turned disastrous?” Zero suddenly went back to the topic Ichiru avoided for a while.

“Stop it already…” Ichiru whined, muffling him with a pillow.

“What? I am worried about my brother-in-law for having too many repressed fantasies because of his prudish wife.” Zero protested playfully, regretting it instantly when Ichiru froze.

“Ich?” he shifted to pull on the shirt of the sulking silverette.

“He told you?” Ichiru asked shyly.

Zero smacked himself internally, “No… It was a drunken slur from when you guys started going steady. He almost ended up with a hole between his eyes though, if he did not fall asleep, drooling on the table right after blurting all sort of outrageous things.”

It was around the time Hanabusa was dealing with Zero’s promiscuousness and the repercussions of it, leading to the noble flying back and forth whenever Zero notices a new health issue. The hunter had to wonder if he was doing it because of love for Ichiru or because of intense scientist’s curiosity at times.

At some point, Hanabusa got himself drunk while Ichiru was attending his classes at business school, a curriculum he liked when subbing for Zero’s classes during Keiichi’s pregnancy.

“What outrageous things?” Ichiru was curious, but Zero kept quiet.

“Is it about how I cannot go any longer than one round?” Ichiru mumbled shyly the epitome of his embarrassment.

“Gosh! No! Look, I am so not interested in your sex life and that piece of information makes it officially gross for me…” Zero tried to stop, but Ichiru’s expression made him hesitate.

“AAAgh! Goddam-“ He glanced at his belly and swallowed the words. Sighing deeply, “He just talked about how apprehensive you were toward trying ‘new stuff’.”

“New stuff?” Ichiru blinked. The younger twin was oblivious to the effort his lover was making all these years to introduce him to fun stuff they could do in bed. It got to the point that Hanabusa reveled in the oblivion of his lover and the innocent soul he had, which made him give up the attempts, especially after the horrified face Ichiru gave about the bath sex and the reciting of all incidents that may happen after googling it.

“You know… Nurse, maid, cat cosplay… What was it again… Ugh, yeah… oil massage… Seriously, there is a limit to how perverted a guy like him can get…” Zero’s face scrunched up, “But I guess you already went through them all, and spare me the detail of the love life. So~ did _you_ destroy the tub or did he?”

Ichiru was miffed at the dismissal, “I did and for your information, it was because…” _I was spent by the second round and he surprised me_ “Never mind! What is this maid and cat stuff again?”

Zero explicitly face palmed himself when he realized the hole he dug for himself. _I seriously need to AVOID dirty talks with kids, Ichiru and Yuki…_

After an uncomfortable explanation on how men can do cosplay, because Ichiru firmly believed that only women can pull them off, Zero finally had the room to himself.

His tired eyes drooped from lack of sleep but what greeted him was not the quiet slumber he hoped for

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

He woke up in his apartment by the sound of the shower running. He groggily stood out of the bed, wearing only fresh boxers and stretching until the muscle of his flat stomach flexed to the limit. He shook his arm and pressed a knuckled on his back to ease the sore muscle from the intense ‘workout’ of last night.

Making his way to the bathroom, a smile crept on his lips as his intentions were making themselves clear with the opening of the shower’s glass door.

He felt the heat coiling in his loins at the sight of a wet brown haired man currently pushing the bangs away from his sculpted face. Long eyelashes stuck to a prominent cheekbone as water trickled over closed eyes.

Amethyst eyes travelled further down to the toned chest and flexing biceps, muscles defined but not bulging in anyway. He licked his drying lips and stepped inside the cubicle.

“I thought the point of taking a shower before I leave was to remove any lingering scent that would give us away…” Kaname chuckled as Zero slid behind him and squirted some shower gel that he started gliding over the broad back of the pureblood.

“hmm… You can take that shower later…” Zero purred as he glided his hands on Kaname’s sides before hooking them around his waist and teased his lower abdomen without reaching for the part that started begging for his attention once again.

He let out a breathy chuckle when Kaname grabbed the mischievous hands and turned around to lock them above Zero’s head, pushing him against the glass wall. The chuckle turned into a moan as soon as lips locked and tongues danced for dominance.  

**End of dream/memory ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

His eyes shot open and he cursed when feeling his hips bucking slightly against the pillow.

_“What am I, a freaking mutt in heat?”_

Zero threw the pillows and headed to the en-suite toilet for relief. He glanced at the unfinished work in it as he washed his hands afterwards.

_Oh! that’s why Ruka said that. They still did not finish installing all amenities around the place._

The silver hunter made a mental note to check if his brother was facing any kind of difficulties while keeping quiet from asking for his help.

In the living room, He found his twin on the carpet, with catalogues scattered all over the place and a notebook he was scribbling on.

“What are you doing?” Zero mumbled while heading to the fridge to grab a cooling drink, happy to find the blueberry juice he liked ever since the beginning of his pregnancy.

“You know… Last minute preps for that small party we have been postponing.” Ichiru dismissed.

“Oh! Finally… You are going to sign those papers?” Zero chirped happily. If it was few years back, he would be blasting everything that moves at the idea of his brother taking the name of a vampire family, but now it feels like the natural thing to do.

Ichiru nodded, “I honestly do not think a reception is needed. All I wanted is a small family gathering and some silly chatter, but father-in-law is blowing it out of proportion… again…”

Zero sat on the armchair behind his twin and ruffled his hair, “He is just happy at the thought of you becoming his son for good, in name and all…”

Ichiru gave him a silly smile, exposing how happy he felt despite the grumbling.

“Where will it be?” Zero inquired.

“Oh… Thank god, they agreed to have it by the clearing on campus. I have always loved that place, and it is where… Uhm…” Ichiru did not know how to say it without having Zero tease him about it for a lifetime.

“Let me guess… That is where he made the grand confession?” The older twin drawled.

“Nii-san~” Ichiru bellowed, knowing how sappy that sounded.

“Whatever… When will it be? I hope you kept in mind Gin’s return date, he will give me a migraine if he misses it.” Zero was almost begging.

“When is it?” Ichiru asked curiously.

“The tenth.” Zero deadpanned.

“Oh! I better make it on the ninth then…” Ichiru made it as if he was putting the reminder, earning a leg jamming his back painfully.

“Ichiru!” Zero roared.

“Kidding! Kidding! It’s on the twelfth anyways, he has got plenty of time.” The younger twin dismissed.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

**Not much action here but more mysteries revealed and conspirators coming to light.**

**Hmm? The dwellers? Enemy/Allies/Neutral? What do you predict guys?**

**Next chapter is looking like it will be a mix of fun and darkness as well…**

**Still starting it so I cannot tell how it will turn out yet, but lets cross fingers that I do not get delayed like how it happened with this one T_T**

**HmHhhh See ya!!!!**

**Reviews are _always_ welcome by the way ;) Love ya**

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ PSSSSSSSSSSSSSST ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

I wrote a lemony one shot of the bathtub scene (IchiHana) check it out

For those into dark stuff, I posted a new story name Domineren. It is KaZe but no romance or comfort, just plain hurt and abuse and twisted passion 

 


	56. Chapter 56

**Explanatory note about the beginning of last chapter**

**It would take too long and bore us out to write it in the story in detail. This is how it was going to be at the beginning.**

**1) The grandma speaks about the chosen one and then reveal her conspiracy with ice-wielder.**

**2) The conspiracy is about the ice-wielder wanting war and carnage, fed up with the sneaking around and all the tactics and mind games. So, when he was requested to capture Takuma and not kill him, he was miffed. The Lady Kiryuu came like the sneaky ‘snake’ she is and suggested the plan of placing the poisoned bead inside Takuma's stomach. That way, not only does he die, but it will incur the wrath of the vampires (he is the right hand man of the king and have great influence everywhere) and the wrath of the hunters because they see him as a greater ally than Kaname. Thus, it will start a war of suspicion and bloodshed....**

**3) The grandma used the agreement of the first vampire (already not planning to honor it because Takuma would have to live if Ichiru agreed, in her head), she used the agreement and the knowledge of the predicament as the trump card to achieve the next step of her plan. Which failed miserably.**

**Her final goal was to acquire the heart of the chosen one which will make her into an ultimate killing machine with the immortality of a vampire and venom that kills the strongest of the firstborns as well as the strength and powers to annihilate the hunters and the dwellers of the valley of darkness.**

**The dark magic she used will be explained later, but what I can tell you, is that as long as she does not consume the heart she would morph into an ugly beast that will be strong for a limited amount of time, which is why she was exhausted shortly after her fight just before Yagari killed her.**

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Few days later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“It’s hot!!!” Zero groaned, waving a fan.

“The freaking a/c is turning me into a popsicle, and you are still complaining?” Kaito pulled the cover he borrowed from Ichiru to make sure he stays alive by the end of the movie he was forced to watch. Ever since Yagari banned Zero from prancing around in the organization, the hunter have been binge watching anything and everything, pulling whoever tries to get him out of that couch along.

“Nii-san! Have you seen the matcha ice-cream tub-“ Ichiru waltzed into the living room and halted wide eyed when he found the missing snack sitting on the crossed legs of his brother with Zero digging into it with a table spoon.

“Ichiru! I know that I have a new one, there is no way I would have finished it that fast!” The sound of Hanabusa startled the human twin and he gave a threatening glare to the indifferent pregnant brother before jumping back into the Kitchen.

Zero could hear them quite well.

“Hana, love! Look at the time; you will be late for that thing you told me about in the lab! I will bring you a new one since I am going to get some grocery anyways. Also, I think I remember tossing it in the bin because we forgot to put it in the freezer…” Ichiru explained while pushing his lover to the door.

Hanabusa eyed him suspiciously before conceding.

Once out of the way, Ichiru stomped back and removed the spoon from his brother’s mouth, “You know very well how bad it gets when someone steals his favorite food. Are you some kid looking for trouble?” he pointed it in frustration.

Zero shrugged, “He can get another, what’s the harm?”

Ichiru held his temple, “The harm is that thing has become the craving of my non-pregnant husband who would kill for it and went as far as pick a fight with me because I finished the last bit without asking for his permission. There you have it!” Ichiru crossed his arms.

“Give it up Ich!” Kaito interrupted with a lazy tone, “He is moody as hell for no reason.”

The hazel-eyed hunter and the younger twin exchanged knowing glances before looking at the silverette focusing on the TV. They did not need to ask to know how worried Zero was about his pregnancy becoming more obvious, about Yagari shielding him from the hunters finding out and how difficult the next three months are bound to be. If taking out on the Matcha ice-cream, TV, and A/C would help, they did not mind tagging along.

Once he reached that conclusion, Ichiru brought a spoon and sat next to his brother who automatically put the container between them to share.

“Weren’t you supposed to go do some grocery?” Zero muttered.

“Waiting for Yuki-chan.” Ichiru answered.

Right on cue, the doorbell rang and Ichiru went to greet the pureblood female who was already dressed up and ready to drag her victim through the shopping spree.

“Huh? Where is the munchkin?” Kaito blurted the first words that made Yuki glower at him.

“My daughter is no munchkin!” She objected with a childish stomp.

“Say that when she no longer fits in my hand.” Kaito teased, exaggerating as usual.

“Moo… Anyways… Consider it as retribution because you will not see her today… She is spending the whole day with her father.” Yuki announced with a gleeful look. “He is having a free day after a hectic time and wants to compensate for not spending quality time with her.” She held her cheeks in a swooning expression when remembering how her brother was making a checklist of what Ai needed while lazing in his lounging clothes on the sofa and cooing at his daughter.

If it were possible, they would have noticed the ear of the hunter who was pretending to watch TV amplify to listen carefully while imagining various scenes.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Hours later ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

Zero muttered as he left the building, miffed by the pranks Yuki and Ichiru kept pulling on him.

Things were so peaceful with him and Kaito talking about random stuff until the two troublemakers came back as if high on weed. Not only did they wait until the closing time of the mall to leave, but Yuki splurged on some outrageous maternity clothes that they wanted Zero to try for them.

The hunter felt tricked because he wanted to revamp his wardrobe, so he took the bag and went to the room for tryouts only to be shocked by the sight of bright pink, fluorescent yellow and fire orange stuff that were filled with sparkly things and frills everywhere. The gaudy attires of Cross Kaien looked plain compared to those atrocities.

He could not help but feel relieved when they affirmed that it was a prank and that Yuki was planning to exchange them for baby clothes that she already reserved. The pain his siblings make him go through!

He sighed and walked through the forest in direction of the lake. He could see their attempts at cheering him up and was grateful for it, but he knew that they got it all wrong.

It was not hiding his pregnancy that bothered Zero. Heck! If it would not place his child in danger, he would be flaunting his pregnant belly around proudly because that is how he felt. Zero was worried because of the last phone call with his doctor confirming his suspicion about how late his son was in term of motor skills. He read about it, did research and all, everything pointed out that even a lazy child would kick once in a while.

He placed both hands and traced circular motions around his bump. He halted suddenly when he approached the clearing that Ichiru was talking about.

In a split of a second, Zero found himself transfixed by the sight that greeted him. He did not dare stepping any closer in fear that his presence would make itself known.

There in the grass, Kaname laid on his back, wearing a dark red silk shirt loosely buttoned and untucked from under his black slacks. The chocolate lock swayed on his peaceful face as he basked in the bright moonlight, a big hand securing the back of the baby curled up on his chest, while she sucked on her thumb. Zero found himself leaning on a tree, drinking in the beautiful scenery and straining his ear in attempt to hear the melody Kaname seemed to be humming to his daughter.

Few moments passed that appeared to be minutes when the hunter checked the time. He carefully made his way back to the residence, certain that the father/daughter pair did not notice him.

For some reason, witnessing the interaction had a soothing effect on Zero who had been having trouble settling down lately. He felt so relaxed that the couch of the main lounge seemed more comfortable than the bed he was supposed to reach in Ichiru’s apartment. He grabbed a small pillow to hug and curled into the piece of furniture as much as his not so fit body allowed him.

 

In the clearing, a buzzing sensation alerted the pureblood of the time as he picked the phone to answer Yuki. Seeing that she was back from her trip, he deemed that it was time for Ai to return in her mother’s care. After the ordeal of his best friend, Kaname found himself buried in a mountain of tasks ranging from maintaining his business, to answering the queries of the nobles and cooperate with the association as a medium between them and the Ichijou clan who are known for their hostility towards the system. He was grateful that Takuma was back on his feet, even if not totally healed, but strong and sane enough to pull the leash of his clansmen. There was never a time he appreciated the power that the blond vampire held over his family more than the present.

With everything settled in place, the pureblood decided to give himself a day off, away from everyone and everything to clear his mind. He knew that nothing was over and more threats are bound to surge in the future. However, he decided to take it in strides and play the enemies’ cards in attempt to avoid such morbid scenario from repeating.

His lips curled up into a discreet smile when Ai frowned in her sleep when settling in her mother’s embrace. She was his best medicine in times of distress and he will be eternally grateful that she was born into this word. Upon remembering the date, he asked Yuki about Hanabusa’s whereabouts and immediately teleported to the lab, startling the blue-eyed subordinate as soon as sound came out of his mouth inside the silent office.

“Kaname-sama!” Hanabusa jolted, almost breaking the tube he was holding, while placing a hand on his racing heart. 

“I did not mean to startle you, Aido…” Kaname gave a subtle apologetic look before craning his head in direction of his private office in the building, “I will be waiting in my office.”

No more words were needed as the pureblood left and Hanabusa immediately paused his work in favor of collecting the syringes, bags and other items needed for their routine.

Minutes later, Kaname sat on his lazy seat with a sleeve rolled up and Hanabusa used a chair to make himself comfortable while puncturing a vein and moved the cap of the syringe carefully while the blood was drawn from the brunet and into the blood bag.

The noble had a deep frown on his face along with a restless aura that started to get on Kaname’s nerves.

“Say it.” Kaname muttered, not bothering to remove the arm hiding his closed eyes.

“…”

“…”

“It will not be long before he finds out. Ichiru had been pestering me because he never saw anyone drawing blood whenever the time to take the weekly supply comes.” Hanabusa sighed the answer. Ichiru had been interrogating him a lot. His sharp lover was starting to notice the loopholes in his stories about how he had been collecting the blood. _Of course he would find it fishy when I bring it out at times when half the gang is not around! Telling him not to probe because they want to keep being anonymous is not going to pan out._

“Just keep on doing whatever it is you are doing.” Kaname’s answer was curt, chasing any debate on the subject. Honestly speaking, his prime worry was Zero noticing that the blood came from him since he used to drink it as a mean to keep from falling during their high school days. Kaname felt his neck throbbing at the memory, a memory that became a trigger to a longing sensation instead of disdain from being bitten by a lower class. The fact that Zero was still accepting the supplies meant that he did not notice and Kaname did not want anything jeopardizing that. He was ready to bet everything that the hunter would spill the blood down the drain if he were explicitly told about whom it was drawn from. A soft sigh of exasperation escaped his lips.

“You are taking double the amount from now on.” He issued the order and relaxed further into the seat, bracing for another complaint.

“Kaname-sama… You already doubled it twice.” Aido started seeing the devotion of the pureblood, which restored the esteem he had for him, turning into recklessness.

“You are taking double the amount from now on.” Kaname repeated with a firmer tone.

“Understood!” Hanabusa mumbled as he pushed the chair, “I will go bring more bags.”

Once done, the scientist was panicking over the fact that he had to put a compress for the pureblood was not healing such a small puncture wound. He hurried with the blood pills and went as far as offering his own blood that Kaname immediately refused with a scrunch of his nose.

Unsurprisingly, a handful of tablets sufficed to restore the strength needed for Kaname to move around without looking haggard. He watched as Hanabusa placed the bags carefully in the cooling container, aware of the tyrannical treatment he displayed.

He walked out of the office and stopped at the door, “The last trimester is critical in the pregnancy of any vampire, and more so for a level D. Kiryuu-kun will need all the blood and energy he can get for a smooth sail through it. We will keep this amount until his partner comes back at least. I can think of changing it later if I find it inconvenient for me.” With that last statement, he left the noble vampire to his task, missing the last words Hanabusa uttered with a lot of courage, “you can call him Zero in front of me, just like you did when Ichiru confronted you.”

Hanabusa noticed that his superior did not hear the last bit and shook his head in exasperation, a smile tracing his lips “The things a man can do for love, even the hopeless kind.” The smile slowly morphed into a sad expression, pitying both his boss and his brother in law.

Kaname took big gulps of air, still feeling a bit shaky from lack of blood, but the sense of satisfaction made it all worth it. He did not have enough energy to teleport, so he chose to walk knowing that he had his key after patting his pocket. He was casually passing the lobby until a flash of silver in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He halted, took a couple of step back and leaned backward to have a better look inside the main lounging area. He straightened his posture as soon as he confirmed the presence of a snoozing silverette on the couch, holding a breathy chuckle at the sight of a pregnant belly protruding out of a shirt that was too tight for comfort.

Kaname wondered how Zero managed to sleep in that uncomfortable position, especially with his neck bent uncomfortably on the armrest. _He must not be aware that there are bigger pillows and covers in the cabinet._

His red brown eyes were fixated on the object of his affection. Instead of heading to the cabinet as he meant to, Kaname found himself taking careful steps closer, drinking in the sight of the glowingly beautiful silverette. He strained his ear, listening to his soft breath. His hands roamed close to a pale cheek, wanting to caress it with the back of his fingers but fearing to interrupt the chance to be close without a fiery hunter pushing him away. Slowly, he found himself getting on his knees, yearning for a closer look, for a large whiff of the hunter’s scent, for a subtle touch. He sat there, in daze until his roaming eyes settled on the bump.

He focused his hearing; the sound of the quick heartbeat was akin to a lullaby, soothing his very soul. The muffled sound told him that the unborn child was shuffling around. His curious hand started roaming dangerously close to the stomach, not really touching but wanting to. He could hear the shuffling increase, and it was starting to cause the hunter a slight discomfort from the telltale sign of a frown deepening.

Kaname was about to pull his hand away, stand and go get the pillow he meant to use as an excuse to wake Zero up. However, a surprising occurrence startled him. The unblemished skin of the pregnant belly started to stretch at a certain spot. Kaname’s eyes widened as the stretching increased and small dome formed, as if something was pushing from inside.

In a trance, Kaname reached out to it and caressed it with a finger. He retracted it as fast as the small pudge disappeared, but he found himself waiting like an impatient child for it to happen again. Oblivious to the risk of waking the silverette, the pureblood used his aura to caress the bump, knowing that a direct touch would probably snap Zero awake. To his delight, he got the outcome he wished for; a toothed smile adorned his face at the sight of another protrusion showing up, this time bigger than the last.

His happiness was short lived as the action led to a groan and a grumpy hunter waking up with a start. Zero’s hand flew to his stomach and his eyes widened in surprise upon finding the pureblood sitting that close to him.

“What?” Zero pressed on the spot where his son kicked, wincing slightly while Kaname stood and took a couple of steps back.

The pureblood found it fair to apologize since he knew that his actions stirred the unborn child, “I am sorry. I was just curious when I saw-“

“What was that?” Zero was in daze, asking the question as he looked from his bump to the pureblood.

Kaname was puzzled at the unexpected reaction, “I… I was attempting to make him kick again to see the hand or feet pushing out… I know it was invasive of me to do so-“

“Huh? Kick? again?” Zero tilted his head, more confusion showing on his face before it lit up in astonishment, “Kick? That was a kick?” he breathed out the observation. It was not his first pregnancy and he should know what a kick felt like, except that he blocked out all memories of the first time, which he considered a nightmare.

“Zero?” Kaname kneeled again, worried about the lost look on the hunter’s face, “You should have felt it before right, I mean… It should have been happening a lot… Are you okay? Does this one feel odd?” Kaname crooned at the dazed hunter who was staring into space as he answered him.

“A lot? no…” Zero muttered as he pulled his shirt up to rub his belly, “First time.” A giddy smile followed.  

The word surprised the pureblood more than the tender expression on Zero’s face.

“I wonder how it came to happen.” Zero continued, rubbing the spot where he felt the hit. The fluttering sensation was consistent but the kick did not happen again.

Kaname smiled in adoration and stood to leave with one last tip, “It is random most of the time, but you may find a trigger of some sort. Yuki mentioned once that Ai kicked the most when she was watching a thriller movie, as if sensing the tense atmosphere. It could be anything really, a voice, a touch, a mood… the presences around” Kaname turned to leave but was surprised to feel a tugging at his shirt.

_Trigger? voice? touch? presence?_

Zero looked at Kaname with a hopeful stare that unsettled the brunet, “Can you do it again?” Zero’s voice was almost begging

“Pardon?” Kaname blinked, keeping a straight face with difficulty when the hunter was acting all meek and adorable.

“Can you do what you did again, please~” This time Zero boldly held Kaname’s hand and pulled him to sit beside him.

Once he snapped out of his stupor, Kaname kneeled on the floor and glanced at Zero to receive an approving nod.

Zero kept his shirt slightly up and his breath hitched when Kaname’s hand touched his bare skin. The pureblood knew that he was cheating by the direct touch since he used his aura earlier, but he was not about to let the opportunity slide. He rubbed the skin in circular motion, massaging at times until he looked up and stifled a laugh at the sight that greeted him.

“Zero… You look like you are about to solve the biggest mystery in the whole universe.” He could not help but say it.

“Kaname…” Zero growled the word and regretted soon after when noticing the red-brown eyes widen for a fraction of second since it was the first time that he willingly called his name after their numerous spats, “just get on with it.” He urged

However, Kaname did not comply. Instead, he pushed Zero’s shoulders until he laid down on the seat.

“It probably won’t happen as long as you are this tense. He may have moved because you were feeling cozy and relaxed earlier. You should just relax and not focus on it.” Kaname explained while heading to leave.

“Okay… Okay…. I will relax but you keep doing your thing. I will relax.” Zero prevented his exit again, taking deep breaths to prove his point.

Kaname’s lips quivered, stifling another laugh at the actions and got back into position, getting bolder by the minute.

He pulled the coffee table this time for better seating position and looked at the awkward hunter who kept clenching his shirt. It was not hard for Kaname to conclude that Zero was stressing over the fact that the baby did not kick until now. It also confirmed how good of a choice he made to increase the blood supply in case it was energy that the child was lacking.

When he felt the hunter getting more restless, he changed tactics by letting his aura loose again, thinking that it may help. Zero shivered at the invisible touch, and then grabbed one of Kaname’s hands suddenly, an expression between fear and trepidation painting his face. “He is…”

Kaname spontaneously interlaced their fingers and squeezed the hand reassuringly. “Relax… He is moving more… I know”

Seeing the satisfied smile on the pureblood face somehow soothed Zero to the point of not noticing the extent of their intimacy nor the similar amethyst eyes observing them from a good distance.

He continued to watch as Kaname leaned down further, his lips were almost touching the bare skin as his breath tickled Zero, “Hey there buddy! Wanna come out and play?” Kaname whispered.

Zero wanted to roll his eyes and throw a sarcastic remark but the jolting sensation prevented it, instead he squeezed Kaname’s hand and yelped.

Kaname did not bother with the reaction because he was already enchanted by the sight of what seemed like a tiny open hand pushing against the taut skin. He felt a strange pull toward the tiny existence growing inside his beloved, an existence that seemed to acknowledge his presence and that fact sent a warm feeling washing over his very soul. He felt compelled to love them, cherish them, protect them as if the child was his own. His lips curled into a blissful smile before descending to kiss the small protrusion, not caring about any cursing or rejection that may come from the silver hunter.

*sniffle*

Once again, Kaname was caught off guard by the unexpected sound. He glanced up to see Zero’s arm draped over a face dripping with tears and a nose turning pink as the hunter laid back and hid away from the pureblood’s sight. Kaname quickly straightened his back, and flustered about what to do. Had this happened during their ‘conditional relationship’, he would have treated the matter with a cool head. However, he was under the impression that Zero was doing his best keeping his guard up as not to show him any sign of weakness lately. Seeing the silverette suddenly break down made him restless and lost at what to do.

His eyes landed on a convenient box of tissues that he snatched and pulled a bunch of them before quickly but gently pull the arm away and wipe the tears.

“Sorry… *sniffle*… hormones… *hic*” Two words explained the full-blown whimpers that followed next.

“It’s okay.” Kaname reassured, gently stroking the silver strands, “This is just the begining, the next time someone asks about him moving, you will be complaining about how you wished he would stop and give it a rest” Kaname whispered in an amused tone, his eyes roaming from Zero’s face to his bump in adoration.

A hoarse chuckle escaped the hunter at the joke. He felt awkward after his meltdown, but was relieved because the burden of endless worry was lifted.

From his far corner, Ichiru turned to hide behind the wall, a sad smile tracing his lips. _Nii-san, you big idiot!_ He wiped the single tear about to escape his eye and strained his hearing. _It would not hurt to have enhanced hearing at times like this!_ Ichiru pouted internally.

“Feeling better?” Kaname squeezed the hand still interlaced with his while watching the hunter getting into a sitting position.

“Uhm.” Zero nodded, pulling more tissue to blow his stuffed nose.

A flinch caught Kaname’s attention and he started the soothing motion over the exposed belly, this time with the intent of calming the child.

“I think that complaining might start sooner than expected.” Zero poked the spot his son was pushing; a childish giggle escaped him until his hand bumped into that of Kaname.

There was a long pause as the digits remained close, a long pause where Zero started getting aware of their current situation. Violet eyes looked at the hand that had been caressing his pregnant belly, and then at the one interlaced with his other hand and dipping into the cushion of the sofa, and finally the proximity of their faces with Kaname leaning in as not to break the grip or pull Zero unnecessarily.

Kaname realized it all the same, and with both of them clearing their throat. They awkwardly detached their hands and Zero pulled down his shirt. Kaname stood and turned around, his finger raking through his hair in a nonchalant gesture and Zero merely looked away, fighting the blush from turning his face crimson.

“Ehem” another fake cough from the hunter made the pureblood look at him again, “What are you doing here?” Zero spoke first, eager to dispel the awkward mood.

“Oh… I was just getting back from the lab…” Kaname answered quickly.

“I thought you teleported most of the time.” Zero teased, remembering Yuki’s complain about how hard it was to pinpoint Kaname’s location since he did not like strolling around much.

“I get in the mood for walks sometime.” Kaname deadpanned.

Zero took a moment to stare at the pureblood with a scrutinizing gaze. With a clear mind, he immediately connected the dots when noticing that the Kaname looked paler than earlier and the wrinkles on his sleeve proving that it was rolled up not long ago. He was sure that his guess was on point because Hanabusa asked him about where he wanted the weekly supply to be delivered.

“Thanks.”

Kaname was starting to feel restless from the intense gaze, but was even more floored by the word.

“Were you that worried?” Kaname asked but did not wait for an answer, “I should be thanking you. It was probably out of luck that I happened to be there for his first kick.”

Zero was silent for a moment, and then added, “Uhm… But thanks anyways.”

Kaname sighed, “It has been a while since I helped out this way…” he teased, “Bring back some good memories.”

“Good for you maybe,” Zero pouted and looked away.

“You could say that…” Kaname trailed, “But I guess someone else is doing a better job than me now…” He bitterly insinuated the presence of another man in his beloved’s life.

Zero did not answer.

“Oh right…” Kaname headed to the cupboard, “I initially came in because of the uncomfortable sleeping position you had.”

“Oh! You were not molesting then?” The playful tone brought a smile to Kaname’s face as he pulled a large pillow and threw it square in Zero’s face.

“Molesting a hormonal grumpy one like you? No thank you! Regeneration will not be fast enough to recover my limbs” He quipped

With a huff, Zero pushed the pillow away and stood. “You kindness is much appreciated but I think I will head up for a more comfortable and stalker free bed.”

Kaname watched him make a bee line to the door and could not help but comment, “Fast to escape aren’t we?”

A silver eyebrow twitched, “Just because I am pregnant does not mean I will waddle looking like whale anytime soon.”

At this point, Zero was walking faster towards the elevator and Kaname was on his trail, “Well, that shirt is sure making you look like one. Might start thinking of getting some maternity clothes sometime soon.”

The last words made a vein pop in the pale forehead.

“Shut it! And here I was thinking how good of a father you were taking your daughter for a stroll. Brownie points lost a little too fast.” Zero hissed.

_How did a suggestion like that flip his switch?_

Brown eyebrow rose as he pushed the elevator button and leaned to look at the amethyst eyes that were averting his, “Now… How would you know about such a thing?”

Zero froze at the blunder.

“Err… Yuki was swooning with sickening flowers flying everywhere about it.” He quickly made up the first excuse that crossed his mind.

“Hmmm? Weird.” Kaname’s tone was full of mirth, “I never told Yuki that I was taking Ai out. As a matter of fact, I insisted that I had no intention of leaving my place for the rest of the day.”

Kaname’s expression would have one word written in it if Zero could draw it, _busted~_

The elevator coming save him further embarrassment, especially when Kaname did not follow him inside.

“Goodnight Zero!” Kaname waved with a grin.

“Whatever…”

Just before the doors closed, Kaname whispered loud enough for the hunter to hear, “You will made a wonderful parent yourself.”

Amethyst eyes widened for a second before the shake of the elevator rising snapped him out of his daze. He crossed his arms as if hugging his form, biting his lower lip and rocking back and forth inside the cubicle. _You idiot!_

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“When the cat goes away…” The soft voice send a flinch across Kaname’s body for he did not sense the presence beforehand.

He looked back to see a smirking Ichiru leaning against a pillar where he hid from them.

“Did you learn to hide your presence?” Kaname asked before realizing the meaning of Ichiru’s words, “Who are you calling a mouse again.”

Ichiru chuckled, “Nope… I learnt nothing, but you were probably too _entranced_ by my brother to notice a mere human in a building full of vampires.” The silverette never ceased to enjoy the rare chance where he gets to poke fun at the stoic pureblood.

“Oh!” He rose his voice to normal, “Maternity clothes is going to be taboo words for Nii-san in the next few days. You can ask Yuuki-chan about the reason.”

A brown eyebrow quirked in amusement, assuming that Yuuki pulled yet another prank on her adoptive brother.

Ichiru beckoned Kaname to join him in the soundproof TV room and closed the door behind them. They took opposite seats and Ichiru pulled out his phone, tapping on it as he talked, “Speaking of the cat…”

Kaname had the rare urge to strangle the infuriating twin but held it in due to the serious tone. “I hit dead ends when it comes to the vampire society. It seems that he never associated with any of our race until his sister turned into one.”

Ichiru nodded, “But I happened to stumble onto something interesting.” he picked Kaname’s interest and went silent.

“Any intention to share?” The pureblood narrowed his eyes, urging him to speak or scram.

The younger twin, more than his brother was extremely immune to the intimidation of purebloods, with a bored face, Ichiru flipped his phone and showed a scanned copy of a birth certificate.

“Moriya Gin is adopted.”

Kaname looked at the information before giving the phone back for Ichiru to fumble with it.

“I do not see how that would make him suspicious or remotely bad.” He shrugged.

“Me neither.” Ichiru stated absentmindedly.

“How about we get to the point.”

“Sure…”

Ichiru placed his phone on the table, dug his elbows on his own thighs and rested his chin in the palm of a supporting hand, “Moriya Gin was adopted at birth. The mother who raised them both had no blood ties to either one of them.”

“How is that helping us?” Kaname wondered.

“Moriya Gin himself led quiet the plain life. No publicly known relationship of close friends or lovers… The one thing that would stand out would be his academic records since he was a natural genius with an IQ higher than Hanabusa’s I hate to admit.” Ichiru spat bitterly, “However, it seems like he was set up in a scandal that cost him his brilliant career at the university. He vanished suddenly for a year and few months to come back looking like a new man who rose from his ashes.”

 

Kaname frowned, “Do you think that they are not the same person?”

Ichiru shook his head in denial, “Sadly, they are the one and only Moriya Gin. I took hair sample from his place, toothbrush and fingerprints. They all pointed to the same person who is no impostor.”

Kaname sighed in defeat, “So… Another dead end.”

“I would not be too quick to assume that.” Ichiru smirked.

Kaname remained silent, allowing him to elaborate.

“What interested me is not Gin himself; it is the family that adopted him. Does the name of the mother ring a bell?”

“Moriya Nanami? No.” Kaname answered curtly.

Ichiru flipped his phone and showed him her birth certificate as he spoke, “I thought that Nanami was quite an odd name for a girl who lived in Australia. However, it seems her mother who died giving birth to her was of Japanese origins. Her father was a business consultant of some sort, and her husband was one of his clients. Again, at this point, I assumed that I reached a dead end. Giving up, I wasted time doing random digging deeper into the family tree, more precisely the step mother of Nanami.” Ichiru was again fumbling with his phone while explaining.

“Before marrying Nanami’s father, the woman was married to a late business tycoon, even wealthier than her second husband. The first husband seemed to have met a tragic death though. Ah! He was also a client of her second husband.”

Kaname ran his fingers through his hair, “I do not see the point of looking into the adoptive grandparents of the man, Ichiru-kun.”

“Kyle Stevens.” Ichiru stated.

Kaname’s eyes widened for a fraction of second for the name sounded awfully familiar.

“I had the same reaction. Stevens… A name that popped in quite few researches I did when Zero was reforming the system of the organization. Kyle Stevens used to be a prime sponsor of the hunter association and a man of strong ties to every race, humans, hunters and vampires all the same.”

Kaname’s attention was fully earned until the answer to his next question, “Was he alive by the time Gin was adopted.”

“No.” Ichiru shrugged.

Disappointment flashed through Kaname’s eyes.

“But his adoptive grandmother seemed to be around. However, he would not remember her since she died when he was still a child.” Ichiru sighed.

“Are you suspecting that his story about not knowing about our existence could be a lie?” Kaname pondered the assumption he was thinking about.

“Yes, I am. It is very hard to believe that he would not have come across the knowledge seeing that they inherited all of the Stevens’ fortune, and he is currently the sole heir of it all. The transaction and ties to the organization were bound to pop at some point in his life.”

“The question is: Why would he hide such a thing… If nothing else, it would put him in higher esteem amongst us.” Kaname leaned back on his seat.

Ichiru rubbed the back of his neck, “Well… there are rumors about Kyle’s death being caused due to his involvement with the association, some related it to vampires and the list goes on… One thing for sure, the fact that he was adopted and the dark circumstance of Kyle’s death may have a huge impact on the way he is hiding it. Of course, we are saying this assuming that he is aware of the heritage.”

Kaname hummed in acknowledgement.

“The last piece that I found which was a bigger shock would be that Kyle was not the only who died, but also his children. Only the wife survived whatever massacre that was never divulged anywhere.” Ichiru’s expression darkened all of a sudden.

Kaname was intrigued by the reaction and could not help but ask.

“The adoptive grandmother?”

“She is known as Natalie.” Ichiru flipped his phone again, “However, my guts told me something was off about her bio until I looked into the archive of the association.”

Frozen would be an understatement in describing the way Kaname looked at the picture and data that the phone displayed.

Ichiru read them aloud, “Priscilla… Yagari Priscilla… The aunt who raised Yagari Toga and his sister after their parents perished in a mission.”

“Talk about a surprise.” Kaname whispered, “Why would someone from a hunter lineage marry a sponsor.”

Ichiru looked at him, lips quivering to hold back the laugh he was trying hard to stifle.

“Do not tell me that you intend to tell Zero?” Kaname subtly placed a finger in front of his lips, which also were quivering.

It was not long before both broke in discrete chuckle, doing their best not to laugh out loud at the common image that popped in their heads.

Ichiru wiped a straining tear from holding back and inhaled sharply, “Tell Zero, more like telling Master would be even more epic. *burst laughing*… What if it is a bigger shock for Gin?”

Kaname was having a hard time keeping his composure as he recapitulated the information, “So~ Moriya sensei, you are the adoptive son of the adoptive daughter of Yagari Priscilla, who is in turn the aunt of Yagari Toga. That would make you a distant adoptive cousin of the mentor of your partner. Welcome to the family!”

Ichiru fell to the floor laughing at the thought of the face anyone would make at such a statement, especially his mentor who never seemed to handle the thought of Zero being with Gin for some reason.

It took them a moment to find their composure again.

“Well…” Ichiru sighed.

Kaname cleared his throat, “All jokes aside! The good thing is that we found nothing suspicious about the man himself, but the family he is adopted in seems shrouded in mystery. We might need to clear that fog in case it catches up to him and puts Zero in danger.”

Ichiru blinked few times, “So you have no plan of snatching him away?”

Kaname gave him an expressionless look and stood up, “It is not like _he_ snatched him away from me. You should know better how your brother reacts to forceful approach.”

Ichiru pondered as he followed him, “I don’t see the harm of a little pushiness at the right moments.”

“It sounds like you want us to be together despite your brother hating it.” Kaname looked over his shoulder to the slightly shorter twin who was whistling and acting nonchalant.

The pureblood shook his head, “You are truly an infuriating man.”

“I thought that was you.” Ichiru quipped before bidding goodbye and walk in the direction of the lab.

Kaname did not want to think too much about the reason behind Ichiru urging him to win Zero over, especially seeing that the hunter was comfortable around Gin. _Not to mention…_

An image of the last time he saw them together caused an uncomfortable feeling that made him feel sick, he quickly strolled to his apartment while focusing solely one the pleasant happening of witnessing the first kick.

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In Australia ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

 

“Achooo!” *Sniff*

“That was some nasty sneeze! Gross.”

The grey-eyed ethic teacher glowered at his companion, “It makes me wonder if he is blind or just plain clueless for getting involved with you.”

“Who?”

“The ex-boyfriend.”

“He _is not_ an ex- _boyfriend_. We just slept together a few times and I was just-“

“A substitute… Hai! Hai! Hai!... I memorized that story and that is my point exactly… You may share some resemblance, but you personalities are seriously polar opposite.” His eyes roamed over the figure of the man walking beside him. Slender frame, straight back and high chin exuding enough charisma to earn the respect of others, deep eyes of the same shade of grey as his but the long flowy hair had the color of wheat that framed his refined features perfectly. 

“You are just peeved because he busted you at first sight.” The slightly shorter man bit back, fixing the sword sheathed in his grip.

“Talk about a bummer. I thought borrowing the identity of an antisocial brute like you would make my infiltration smoother.”

“I warned you.”

“But~ The information clearly stated that Toga Yagari was in his last stage, and Takamiya-kun was down in the dumps about it.” The teacher stretched his hands upward before crossing them behind his head, not caring about the murmurs following in their trail. He hated walking in this facility the most, and the fact that the original Moriya Gin walking beside him had to carry a sword around made things more annoying for him.  

“I told you that the man would not go down that easily and that recklessness of yours will come back to bite you like bad karma. He would see through you in the blink of an eye no matter what.” The original grunted.

“I could not allow you to go either…” The teacher whispered, glancing briefly knowing that an anguished expression is bound to be present even if he did not wish for it to be there.

“I know, stupid oaf.” Gin’s host opened the glass door, “Tooru! The annoying man is back.”

“Everyone would be shocked if they knew that the actual Moriya Gin was such a sourpuss.” Gin complained as he took seat on the bed next to the young boy with open arms expecting a hug.

“Papa! Uncle bear is not annoying.” the father huffed and flopped on a chair next to the bed,

“Someone here appreciates me at least.” Gin gave a full toothed smile to the child grappling his shoulders while being careful of the tubes puncturing his hands, “So~ little man, feeling any better?”

Tooru pinched the teacher’s nose, “I am not little. You made a promise for when I turn fourteen, remember?”

Gin smiled and mussed the soft dark hair of the boy, “I do… On that day, I will take you out of here and show you the world.”

“Oi…” Scolding eyes bore into his over the head of the child but he shrugged. _It will not hurt him to dream as long as I can fulfill the promise!_

The father sighed at the stubbornness. He knew that his son’s health would be in danger if they merely took a stroll in the garden, having anyone giving the child hopes of living in the outside world pained him greatly.

“Can I go to school?” Tooru chirped.

“Of course!”

“uhm…” the boy hesitated before looking sheepishly at the teacher he always called uncle bear because of the signature bear hug he would get from him, “I don’t wanna take your classes though…. Nao-chan always said that they were boring~”

Gin’s eyebrow twitched…. “That rascal.” he made a mental note to clobber the impertinent vampire.

“By the way…” Their attention shifted to the man sitting on the chair, “We have a report to deal with and you need to collect what you came here for.”

Gin bid the boy farewell and followed his host out of the room and the building.

“Aren’t you being too tense around him?” Gin could not help but throw the remark.

“I am doing my best to keep my stress at bay but things are getting hectic around here. I have my hands full keeping eye on everything. The fact that Tooru is nearing the age of wanting to spread his wings and explore the words does not lessen that burden.” The father expressed his worries to his one and only confidant, “Not to mention, having you play lover and the good Samaritan for an unborn child while I am suffering here ticks me off to no end.” The venomous hiss made Gin wince.

“First of all,” The teacher pointed a lecturing finger, “I am not playing lover, I am a lover. Secondly, it is because I am a lover that I will support my partner and love their child as my own.”

“Remind me of how much trouble you got into because of that goodie-two-shoes attitude of yours? I lost count of how many near-death experience Nao-chan had to go through in the short period of time he was left in your care.”

“Come on~”

The gate of the large castle opened up and a honey-eyed man greeted him with an access card in his hand. The original Gin handed the sword to a maid who came to collect it.

“I appreciate, Josh!” Gin nodded as he took the card.

Tooru’s father smacked Gin’s head, “Now you are acting all polite after threatening my lover to kill him if he did not give you back the pass?”

The teacher chuckled and patted the shoulders of the still frightened man standing with them, “Josh is quiet used to my temper… Nah~ dear _friend!”_

“Cut it out!” This time a foot aimed square to his kneecap, making his tall form almost crumble to the floor.

“You bastard!” Gin finally lost the humor.

“You two… Please cut it out… It is unsightly to act like kids at your age.” The third person intervened.

“Do not treat us like we are old geezers, Josh!” they both snapped at him.

Joshua finally held his temple in frustration before turning on his heel to leave while muttering, “I would have loved to have some tea time with Nao-chan instead of dealing with you couple of idiotic partners. I fear for this organization with you two in it.”

“Oh yeah! Nao said hi!” Gin remembered to relay the greeting softly. No matter what, he knew that Nao was grateful that Josh led the two of them to meet. It was the businessman who helped him fulfill the transaction and win the auction so that he acquires the healing vampire. Despite being a human, Joshua was deeply involved with the European community of vampires and that knowledge allowed him to stumble upon the boy with the peculiar power. He was accidentally injured while checking the kids kept in the cellar to be sold in the auction. A young skinny vampire approached him at the scent of blood and Joshua thought that he was a goner, but Nao discreetly healed his small cut and walked away. Gin could still remember how Josh groveled to him, begging to take the child away from that hell.

“Just hi! I have been sending him a plane ticket after another to come visit this lonely old man, but he always finds an excuse to refuse.” Joshua’s voice was breaking from fake sorrow. He knew that Nao would avoid him for the rest of his life, but he did not care as long as he was doing well. “More importantly, I paid my dues now that you came back to retrieve the pass. Please be kind enough not to treat me like your lackey from now on.”

“That is a habit hard to break, pooch.” Gin teased but got a head whack in response from the man he was impersonating, “You seriously need to stop being so violent.”

“I am this way only when it concerns you.” The original huffed again as he eyed the pass in Gin’s hand, “Are you sure about your decision. You know what it means to take that pass and retrieve what you left behind. I am sure she will go on rampage knowing that you did this without consulting her.”

Gin smiled as he turned the black metallic card around his fingers before pushing it into the pocket of the suit he was wearing, he fixed the tie he kept loose all this time and smirked, “Nah~ She never wanted me to give it up in the first place.”

“Gin-sama!”

They both turned to the butler who was confused for a moment before handing the envelope to Tooru’s father.

Gin observed the other’s expression as he read the paper inside the envelop before a long sigh escaped him.

The envelope was handed over to him, “Words travel a bit too fast around here. Your welcome home gift, I guess!”

The grey eyes of the ethic teacher dulled at the meaning of the words as he took the envelope,

“Home, huh?” He eyed the coiling dragon adorning the broken seal of the letter.

Hearing the words made the butler bow deeply, “Forgive my ignorance, welcome back to the Valley of Darkness, Master!”

 

Gin’s eyes twitched at the sarcasm laced in the butler’s voice. “Cut the crap Seb…” He hissed, “It is not as if I left in the first place.”

The butler fixed his glasses and rose with an annoying smirk, “Well… The normal life never suited someone like you anyways. I would be happy to serve by your side again.”

Tooru’s father shook his head in exasperation, “Why do I feel that having you back will only make matters worse?”

“Because he abides by his own code and never that of the elders.” The butler reminded them.

“Speaking of which…” Gin crumbled the fancy paper and threw it in the nearest bin as he made his way to a large wooden door carved with the emblem of the dragon, “They are probably getting impatient, waiting to get a piece of me.”

The two others followed him with an amused smile on their faces, knowing that things were about to get more interesting in their dull and cold castle.

 

**∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ At the front gate of Cross Campus ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞**

The guard at the gate was enjoying the cool air of the cabin when a shifting caught his attention. He narrowed his eyes on the figure approaching the gate, he noticed the unsteadiness and swaying until it fell down in a heap.

In a heartbeat, he jumped out and ran to collect the young girl who collapsed on the hot stone pathway.

“Miss! Miss! Are you okay!” The man started to panic when he noticed the dry blood covering her clothes as well as her labored breathing, “Ambulance… Phone!”

“….ro…”

The breathy whisper halted his actions and he brought his ear closer to the lips of the young girl.

“Zero-san…” She whispered again.

Aya felt her body grow colder by the minute, she knew she did not have much time, but her strong will allowed her to last this long. She gazed at the shifting scenery, relieved to feel that the guard was carrying her inside as fast as he can while talking on his transmitter. The names she heard brought relief to her distressed heart, Aido, Kiryuu… _Yeah! I need to see them one last time… To warn them… They are coming._

 


	57. Chapter 57

**Gosh it has been soooooo long since the last update. Sooo Sorry guys. Life has been a bitch, and still is, but I am never giving up on my stories (some of you thought I abandoned them right? you were wrong~)**

**Anyways, this chapter may be shorter than the previous one, but it a lot out of me to write and finish it. I am not in the best mood to reread because I had to retype it from scattered handwritten notes, so I apologize for the bunch of mistakes you may find in it as it is practically raw and unedited.**

**Why am I rushing to post it without rereading and fixing? Well… I MISSED YOU GUYS AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THAT I AM STILL ALIVE AND KICKING IN THIS FANDOM (as silly as that may sound), but also to tell you that I will be updating more regularly from now on because I am back to my lovely routine and constant internet access ;)**

**On to the chapter, and thank you sooo much to the awesome people who kept checking up on me and sending me encouraging messages, you give the best motivation to my lonely heart. Love ya all!**

**Enjoy!**

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Continuation ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

 

 

The air in the infirmary felt heavy with gloom. The nurse worked as fast as she could following Aido’s instructions. Yuki helped change and clean the body of the injured girl. The bite was festering and it was painful just looking at it. Her fever was soaring as they worked, and everyone started losing hope of saving her, especially when they learned of the culprit’s identity.

Once the initial panic subsided, Zero and Ichiru got closer to the bed of the sick patient. Their faces contorted in pain and grief even though the little girl welcomed them with a smile.

“Feeling all right?” Ichiru whispered as he pushed a strand of hair sticking to her sweating forehead. He knew how pointless his question was due to the wheezing sound of her labored breathing.

“Uhm… haa… I think… I …. can hold… just a bit… *inhale*… longer…” She tried sounding amused but failed miserably.

“Don’t push yourself. Get some rest…” Zero patted her hand as he turned around to leave, but she grabbed his little finger weakly and tugged.

“No time… I need to tell…” her pained eyes pleaded him  

A long pause stretched, making the people present impatient and uncomfortable.

“We were attacked…” She started after gathering enough strength. Whatever was in her IV drip, she felt as if it renewed her energy somehow.

She glanced sideway to see the one-eyed hunter looking into her eyes with an unreadable expression. Yagari did not move from the corner of the room. His inner turmoil did not reflect on his face as he listened intently.

“We reached our hideout, few days ago… Dwellers… came… and…” She felt short of breath again.

Cross Kaien came forth and calmed her down. The first thing he asked relieved her to no end, “Is there any survivors other than you?”

She nodded, “Those who fought… I don’t think… but… children… women… some hide…”

Ichiru grabbed his phone and dialed while talking, “I will have the group there go and look for them immediately.”

Aya smiled. She was reluctant about being left to rest but no one would have it any other way.

Everyone left except for Yagari. There was a moment of silence before she whispered loud enough for him to hear, “If I were to say something about your actions, it would be a thank you. Thank you for ridding us of the accursed burden.”

The statement shocked the hunter, but he composed himself shortly after, and pushed his weight off the wall. At the door, he glanced at her with a small smile, “Rest kid, you need plenty of strength to tell your story.”

Cross Campus have been quiet for few days due to the exam period being over and most students having left. That is until few hours later when it got swamped by a string of cars and ambulance carrying what was left of the Kiryuu clan.

Things were worse than expected that even the vampires had to step in and lend a hand.

In the midst of the chaos, Yuki noticed a child that would not stop crying. He reminded her of the kid she helped once at the association and her instinct urged her to do the same.

The surrounding hostility did not faze her. It was understandable for such clan to detest her kind, but she gave it no thought as she reached for the child. He was wary at first, and his mother was lying unconscious next to him on the bed. The kind smile of the female pureblood soothed him a bit and he let her pat his head.

The moment that Yuki tried to take away the traumatizing memory, a jolt of pain ran through her arm that she retracted quickly. The child cried louder from the invasive action, to the point that his mother woke up and shielded him upon finding a pureblood towering over them.

Yuki was flustered, especially with all the tension and glares directed at her through the hall. A comforting pat on the shoulder brought her relief when she found her adoptive father intervening on her behalf.

“I am sorry; this is Yuki, my adoptive daughter. She meant no harm to your son.” The calm voice and words of the chairman relaxed the woman who apparently heard about the pureblood raised by a hunter.

“Yuki…” Cross patted the head of his daughter who looked at him with a puzzled look, “The stronger the Kiryuu blood is the more impossible it is for a pureblood to look into their head as long as they refuse it… It also applies for some strong hunters from other families.”

Garnet eyes widened in surprise, “That is the reason I could not take away his fears?” Yuki looked at the child quivering in his mother’s arms, biting her lips for adding to his trauma instead of taking it away.

The mother understood the look and gave her a soft reassuring nod, “Don’t worry… We learn to live with our scars, no matter how deep and painful they might be. You did not harm him and I will be sure to have him remember you as the kind vampire who wanted to help him.”

 

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

 

Out of the assembly hall where everyone gathered, Yuki found Zero and Ichiru talking to some of the clansmen who were able to fill them in with the details they needed.

The news of the grandmother’s death floored them, but they were not sad about it. What intrigued them the most were the masked individuals who seemed to be chasing them for years.

Ichiru took all the information he needed to look into the hidden organization as well as the motive of the ice-wielder.

When Aya was deemed strong enough to carry out a conversation, the twins and concerned individuals gathered in the nurse office.

Her complexion looked much better thanks to the painkiller Hanabusa administered continuously.

“I hear that you managed to retrieve all the survivors.” She stated with a grateful tone.

Ichiru had a sad expression, “Everyone except your mother, unfortunately.”

Aya shook her head, “My mother was not amongst them in the first place. She is the one who helped me escape and come find you.”

“Escape?” Zero quirked an eyebrow.

“After the dwellers left, that vampire was the one who wrecked havoc and killed all those with a breath remaining in their body. The woman accompanying him bit and turned my mother just like he did with me.” She explained weakly.

Rage boiled inside every person present, “It seems that my case will be a failure though, *cough* *cough*. Just like he said, their poison is too strong-“

“Nothing is lost as long as you breathe.” Ichiru stated firmly, not liking the finality of her tone.

She smiled, “Well… I should be grateful for one thing. A vampire bite took my powers away and I have a clear head that I never enjoyed since birth.”

Yagari’s eyebrow twitched and he quickly answered the question swimming in everyone’s head, “The seers are always women amongst the hunters, they keep their power intact until they are no longer ‘pure’. By pure, it can mean the race, or the virginity.” He cleared his throat, knowing how outrageous the explanation sounded.

It took a moment for everyone to assimilate it, and he knew that they understood by the uncomfortable way they were trying to change the subject.

Aya giggled, “The good thing about this is that I am left with pleasant predictions as my last memories, except for one.” Her expression suddenly hardened.

“Because I am not of pure lineage, it was easy for him to look into my head.” She winced at the memory, “I was worried about what he saw and how it would affect you two.” She looked at the twin sitting close and listening intently.

“They took us to their lair. It was underground, but we were blindfolded and in pain, so we could not know where exactly. However, when I escaped through the maze of tunnels, I ended up in the cemetery nearby. I could see the campus from the high hill, and considered myself lucky to be able to reach in time.”

“You did great!” Ichiru squeezed her hand, and she squeezed back, “but why did you take the risk?”

“He assumed that I was a goner, and did not hold back from running his mouth. I thought that it might help to know a bit of their identity and motive.”

Zero nodded, admiring the courage of the young girl.

“The female pureblood who turned my mother is called Lady Hanadagi. I heard some of her servants call her using that name.”

The twins jolted at the knowledge. “That bi-…” Zero trailed but swallowed his word, urging the girl to finish talking.

“She is following the other vampire who seems to be powerful. He calls himself one of the first vampires….” Seeing that they were aware of the information, she continued, “His name is Cyrus. From what I gathered, he is not your only threat.”

Zero tensed at the knowledge, it was hard enough to deal with that one vampire, knowing that there was more unsettled him greatly.

“He has someone giving him order, someone he calls the Queen. He talked about other first vampires following her blindly. Moreover, it seems that there are factions amongst those vampires. However, the real problem lies with the information Cyrus acquired after this last attack, about the chosen one.”

Ichiru all but rolled his eyes at the name that popped too many times lately, “What is this about?”

Aya had a solemn expression as she recited the tale, “In the old scrolls of our clan, scrolls that only the main family has access to, lies a prophecy of our future… The prophecy talked about the apocalypse that happened which lead to the surge of vampires and the birth of the first hunters…. It seems that the scroll contains signs of an incoming crisis. It is said that the power of the universe will shift with the birth of the chosen one. We are not clear about the meaning of it all, but what we are certain about is that an individual with fearful power capable of annihilating everything that come across their path would surge. The few clues left about them would be that they are offspring of the descendent of the purest line bearing the fate of being the _carrier_.”

 “Carrier?” Yuki frowned at the term, “As in the _carrier_ in vampire society?” she asked referring to male vampires who are able to conceive, of the omega rank.

“Not necessarily.” Aya shook her head softly, “The carrier could be of any race, maybe even a human for all that matters.” She bit her lips, “But our clan drew the conclusion that it has to be a powerful individual for them to carry such legendary offspring.” Her eyes drifted to Zero. “The leader have always been obsessed with power and she was greedy to get more and more of it. She tapped into the darkest manuscripts. She was a sharp woman and followed lead after lead to get what she wanted every time.”

Aya explained the conspiracy with Cyrus and the real aim of the grandmother when she approached the twins. The truth made them shudder in horror.

“Why is she so sure that Zero would be the carrier of the chosen one?” Ichiru pondered.

“I am not sure, but I think that the deciding factor was learning of his unique condition.” Zero flinched for a moment, the idea that his secret was revealed to the enemies bothered him, but he knew that his past promiscuousness was to blame for it. “The fact that Zero-sama possess both genders, and is a powerful individual coupled with having a human as a partner makes his unborn child very special.”

Ichiru was getting irritated by the second. Multitude of scenarios were going through his brain, fogged by the rage of almost getting used to harm his brother yet again. A thought suddenly popped in his head, “You said that some conditions have to be fulfilled for the child to be the chosen one. How can she be so sure that my nephew have the highest chance?”

Aya had to swallow and breath through her dry lips before speaking, “I overhead some of the text in the prophecy. It said that the chosen one would be conceived on the night of the full moon, a night of heightened senses where the carrier would feel the need to conceive even if unaware. The other thing I heard is that the carrier would not be able to get rid of the child even if they tried, and that only the father can end its life while it is still in the womb.” Zero jolted at the last piece of information. He exchanged a swift glance with his brother, both thinking of another child that Zero tried to abort but failed: Keiichi.

Aya was oblivious to the worry lacing their voices, “Do you have any idea who would come after the child other than the dead grandma and her followers?” Yuki asked, taking note of every detail so that she could relay it to Kaname who set off for a different investigation under the order of the association.

“Sorry” the sick girl answered weakly as her eyes drooped, “If the knowledge spread, I heard that there will be ones who seek to consume the power by killing the Chosen One, but there will be others that will seek to protect them with their lives. I am not sure how Cyrus will make use of the information he got, but we are certain that he is no protector.” She yawned the last sentence while Yuki called the nurse back.

“It is alright Yuki-sama.” The nurse reassured them after the girl suddenly fell asleep, “Aido-sama have been giving her and increasing dose of sedatives. It appears to slow the spreading of the poison, so he is thinking of putting her in an induced coma in hope that it helps here transition. That is her only chance to survive sadly.” She explained.

The trio took the information calmly. They all felt the pang of yet another life that the harsh destiny toyed with, but they hoped for the better fate ahead.  

Once away from ear reach, Zero voiced his opinion: “As long as Keiichi’s past is not revealed and neither any sign of unique abilities, he will be safe.”

Ichiru nodded as he strode down the hallway by Zero’s side, “We can’t take action as long as he is away for his oversea photoshoot, but you will probably take some subtle measure of protection once he gets back.” He glanced at his older twin, knowing the meaning of the frown growing on Zero’s face.

“I am at the same time glad and regretting that we are covering the truth about him. The first time ever for the latter.” He hissed as he combed his hair messily.

“I would be jumping in joy if it was under different circumstances,” Ichiru patted his shoulders, “But I have to say that I am glad as well. Having the secret kept between the three of us will make it impossible to reveal-  Shit!” Ichiru halted when remembering that a fourth person was aware that Keiichi was Zero’s son.

The silver hunter noticed that and rolled his eyes, “Gin will gain nothing by revealing it, and he would do nothing that would bring harm to people important to me.” Zero made a dismissive gesture before rubbing his belly, “Besides, out of the two, this one is more endangered.”

“Trust much!” Ichiru huffed, then walked and purposely bumped into his dazed brother and hooked his arm to pull him back to his place. “Well… I say that we had enough drama these two days, it is time to gear up and do what we do best.”

“Catch and kill those leeches.” Zero stated flatly.

“As soon as possible because I have a wedding coming up.” Ichiru chirped

“How do you manage to be outrageous at times like this?” Zero pondered, “and still plan and organize a freaking party to boot!”

Ichiru started walking backward and grinning like a child, “Power of love baby that is the power of love.” He traced a heart with both hands and pouted when Zero let out a gagging sound.

“But seriously…” Ichiru muttered, leading to Zero glancing side way when they resumed the normal walking, “I am impatient to become an Aido officially. It seems that darker times are coming and I feel this urgency to make as many happy memories as possible to hold on to in moments of doom.” The goofy smile was replaced with a solemn look that Zero hated to see on his brother’s face since they were kids.

He let out a long sigh, “Did you restock on matcha Ice cream?”

Ichiru nodded absentmindedly.

Zero grinned in return when his twin finally realized the hidden motive, “Well that is one happy memory I am planning to make.” and he started walking faster.

“Zero Kiryuu! You better stop right there!” Ichiru started running after him but soon was out of breath when Zero left dust in his trails thanks to his vampire speed.

Ichiru laughed loud at the action and concentrated for a moment. He inhaled slowly as his eyes fluttered closed. A moment later, his whole body relaxed and his right feet lifted ahead. Opening his eyes, purpled irises turned shiny gold. The moment his foot landed on the ground he gasped as the strong wind slapped his face and the vision blurred before becoming fast and focused as if on a bullet train.

Zero, already in front of Ichiru’s place, cursed when he realized that he had no key and the door was securely locked. “Tch! Failed prank.”

*Bang*

The gust of wind and loud sound made Zero jump out of his skin and step away of the form crumpling on the floor. He blinked a few time before realizing that it was Ichiru crouching down and holding his bleeding nose.

“What the fuck was that?” Zero whispered, having hard time understanding how his brother materialized all of a sudden in front of him.

“duff nuuu (don’t know)” Ichiru answered with teary eyes as he stood up and wiped his nose with a tissue that Zero handed him. “I just pictured reaching my place fast and took a step forward and suddenly my body moved on its own.”

Zero finally got to the bottom of the mystery when he saw Ichiru’s eyes fading from golden to purple, “That is what you get from tapping into powers you don’t know how to control.”

“Oh wise old man!” Ichiru mocked as he unlocked the door, “As if you are one to speak about power control.”

Zero had to swallow his words and follow with no comeback.

The twins froze at the entryway when they met mountains of books and scrolls scattered across the living room and kitchen.

“Forget the ice-cream tub,” Zero patted Ichiru’s chest as he gestured to the cluttered kitchen with his chin, “It seems like we will have a harder time finding your fridge.”

“Well,” Ichiru let out a baffled laugh as he scanned his apartment, “I did ask them to deliver all books and documents they find in the hideout.”

“Good luck sorting that out. Oh! And make sure to find a way so that you do not end up with another nosebleed.” Zero teased before turning to leave his brother to his misery.

Ichiru was quick to react and pulled him by the back of his collar, “hold you horses buddy!”

“What?” Zero groaned at the prospect of helping out.

“Your blood supplies happened to come to my place and were stored in my fridge. Are you sure that you want to wait until I sort things out by myself? I may not start with the kitchen though?” Ichiru shrugged innocently.

“You cunning bastard!” Zero hissed at the intimidation.

“Language~” Ichiru chirped while pointing to the pregnant bump.

“Where do I need to start?” Zero growled and stomped inside the messy place. Ichiru followed him with an uncontrollable fit of giggles.

 

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Later that day ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

 

On his fifth trip to the infirmary, Zero was interrupted by an international phone call.

Gin talked about random things until he noticed the urgency in Zero’s tone. He managed to coax the truth out of the hunter who briefed him about the happenings on campus.

  
“Gin, this is supposed to be confidential, but I am telling you as a warning to be careful until your trip back. You might be in more danger than anyone else might since it had been leaked that you are the father of my child. Just come back as soon as you can so that I can provide the necessary protection to ensure your safety, please?” Zero whispered in a firm tone. Gin’s stubbornness about not needing protection and the fact that he had to delay his flight once again unnerved the pregnant silver hunter to no end. The last thing he needed was to lose an innocent soul because of his own battles.

“You are going to have your special squad watch over me around the clock?” Gin teased. He heart swelled at the thought of Zero caring about his safety, but the restrictions that the hunter may put him under were worrying him.

“What if I am?” Zero grounded.

“I guess I will have to enjoy the shackles of your love.” The grey-eyed male teased more, imagining the amethyst eyes rolling in annoyance.

“Just come back soon, and safe.” Zero ended the call and proceeded to his destination.

Hanabusa was about to blow his top because the twins kept badgering him with questions about Aya’s wellbeing. He was taking a huge leap of faith as it is and did not need the extra pressure.

The young girl smiled as he injected her with the content of the syringe, “Sorry for making you go through all this trouble.”

“No need to thank me… We all share a bit of responsibility for how things turned out. I am just diffusing my guilt here.” The blond vampire stated calmly as he dabbed the cotton on the puncture wound before meeting the smiling girl. He could not help but reciprocate the action.

Aya licked her dry lips before gesturing for him to come closer. Aido hesitated but leaned in nonetheless, “As a parting gift in case I do not wake up… The beautiful vision I had… Was about you two… your… desires… the deepest… will come true… So… Don’t bother looking for a way for it to happen because ….it ….will ….eventually… One step at a time…”

Electric blue eyes widened at the realization of the meaning behind the words. He recoiled suddenly and looked at her with wide eyes.

“oh…” Aya inhaled, “and it is through your desires that the vision triggered, the myriad of emotions that day was impressive.” She teased.

“How are you doing now?” Ichiru called out as he flung the door open and rushed to her side, “any better?”

Despite her articulation growing heavier by the second, Aya persisted to keep the pleasant conversation going, especially when Zero joined them. She enjoyed the company of the twins to no end.

The silver human twin did not notice the gaze of his lover focusing on him nor the moment Hanabusa left them to stand in the hallway of the empty school.

Hanabusa raised his balled fists and opened them slowly, staring at his shaky palms as his head pounded. He slid against the cool wall down to the marble floor. Pulling his knees up to his chest and covering his face with his palms as he muttered, “Please… Whatever great forces out there… By whatever means… Make it come true…” He swallowed a lump forming in his throat, torn between hope and despair, happiness and trepidation, optimism and skepticism.

He got up quickly when hearing familiar footsteps coming out of the infirmary. Ichiru appeared soon after, letting out a sound of relief proving that he was looking for his lover.

Hanabusa watched as he approached him as if in slow motion.

_“deepest desires”…_

Aya’s words rang in his head repeatedly.

_aah… How much did I long for it…_

His blue eyes traced his lover until they landed on his taut clothed stomach.

_How I wished I could grant your wish… Our wish… My wish…_

An image he imagined of Ichiru heavy with his child sent a tingling sensation through his body.

_How many hours did I spend imagining how it would be to take care of you while you perform a miracle such as giving life, how our child would look like, what we will get to do as a family, whether you would want more than one child… because I sure as hell would want plenty of them._

“In what fantasy world did you land yourself into?” Ichiru poked his rib to snap him out of his daze.

Hanabusa gave him a tender smile that took him by surprise.

“What?” The silverette frowned.

“Nothing~” Hanabusa chirped as he placed a hand on the narrow hip to pull Ichiru closer. The latter naturally placed a hand over his erratically beating heart.

“Everything will be just as it was meant to be. You already did your best, okay?” Ichiru patted and slid said hand to hook the neck of his lover, “I could not be any more proud of my husband to be.” He nuzzled his nose, eliciting a tiny chuckle.

“I thought that I was already your husband for few years now?” Hanabusa teased.

“Yeah… but… It will be more real now… We will be family, for good… No one in this world could stop me from saying that I, Aido Ichiru, am married to Hanabusa Aido under every law created in this whole universe.” Ichiru glowed with happiness as he explained with excessive excitement. Hanabusa had no other choice but to pull him in a bone-crushing hug.

“Did you need me for something earlier?” The blond vampire remembered that Ichiru seemed to be frantically looking for him as he left the infirmary.

“Oh!” Ichiru jerked away, “I was going to tell you that Zero and I will be spending the night with Aya until she slumbers away for good. You did say that it will take a few hours and we do not want her to be alone all that time.”

Hanabusa took a step forward to shorten the distance and stole a kiss from his unsuspecting lover before giving him a victorious grin, “That will make up for having me go back to an empty bed tonight.”

“Hmph!” Ichiru huffed, amusement betraying his expression.  

 

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

 

It took a lot less time for Aya to start drifting into the induced coma she was subjected to. Zero and Ichiru sat on either sides of her bed, and did not bother taking away the hands she was clutching when a tiny seizure surprised her earlier. The device mapping her brain indicated that she was not asleep yet but it was explained to them that her motor and cognitive skills will slow down considerably before the comatose takes over and that it was the critical phase as to whether she would survive or not.

Despite being sure that she was out of danger now, the twins could not bring themselves to leave, worrying that she may wake up in between and find herself alone.

Purple and violet eyes started drooping as the exhaustion of the day caught up.

The young girl was indeed still aware of her surrounding, her eyelid felt heavy but she summoned the remains of her strength when a soothing smell filled the room.

she fought the grogginess and forced her eyes open.

Her foggy brain registered the pure white mist covering the room as well as the way the twins slept profoundly.

If able, she would have smiled in recognition but her body had long let her go.

She was not surprised when a tall figure materialized in the middle of the foggy screen. She waited for the man to approach her.

This time, he was wearing no mask or hooded clothing, he looked at the sleeping twin then the drowsy girl with a look she read as a mix of extreme pain and guilt.

He turned around and hovered over her head, she watched as his big hand placed a translucent crystal over her heaving chest. Knowing the purpose of the object, she relaxed.

Moments later, his familiar voice echoed inside her head, “Sorry Aya-chan, if only I stayed a bit longer… or noticed them nearby…”

The young girl sighed and concentrate her thoughts on what she needed to say and how she would have said it if she had the strengths to voice her words.

“They were too sneaky about it; it is no one’s fault. Besides, you have far more important issues to worry instead of this dying ex-human.”

 “Still…”

“Never pegged the leader of such a dark organization to but such a worrywart” Aya teased, “Or expected him to visit this sick person allied with their enemies.”

His chuckle was soothing, “I am no leader, but I would not call it a dark organization either. Oh! I am not trying to defend it here, it is the honest truth.”

“hmm…” she hummed quizzically, “I wonder about that… Attacking us continuously, stealing our records and books and then use them against us, if that was not evil, then what is?”

“We just have to keep the balance, I guess.” He muttered bitterly.

Aya paused for a moment, thinking carefully about what he said and how it relates to all actions of the Valley of Darkness. If she could manage it, her eyes would have popped out of their socket at the realization.

“You… Who… No… What are you exactly?” Her voice was cautious.

“Judging from that tone and your curious nature, I can safely assume that you got the right answer without me telling you.” He answered calmly as he turned around and faced her. Her breath hitched from overexcitement when she tried to prevent him from taking the crystal away, thus cutting the conversation short.

“Wait! Please! I was hoping to see you before…. please listen…” she begged.

His hand stopped, “I am listening…” His eyes drifted to Zero, then Ichiru to make sure that the hypnotizing mist was working properly.

“I… I don’t think that you can protect him alone…” Aya stated hesitantly, and realized that she hit home when the soft eyes widened before narrowing on her, “From the way that the head reacted, to what you said just now, I can only assume that your purpose is to protect the chosen one, or the one believe to be it.” Her finger twitched on top of Zero’s hand.

“You think that I am unable to do so? that his fate is inevitable?” He inquired, trying hard to conceal his irritation.

“Not quite… I believe that you would be able to save him if you sought help, help from those you know very well that they would put their life on the line to do so.” She defended her statement strongly.

“ I am afraid that I know no such a person. I do believe that whoever will approach them or already is have a hidden motive. Good or bad is something I do not care about, they need a neutral party around them, that will keep them away from harm without compromising them to fit their goal or belief.” He explained.

“Neutral, huh?” Aya sighed, “In time of wars to come, neutral may appear to be impossible even for you, you will have to make a choice and that choice will haunt you should you lose your purpose because of it.”

“You are too young to worry about such morbid times, let the adult pave the path for a better future while you focus on getting better and stronger. Who knows?” He shrugged as he reached to take the crystal, “You might grow up to be the only one I trust to help me protect them.”

“Isn’t it arrogant to make such statement when I don’t even know your name?” Aya wanted to quirk an eyebrow at the cheeky vision.

He took the crystal and walked away… “Void… Void is the last name I have been called with as far as I can recall…” with a smile, he vanish along with the mist that brought him in in the first place.

It did not take more than few minutes for Zero to snap awake, he fumbled and wiped his mouth, noticing the wet feeling thinking that he was drooling in his sleep but realized that it was tears. He quickly wiped his eyes and took a deep breath. _Damn hormones and dreams._

Each time he came close to losing someone to the curse of vampires, he would have this recurring dream of the happy times he spent with his family before his parents got brutally murdered. However, it was the first time he woke up crying from the choking emotion that overwhelms him as the events played in front of him like a broken record in his dream. He chased the depressing thoughts from his sleepy brain and looked at the time, already guessing that it was daytime judging from the brightness seeping through the curtains. His eyes drifted to his sleeping brother before settling on the girl who slept peacefully with a smile tracing her lips as if she was having a nice dream. “I hope you wake up just as happy and pain free.” He brushed a loose strand from her forehead and tucked it neatly behind her ear.

Zero stretched and groanded from the back pain that shot right through his head.

“That was not a position you should sleep in while pregnant” The rich voice startled him, and his head snapped to th door where Kaname stood leisurly against the wooden frame.

“Not like planned to sleep here in the first place” Zero huffed and walked past him, or attempted to…

Kaname blocked his escape with one arm and placed the other on the small of his back.

Zero was startled at first, then relaxed for a moment when pleasant heat started spreading from the point of contact only for his eyes to snap open and for him to jerk violently in Kaname’s embrace.

“Stop!” Zero’s sudden panic surprised the pureblood and he stopped at his request.

“Something wrong?”

“No… I … just” Zero stuttered then paused to take a deep breath. He patted the hand that Kaname used to block his exit. Kaname complied and followed him down the hallway.

“I appreciate you trying to soothe the soreness of my back… really… Oh! and it was working… its just…” Zero mumbled, slightly put off by his own reaction.

“Was I too invasive?” Kaname stated calmly. The last thing he wished for was that Zero gets on the defensive again. They made so much progress lately from being awkward and angry around each other to cooperating and, dare he say, on friendlier term than ever.

Zero shook his head in denial, “That’s not it… I would have not allowed it if I saw it as invasive in the first place… all there is to it is that I am worried about exposing my child to any external power. My own are not under control as it is… There is also that… uhm… you know… The talk about a pregnant Kiryuu being better off not using their magic for the safety of their child.

Kaname paused for a moment, leading to zero stopping on his tracks and turning around to look the pureblood in the eyes.

“I do believe you when you said that you would never harm my child, should I reconsider?” The playful note at the end of his speech lifted the heavy mood.

Kaname’s lips curled up in a discreet smile. “ I beg you not to.” He answered with equal humor, “I was simply bothered as to why you shouldnot work on controlling your new power, and consequently, how it would affect your pregnancy if you actually did so. I was wondering if, perharps, it was for the same reason certain vampires have to go in an exile for the duration of their pregnancy.” He pondered aloud as he resumed walking with the hunter by his side.

“Who knows…” Zero shrugged, not really interested in digging the details of the matter anytime soon, “Putting that aside, did anything new come up in your investigation. Our side is organizing a reckon team to scout the hideout of this Cyrus.”

“ Cross-san filled me in with the details of that expedition and I left it in Isaya’s hands to choose the vampires he will send on the mission. Other than that, the intelligence department have been hitting deead ends whenever we reach two kinds of connections” Kaname sighed.

“Which are?” Zero’s curiosity peaked.

We managed to lock on the fact that Lady Hanadagi and the young master of the Touma clan are indeed involved with Cyrus as his subordinates. Some rumors outrageously stated that they found his whereabouts and awakened him, but I doubt it. Awakening him would give them the leverage they do not seem to have over him.”

“I see… That is good and bad at the same time. Nevertheless, I still don’t see how this is considered as a dead end.” Zero pondered.

“This is not where things got complicated. In the last forty eight hours, the intel lost contact with fifteen sources, declared dead or missing.”

“What the fuck?!” Zero screeched in horror.

Kaname sighed, expecting the reaction. He looked around and sensed for any spying presence in the hallway before pulling zero in one of the classrooms. Zero stood by the closed window, watching the expanse of greenery outside while listening to what the pureblood hat to say.

Kaname, leaning against the teacher’s desk and looking at the pregnant profile of the hunter, started explaining, “The only common factor among these sources was that they were too close to uncovering critical information about either this vampire Cyrus refers to as the Queen, or the organization known as the Valley of Darkness. That is why I came to ask you and your brother to lay low. We cannot afford putting our best players in danger, so Yagari-san says” Kaname trailed as he fumbled with the marker of the white board.

“Hmph… He is just looking for another reason to keep us cooped up. He has to realize that we do not need so much protection like kids anymore. I assume that Kaito was put on standby as well”

Kaname chuckled, “He is on his way to check on his disciple as we speak… Under Yagari-san’s order indeed.”

“See!” Zero stomped in frustration, “So much for a distraction tactic.” He mocked and let out an exasperated sigh.

“Speaking of children…” Kaname approached the fuming hunter. He stood close enough despite the sunlight stinging his exposed neck uncomfortably, “I heard that this little one might be targeted”

Zero tensed and looked at the hard expression that the pureblood was giving him.

“I thing that knowing that should be a good enough reason for you to keep low profile and not act reckless like before.” A thin brown eyebrow quirked teasingly.

Zero looked away and clucked his tongue, “Tsk! You think that I am not worried sick about the safety of my own child or what?! Have you not heard a word I was saying when you first came?”

“This and that are two different issues.” Kaname leaned more, hovering over the hunter. He placed a hand on Zero’s bump, “You may take care to keep the daily harming factors away from your child, but you tend to forget yourself when it comes to your hunter’s duty. You will not hesitate to engage in a fight with an enemy that you are aware would be strong enough for the battle not to end without you getting any blow or sustaining any injury. Still, you would engage and fight such an enemy, not because you do not care, but because you care too much, because you are a true hunter to the core, a hunter who would never ignore the call of duty even at his own expense. Which, by the way, makes you the most reckless but respected man I have ever met.”

Zero was miffed at the implication of his last fight with Cyrus, but his conflicted emotions made the fiery blush win over the anger. Kaname’s words hit home as well as their implications.

A satisfied expression adorned the pureblood’s face and he retracted his hand. “ In any case, knowing you, I guess that I will have to watch over you like a hawk… and in person… to prevent you from putting yourself in danger.”

Zero’s jaw dropped, and Kaname gave him a victorious smile.

“He may not be my child, but I feel overprotective of him just like how I feel about Ai. Therefore, I am doing this for him with or without your consent” He stated firmly while pointing to the unborn child.

Zero’s lips moved, trying to form words as he watched the brunet leave the classroom with a mild farewell gesture, but he found none. _What in the world is this outrageous man saying?_

A flutter that soon turned into a full blown kick snapped him out of his daze. “Someone is happy about the migraine inducing situation their mom is going to find himself in, aren’t we?”

Another kick elicited a fit of laughter from the hunter, “I guess it two against one.” He rubbed his bump to calm his now overactive child while making his way back to his sleeping twin.

  **∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ In the hideout ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

 

Cyrus paced the candlelit room angrily. Everyone present was afraid of making a sound, even breathing seemed forbidden. Lady Hanadagi joined them with Aya’s mother following her.

“I am very sorry for this mistake Sir. Here is my slave who helped the girl escape, you may do what you see fit with it.” The ex-human flinched at the cold glare that the vampire gave her, fear struck her core.

The temperature suddenly dropped as Cyrus approached the two women. An ice layer formed on the walls and froze the candles as he gripped the slender neck of the pureblood, Lady Hanadagi almost choked from the pressure.

“You think killing a measly vermin like this will ease my fury, huh?” Cyrus growled.

“She is merely trying to atone.” Lord Touma interfered with an indifferent tone while picking his ear, “I don’t think that she is aware of the extent of your wrath, nor the cause of it to begin with.”

The ice-wielder smashed the female pureblood against the wall, creating a huge cavity from the impact before turning his back and stomping back to his seat. He rested his chin on his knuckles and tapped nervously on the armrest.

“Having that girl escape is one thing, but to have the Queen undermine me like that for letting them rescue the rest of the clan… How should I know that they would be a hindrance to her plans if she does not say it clearly? That crazy woman was supposed to be one charged with cleanup tasks, not me. Why do I have to bear the burn of her slacking?”

“Why would she need a bunch of scrolls and books that she would not be able to use in the first place?” The Touma pureblood trailed with a bored tone.

Cyrus gave him an infuriated glare, “She did not want all of them… Just the scroll of the prophecy.” He gazed absentmindedly, remembering how he went back and flipped the place upside down to look for it under her order, hissing at the menial task he was made to perform alone to prevent any betrayal. Despite all his efforts, all he gets is stomping over his head into the mud while that hateful girl smirked mockingly. _Why does she get to be by the side of our Queen when we are the ones who are supposed to join the court of her graceful majesty?!_

“Well… I guess it is in the hand of the last person she wished for now… From that colorful conversation-“ Touma flinched at the hostile aura that shot his way and stuttered, fearing for his life, “No offense intended… I guess that the Kiryuus are about the only clan who can make use of that kind of magic to the fullest.”

“Aaah…” Cyrus hummed, “They are a troublesome bunch even if there is only one left of them, they can turn this world upside down just like they always did before… I seriously wished that they were extinct or had their blood thinned out when I reawakened. To think that it only got stronger and madder, they are only making it more troublesome for us to reach our conclusion.”

 

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ TBC ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

**I usually do not ask my awesome readers this, but I would appreciate a little leniency in the reviews of this chapter for I know it might be the worst in term of writing.**

**I would also appreciate if you point out details that may seem confusing because I will be revealing some more enigmas in the next chapter and would like to answer your confusion along the writing instead of filling the author’s note with too much explanation. What do you think?**

**Thank you so much for keeping up with this inconsistent writer and I hope you enjoyed reading it (despite the mistakes and probably bumpy flow *go hides in a corner and peeks creepily waiting for the first review)**

**Love ya and see ya all next chapter** **J**

 

 


	58. Chapter 58

**OMG!!! IT HAS BEEN SOOO LONG! SORRY GUYS. Here is the new chapter, I hope you enjoy it.**

**If you want to blame something for my belated update, I will give you some:**

  1. **Real life (work and uni)**
  2. **Shitty internet problems**
  3. **The biggest reason!!! FANGIRLING OVER MY NEW OBSESSION, Yuri!!! on ice.**



**That would be it, thank you so much for checking up on me and I felt sooo bad when some of you told me that you reread the story because of how long it took me to update. I shall do my best not to do that again! Love you all**

**Enjoy!**

**_∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞flashback_ **

“Zero….Zero…” full lips met a warm forehead with a soft kiss while a large hand kept the bangs out of the way, “Zero… If you are sleepy, we should move to the bed.”

“Hmm…” Lazy lavender orbs glanced from under long silver lashes at the source of disturbance. They soon hid behind heavy eyelids as Zero let out a soft grumble. He moved his arm so that his hand rested against the strong chest he was leaning on, “I am still awake, movie s...till… not… finished...”

A soft chuckle sent vibrations that felt like a lullaby to the sleepy hunter. A thumb slid softly against a pale cheek. Kaname sighed in defeat. His fingers combed through the silver mane as he took a whiff of the shampoo that barely covered Zero’s fragrant scent.

Feeling the weight on his chest getting heavier and the breathing of the silverette growing more even, he threw his head back and contemplated the ceiling for a moment. _No other choice then…_

Looking back at the humming TV, he used his telekinesis to fetch the remote and turn it off. It would have been just as easy to move Zero to the bedroom, but Kaname was reluctant to break the intimate and cozy embrace. That would be why he merely manipulated the couch to turn into a sofa bed, and then tried to make himself as comfortable as possible without stirring the silverette.

“This would make it the fourth… no… the third time you ask me to watch a movie with you only to sleep halfway through it.” The pureblood mumbled against the head buried against his chest. He squeezed the silverette tighter, barely leaving any space between them.

Kaname was starting to get used to, maybe even enjoying the fact that Zero turned to him in time of distress, as manipulative as it may sound.

It was rare, but the hunter would occasionally invite him over for something other than making out. In his mind, Kaname iterated the numerous excuses that Zero would come up with; starting from cooking too much to eat by himself, needing some help with finishing a job, or just plainly saying that he is bored and would not hate some quiet company. Kaname’s lips curved into a wistful smile, not sure whether to feel happy or disappointed that such occurrences were very rare.

This time was no different. Earlier that day, a grim looking Ichijou Takuma came back from the association to inform him about a mission that got most hunters depressed. The head of the mission happened to be Zero. The success rate was a hundred percent due to his presence, but what they found shook them to the core.

In the hideout of the targeted rogue noble vampires, the stench of corpses from dozens of dead humans was so strong that most hunters could not stand by the door longer than thirty seconds could.

Knowing this, coupled with the fact Kaname has come to learn about how sensitive the silver hunter could be when it comes to saving innocents from the fangs of those ‘beasts’, he planned on visiting him as soon as he finished work to make sure he was doing okay. Zero just made it easier by inviting him himself.

Even though he did not sleep much that night, the pureblood was surprised to feel energized and more motivated than ever to work harder into bringing order to the chaos of his community.

**_∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ End of flashback_ **

 

As Ichiru’s wedding ceremony grew closer day by day, Zero found himself in a dire situation.

Stomping through the hallway of the house he shared with Gin, His amethyst eyes screamed of murder as the intruders kept following him around.

He loathed the fact that he found no way of getting rid of them. Yuuki and Ichiru have been stalking him everywhere.

It all started with some girls’ gossip between noble female vampires and their queen. The topic was, of course, the upcoming wedding party of the heir of the Aido clan. One of the noble ladies was heavily pregnant, thus complaining about the short notice, since her belly was growing very fast to fit in any of her evening gowns.

The pureblood queen immediately remembered another pregnant vampire, although male, with similar wardrobe issue. However, she was well aware of the difficulties facing her in order to get Zero to look for a suitable outfit.

Yuuki paled at the thought of her adoptive brother wearing some baggy clothes that would make him look like a sack of potatoes next to his brother in the family picture she was so excited to take.

Later that day, after some brainstorming with Ichiru, the two crazy individuals came up with the most outrageous solution.

“There is no way in hell am I going to wear a fucking gown!” Zero screamed in horror as he pushed the brass knob to lock his bedroom’s door, finding it difficult when Yuuki used her vampire strength to push the door open, while careful not to break it or hurt the pregnant hunter.

“Language…” Ichiru sighed, simply leaning against the wall staring at his ‘siblings’ huffing and puffing while pushing the door back and forth.

“Screw you!” Zero barked.

“Geez! A foul mouth along with some monster strength will not make us back down” Yuuki gritted, her face tinted pink from the sheer strength she was using to resist the rejection.

_How in the world is he managing to push with so much power, wait… magic? but… aren’t his eyes supposed to glow golden? They are not._

She shook her head at the unnecessary drift of thoughts, missing the fact that Ichiru was having to exact same observation.

“It is not like it will be the first time you would be dressing in female clothing…” Ichiru muttered, raising his voice slightly for his brother to hear, “Why be such a drama-queen about it?” he trailed, as if stating the obvious.

“Might as well forfeit attending this fucking party for all that matters!” Zero snapped, giving up on closing the door, thus leaving Yuuki to fall face first to the floor upon pushing the freed door too hard.

Ichiru started feeling his temper flare for the second time this evening. It was bad enough when Zero declared that he had no plan to appear in any picture, but also not attend the cocktail party after the ceremony.

 _Now, he says that he will not bother attending all together._ With a long sigh, he felt a tinge of guilt as he pushed away from the wall.

“Good luck Yuuki-chan,” he waved and walked away, “I have other ‘serious’ issues that I need to take care of instead of dealing with a brat’s tantrums.”

“Ichiru-kun!” Yuuki screamed in horror, jumped to grab his wrist, and shook her head to the right and left repeatedly, torn between stopping him or Zero, who was going in the opposite direction of the hallway.

“AAhhaaah~ all this nagging got me hungry, I wonder if I have anything in the fridge.” Zero waddled lazily in direction of the kitchen. He tuned out Yuuki’s voice calling out for him to wait as he raked a hand through his hair and clicking his tongue briefly. He knew that he crossed the line by saying the last bit, but he was too stubborn to take his words back on the spot.

_What is that idiot sulking about, I am obviously bluffing! There is no way in hell I would miss his wedding knowing how important that day is for him. Still, I am never wearing a freaking gown._

Yuuki kept up the chase, the nagging along with some begging even after a miffed Ichiru left. Zero was about to turn hysterical if she was not called back for Ai’s feeding time. Despite promising to be back, Yuuki started losing hope of eventually convincing her legendarily stubborn brother.

_UGH! He is so careful about hiding his pregnancy all this time. Would it not be perfect to disguise as a female friend of Ichiru and not worry about any other guest finding out about it?_

Zero sat down at his desk, finally alone and sighing in relief. He took out the airmail package with Gin’s name on it. He was grateful for the outgoing attitude of his partner; it allowed him to avoid awkward situations such as how the current one would have turned out to be.

A smile graced his lips as he took out the magazine and prepared the stationary items he needed for this specific routine. A routine he had been enjoying ever since Keiichi recovered fully from surgery.

He flipped the pages of the foreign fashion magazine, not bothering to check any of the content until he reached what he was looking for.

Zero felt his chest tightening at the sight of his son posing ever so cutely for the camera, his eyes sparkling with joy. _He seems to be having fun! Probably Rima’s influence with her love for modeling._

The next picture melted him completely as he started to tear up upon imagining himself standing there instead of Senri. He quickly wiped the stray tear and muttered a couple of curses about hormones and moodiness.

He inhaled sharply and held the cutting blade, proceeding to take out his favorite pictures and gluing them neatly in the scrapbook he has been keeping. It was embarrassing when Gin surprised him once while he was putting new entries in it.

Ever since, the grey eyed teacher took on an active role in helping Zero with his collection of material. Gin would take pictures at unexpected moments when Keiichi and Zero would be together. Moreover, he was never shy about asking Rima for a copy of the exclusive pictures they get after a photo shoot either.

Zero blushed when he realized that Gin probably figured it out to be the reason he was sulking the whole day after seeing the picture on Rima’s phone without being able to be forward about asking for a copy.

The silver hunter was constantly paranoid about anyone finding out about his true link with Keiichi, not out of selfish fear or humiliation, but he was worried for his child who would be forced to grow up knowing the dire circumstances of his birth.

Once done with the pasting and scribbling, Zero stretched out his arms and looked at the calendar. _He will come later today or tomorrow morning. I wonder if they will come straight to the residence on campus or stay for a few days at the Shiki’s mansion._

Zero shook his head, amused by his own impatience. He stood to clean up, cursing when a note fell of the envelope of the airmail. He picked it up and snickered shortly after at the flowy handwriting of a certain ethic teacher.

“’Hope you liked the surprise!!! I asked Shiki to ask for an extra copy. This issue has yet to be released in the country itself. Make sure to think of a nice reward for your hard working hubby’… Who is a hubby… that idiot…? Just because the photoshoot happened two towns away from you… Cocky much…” He tapped the note over his chin, pondering,

“A reward hmm… More like a punishment. That is what he should be expecting for delaying the flight a second time. That idiot probably will not be able to make it to the wedding… Oh well!” He looked at the clock, finding that he had plenty of free time before going back to the campus and resume dealing with the cumbersome bunch. “Let’s start with what needs to be attended to ASAP.” He left his office area up to his bedroom in a heartbeat.

Two hours later, Zero found himself wearing the oversized clothes of Gin, sporting suspicious sunglasses and a cap while roaming the streets of the shopping district.

He hated to admit it, but he was shocked to find that none of his formal wearing fit him anymore, even the ones he recently purchased while keeping in mind his growing belly.

He discreetly rubbed his bump, smiling, “I guess you are proving mommy wrong and your uncle and aunt right this time. Nonetheless, I am not wearing a dress. You will have to bear with me until we find something suitable for both of us.”

Hours later, He felt the urge dump it on the hormones, on the motherly instincts, on anything other than his own mind and feelings. He looked at the backseat of his car with a horrified gaze. It was packed with at least twelve shopping bags, filled with all kind of toys, baby clothes, accessories and even stuff for new mothers.

He will not deny that he looked up various things online about whatever he needed after childbirth, but seeing the items in front of him made him go in the craziest shopping spree of his life.

He sighed in exasperation, “I cannot blame Yuuki for dragging me around all those times before. Who would have guessed that it would be this much fun when you shop with a purpose.” He slammed the door and got into the driver seat, glancing at the bag holding the suit he chose for himself. Flipping his phone, he called Hanabusa, knowing that the sulking Ichiru probably will not pick up.

“Hello!” The blond vampire answered with an impatient tone. Zero’s brow rose at that. “Busy?”

“Kind of… With your brother… *sigh*” Hanabusa rubbed his temples.

“Anything that I should be worried about?” Zero started to feel anxious. It was never a good thing for Ichiru to get overstressed, gloomy or pissed. Those three states could turn lethal for the younger twin and his surroundings.

“Why don’t you come check and judge for yourself?” Hanabusa’s tones softened for a bit as if amused, “I am sure that you would want to see this.”

“Huh? Now? Where?” Zero’s curiosity was triggered; it was not weird for the three of them to call each other out to witness an awkward, funny, sometimes hilarious moments of one of them.

 

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ Hours earlier, after Ichiru left Zero’s house. ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

The younger twin was indeed excited about tying the knot with his lover in every way and law possible. He could be flying on cloud nine just replaying how his name would sound like once they signed the official papers. However, he could not let his happiness distract him from the time of crisis that they were going through.

After the exhausting encounter at Zero’s place, Ichiru decided to go ahead and start the next best thing to do while he still had the time, mastering his new powers.

While going through the mountain of scrolls and books that were sent to his place, the younger twin found a diary. It belonged to his grandfather, and it mentioned something about some important manuscript being given to Sakura, Ichiru’s mother, for keepsake.

In the hazy memory of his childhood, Ichiru remembered that his mother used to complain about a big chest full of papers and books each time they had to move from one house to another. His father used to tease her about how she would not throw them away even though they had no plan to use them at all.

Silver eyebrows knitted at the memory, wondering why his father would repeat the same answer with a mix of sadness and longing in his eyes each time. _Did he regret his decision of choosing his children over the clan?_

Shaking the stray thoughts out of his head, he paid the cab fee and turned around to gaze at his destination.

As expected, a sick feeling crept up as soon as his eyes landed on the abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. Thoughts, memories, emotions, and most of all, unbearable guilt overwhelmed him, overshadowing the anger and hate he felt that day, at 12 years of age.

The bloodied form of his parents falling on snow covered pavement... The shriek or his mother when Shizuka sank her fangs in the slender neck of the young Zero, the cold words uttered before she went for the kill. He watched it all with pure glee, a sense of satisfaction taking over. The only worry he had was whether Zero would die from the bite or survive.

He would not deny that he wished for both equally. Eventually, his wish was granted, for he found his brother, years later, becoming the perfect embodiment of the living dead.

Taking a hesitant step, Ichiru started walking on the stone pavement where grass was growing at random. The house was as run down as thirteen years of existence could do to it. Half of the roof collapsed on the attic. Luckily, it spared the rest of the house. The windows were broken, leaving the tattered remains of the curtains to sway aimlessly.

It was understandable that the dwelling was abandoned. The house was still under the Kiryuu ownership, but none of the concerned persons could ever go close to it due to the painful memories of that fateful night.

Ichiru would reward himself for having the courage to ask the taxi driver to make this detour. His hand trembled slightly as he touched the rusty handle of the door. He inhaled sharply, trying to drive away the image from that time. He fixed the door hiding the proof of his greatest sin with a determined gaze. “Let’s do this.”

The loud creak almost sounded like a scolding scream to his ears. As if, the house was protesting against his very presence, his very existence. He knew very well that it was merely the fragment of his imagination, byproduct of torturing himself with guilt after denial.

Letting go of the doorknob, he stepped inside the murky place. Dust was covering everything in thick layer, thankfully hiding the traces of bloodstains that were never cleaned up. Ichiru was feeling as if invisible hands were gripping his neck, stifling him more with each step he took to venture inside the house.

Eventually, the grip was too suffocating and his lips parted, begging for a rush of air to fill his starved lungs, to no avail. He closed his tearing eyes and turned around, pacing fast, almost running out of the door and doubling over as a fit of dry coughing took over. He held his stomach, heaving hard while looking at the pebbles and grass on the floor.

“Having a hard time there, young man?” A female voice startled him out of his panic attack, successfully pulling him out of it.

Ichiru rose slowly, straightening his back. He was slightly embarrassed at being caught in such a state. However, that brief moment passed quickly when he observed closer. An inquiring silver eyebrow rose at the sight of the stranger while a hand wipe the bead of sweats that started to form on his forehead.

“Not really…” He answered carefully, but confidently, pushing his hands inside the pockets of his jeans. He had his thumb on the small switch tucked there.

It was a device that Zero had each and everyone one of them carry around after the incident with Takuma. It was a simple protective measure. One has to push the switch as a danger alert and it will immediately inform the silver hunter of the location and keep track of them as long as the device is working and in their vicinity in order to rescue them faster if possible.

The reason for Ichiru to feel apprehensive was due to the fact that a woman he never met before showed up in the most isolated part of town where houses where miles away from each other. Not to mention, her questionable attire made her all the more suspicious.

“Thank goodness then, I was starting to worry.” Her gentle voice should have been soothing, but it only ticked the young Kiryuu a bit more.

Ichiru took a deep breath, trying to be polite and cautious, “I appreciate the kind thoughts. However, I find it surprising for anyone to wander in such a place.”

The woman gave him a small smile, tilting her head in an endearing fashion, “Let’s just say, that this old woman here enjoys long walks. This cane will never stop me from looking for beautiful places to admire.” her eyes rose to the crumbled house.

Ichiru snorted, and looked around, mirroring her gesture before looking at her again, “Beautiful?”

It was not a very hilarious statement. Their house was nestled in a small hill, at the foot of a bigger mountain. It was surrounded by a growing meadow. Each season gave the place a magical charm. It was no wonder that his parents, especially his mother, decided to spend so many years in this place, and were so reluctant about abandoning it.

“Isn’t it?” The woman inquired curiously, “Despite the melancholy oozing out of it, it still welcomes the seasons, and the people with such warmth and affection. A truly soothing sight indeed.”

 _More like eerie and creepy to anyone who knew about the tragedy that occurred here._ Ichiru mused internally.

Next, He lifted his chin up in an intimidating fashion, “Putting that aside, I find it hard to understand as to why such a young woman would refer to herself as an elderly, fake the need of a horrible looking cane to move around and hunch her back that way in a hideous dress?” He puffed his chest, while taking a step back in a wary stance. Ichiru could not feel any hostile intent, but his guts were screaming at him to be careful.

A little taken aback, Rosa took a moment to collect herself. A small smile graced her lips. Seeing no need to act, she straightened her back and fixed the silver haired man with an amused look.

 _He has awakened this much?_ A fuzzy feeling bubbled inside her chest. It has been so long since she felt this excited and apprehensive at the same time. She heard about the power to see the true form of a shapeshifter, and how it would manifest very rarely in special individuals, the most powerful wizards of the Kiryuu clan. Her mind wandered elsewhere while Ichiru impatiently waited for her to react in some way.

_Oh dear! I wonder how ecstatic Rika-ma would have been if she was around. However, I would pity him because she is sure to take him under her wing the moment she realizes his potential._

She removed the oversized sunglasses for a final test.

“Interesting.”

Ichiru tensed at the change of tone, and almost fell backward when she suddenly vanished and materialized in front of him, with their faces inches apart.

“Pray tell me what color do you see in my eyes?” She dared him with a mischievous smirk, “oh and hair as well” she quickly released the pin holding her bun, letting her silver lock cascade on her back.

The young Kiryuu was starting to think that he was dealing with some sort of psycho creature. Taking few more steps backward, his hand clutching the switch tightly inside his pocket.

He wanted to press the button so badly. The only thing preventing him from doing so is the sudden change of expression on the woman’s face. She looked like a child who suddenly took interest to something, excitement bubbled obviously in her eyes, the way her lips trembled as not to break in a full grin and the trepidation in her big sparkly eyes.

Inhaling slowly before letting out a long breath to regain composure, Ichiru decided to play along with her antics without letting his guard down.

“The hair is snow white, and the eyes are light blue.” He answered curtly, rubbing the back of his head as if trying to get rid of the annoyance.

It was Ichiru’s turn to tilt his head in confusion when the small shoulders slumped in dejection, the pink lips pouted and cheeks puffed. He would swear that Yuuki was sulking in front of him if not for the many difference both females had in term of appearance.

The small woman turned on her heels, “I guess you still have a long way to go…” The sudden serious and somber tone lead Ichiru to tense up. He could not see her face as she stretched, then let her hands fall slowly until they reached both of her hips.

“What?” He could not help but break the irritating silence.

A soft chuckle escaped the lips of the woman who already started to walk away after collecting her cane. “Well, it did not hurt to try. I will let you in on something good, kiddo.” She craned her head back, showing him a smirk this time around.

Ichiru was starting to get pissed at the sarcastic tone.

Rosa pointed to the house, “I think you should start by getting that axe he used to cut wood and smash the little mouse door in the basement.”

Purple eyes widened, “How did you know about that?”

It was a little secret of Ichiru and his mom. The younger Kiryuu once ventured in the basement and saw a piece of wood stuck to the concrete wall. He wondered what the odd object was doing there.

Out of curiosity, he started pulling at it, only to find that it hid nothing but a perfectly built part of the wall. His mother surprised him by creeping up on him in the dark.

As a punishment for trying to ruin the house, even if he did not, she made him design that piece of wood into the front of a small house with an open door and stick it to the same place on the wall. Sakura called it the mouse house randomly.

“It is quite rude to interrupt me while I am explaining. Smash it and then move on to the next location….” Rosa waved a dismissive hand as she continued to walk, raising her voice as the distance between them grew farther. “You would be surprised to know what a piece of furniture can hide…” with that last confusing statement, she vanished, making Ichiru gasp at her disappearance. He looked around frantically, worrying about a sneak attack or anyone else popping out of nowhere.

The bemused silverette stuttered, “What the heck was that?” he quickly went inside the house again, forgetting about the overwhelming feeling he suffered from upon the first entry. While his mind was having hard time registering the strange encounter, his feet were carrying him to the basement instead of going to the chest that he came to check in the first place.

He had to kick some rats and swat few spider’s webs to reach the dubious spot of the dark eerie place. A wistful smile adorned his face when he found the carved piece of wood. Surprisingly, there was a hammer sitting next to it, as if readied for him to carry out his task.

Ichiru grabbed it, still hesitant as he lined it carefully for a good strike. His grip over the wooden handle tightened impossibly until his knuckles turned white. He inhaled sharply and stuck as hard as he could, ignoring the pang in his chest upon the reverberating sound of the impact between the hammer and the now crushed wood. Yet another beautiful memory was destroyed...

A few moments of labored breathing passed by, Ichiru finally composed himself enough to check the debris of the wooden piece. _Now that I think about it, it was quite a thick piece of wood._

A glistening caught his attention to a piece of metal. He picked up what seemed like a set of small keys. However, the object meant nothing to his confused mind, as he could not pinpoint anything around the house where a tiny key would fit.

With a heavy sigh, he stood and went upstairs, giving up on whatever prank the strange woman was trying to pull on him. He busied himself by musing about the way she appeared and disappeared like air. Ichiru could not see a point, a motive in the way she approached him, nor a reason for her to be there in the first place. He suddenly halted his steps. _Shit! Was that?...naah… There is no way…_

Shaking the hilarious thought out of his head, he went in the direction of the room that used to belong to his parents. A few dry cough left his throat sore from all the dust he inhaled upon clearing the area around the huge box.

As he suspected, there was no lock on it, which left him puzzled as to why his parents did not bother protecting such important documents. A snort escaped as he pondered humorously, “They might have thought that they were strong enough to defend it…”

Ichiru spend about an hour or so, going through the old papers, scrolls, books, and random manuscripts tossed inside the piece of furniture. True enough, the content was worthless for the reawakened wizard.

He exhaled, rubbed his temples, irritated at the empty outcome. Lazily pulling out the last scraps of paper, he decided to put everything back again. “I will have to ask Hana to bring the car around to carry this thing back home. They might be useless for battles and power mastery, but there sure are some hilarious spells inside” The silverette chuckled, silently reading the paper he held in his hand.

Upon standing on his knees, his eyes caught a small box at the inner corner of the chest. If not for the sun blaring through the broken window, he would have missed, for it blended in with the run-down interior of the box.

He picked it up carefully, surprised to see it as a miniature form of the bigger chest, except, this little guy had a lock on it. Ichiru hastily pulled the key that he tucked in his back pocket and pushed it into the hole only for it to fit perfectly. Silver eyebrows rose in surprise, and his ponytail swayed left and right as he looked around to make sure that he was alone for some reason.

After careful manipulation, he managed to hear the unlocking click. A yellowed piece of paper peeked from inside, he clucked his tongue as it felt like it would tear easily if unfolded carelessly. _How old is this thing?_

Purple eyes widened when he recognized his mother’s handwriting.

_”Well… Two things are possible today… The first would be that my angels have finally decided to take their wings back… The second one, which I would hate for it to happen, is that I, Kiryuu Sakura, am no longer of this world (I am having the chills just writing the words)… In either case… Ichiru! Yes… I did write ‘Ichiru’ and not ‘Zero’. Call it a woman’s intuition, a mother’s instinct, but I am convinced that the one who will come looking for this would be you. My curious little devil. I am not saying that Zero is not smart enough or curious enough to seek knowledge, I can barely imagine what kind of geniuses you two will grow out to be, and I am sure that I will be the proudest mother wherever I might be… Now, back to the matter at hand… Ichiru… Good job on finding the key in the mouse house *wink*… As for what you are looking for… well… I hate to say it but you will have to look in the place that you dread the most in the house and start from there. I would loooove to give you another helping hint… but it would kill the fun of this game…oh! One more thing! It does not really matter if we moved around or you grew much older than the time I wrote this note… Think back on what you hated at the age of six years old and you will do fine.”_

Ichiru chuckled at the silly note of his mischievous mother. His heart aching as he realized how much he actually missed her, her voice, her hug, the kiss on his forehead, the high five whenever he achieved the smallest task even when sick, the games of stubbornness they got into whenever they disagreed on something. When was it that he started to think that his mother was playing favorite?

Shaking off the melancholy and guilt riddling him, he moved down the stairs, then took a turn to the left, and entered his and Zero’s room. A stuffed rabbit with a missing eye sat on the pillow on his bed.

His nose crinkled in irritation upon seeing the piece of furniture. He wondered why his parents bothered making a bed for him, since he always slept with Zero. Now it started to make sense as to why he hated it.

Taking out a pocketknife, Ichiru started slicing through the mattress with gusto. After removing a layer of foam and wool, he found what he was looking for, books scrolls and things you would never peg hidden in a mattress. _God I hated this bed, and how the old sick me was stuck in it before I crept out and moved to Zero’s every single time._  

Hours later, Ichiru fished his phone from the pile of papers covering it and called Hanabusa to bring the car and pick him up.

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

Shocked speechless was the least that could describe the state of the blonde noble vampire. First was the surprise call from Ichiru telling him about the location, and then the confirmation that the location was indeed the one and only source of nightmares that plagued his lover for years.

Hanabusa did not know whether he should feel happy or worried that the silverette finally decided to face his inner demons. He wished that Ichiru had asked him to come along when he decided to come to this place, not call him after the fact. _What if it turned to the worse, what if he called me with the pretense of picking him up only for me to find him… No…_

Shaky legs climbed the stairs of the porch, heartbeats accelerated a notch with every step, and worry clouded the logic of his brilliant brain. The morbid scenarios that ran through his head were indescribable. Who could blame him when he witnessed firsthand the suicidal strikes that Zero had when trapped in a dark corner. Seeing that Ichiru had a more twisted side to his personality, Hanabusa was readying himself for the worst to occur.

A door was suddenly flung open right in his face. His nose almost fell victim for it if he did not fall back a couple of steps.

“What took you so~ long!!!??? Geez…” An overly cheerful Ichiru called out as he passed his lover in direction of the car with a pile of books filling his arms.

Struggling to open the door, the silver haired human gave the vampire a scolding look, “How long are you planning on standing there. I am not into weightlifting in case you forgot, darling~” He chirped teasingly.

Sapphire blue eyes blinked rapidly, looking from the house to the person talking and then back to the house before settling on who seemed to have exited from it. “Ichiru?”

The silver head tilted, “Did you do some weird experiment that turned you amnesiac?”

Hanabusa narrowed his eyes on his lover, “Are you high on something?”

Ichiru narrowed his eyes in retort, “That is what I should be asking you…”

 

**∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞ back to the present time, Zero reached their old house ∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞∞8∞**

 

Zero was extremely tempted to ignore the plea of his brother-in-law. Seeing the location that Hanabusa sent him, he started having a bad feeling about going there.

Unlike Ichiru, Zero did go a couple of times in the past to their ‘home’. Every time he reached a low point in his life, when he would seriously contemplate suicide by coming here with the intention of executing it in the very place where he lost his right to be human.

However, one thing or another had to always pull him back at the nick of time; be it the happy memories of the house before the tragedy, the possible disappointment of his mentor, the devastation of Yuuki and Cross, who were supporting him with all their might at the time. _Oh the dark and gloomy teenage days!! Well… I think it was more due to my being a coward when facing death back then._

The silver hunter gave a dry laugh. He could not deny the tingle of pride he felt upon managing to reach his destination and not running for the hills the moment he stepped out of the car. The sight of Hanabusa’s black Mercedes probably gave him a boost of courage.

The relief did not last long; Zero tilted his head in confusion when Aido’s exasperated expression registered in his eyes. Following the line of vision of the sapphire orbs, he felt his jaw drop comically at the sight that greeted him.

A string of one-eyed bunnies were coming out of the door and prancing in equal steps to the car, each holding a book or a pile of papers that was dumped in the open trunk. Moments later, Zero realized that the bunnies were multiple replicas of a plush toy that was always discarded on top of Ichiru’s bed.

The stunned hunter met the blue eyes of the noble vampire with an interrogative look that needed no words for Hanabusa to formulate the right answer.

“Your brother is up there,” Hanabusa pointed upward in direction of the tall trees surrounding the area.

A frown deepened on Zero’s forehead. He followed the direction only for his eyebrows to shoot up in stupefaction, “What?”  A breathy gasp of surprise escaped him.

“That is what I was about to tell you” Hanabusa rested his chin on folded arm, visibly exhausted, “but I figured that you would not grasp the situation unless you see with your own eyes.”

“How?” Silver brow twitched as an expression of disbelief haunted the face of the hunter.

“ICHIRU!” Hanabusa called out loudly.

The younger twin peered in the direction of his lover from the top of the tallest tree. The moment he caught sight of his brother, Ichiru floored Zero further by floating midair, circling the top of their heads a couple of time before landing softly on the ground and raising both arms triumphantly, “YAAAAAAAY! Safe landing this time, Hana! Did you see that? Nii-san!”

Zero’s jaw slackened further, as if it could fall off anytime. That is, before he started gasping like a fish and looking from his brother to the blond vampire and back to his brother who sported a wicked grin along with a glint of amusement in his now shining golden eyes.

“What the fuck was that?” Zero finally shrieked.

Ichiru burst in laughter, amused by the hilarious expression of his brother that mirrored the one of his lover when he first saw him perform the act earlier.

Hanabusa grumbled, “It seems like he found some spell books and been trying them all this time… The big issue here is that he is too hyper about it and I found no way to make him quit for more than thirty seconds before he went on to test the next spell of that blooding book in his hands.”

Zero eyed the aged cover that a pouting Ichiru held tightly in his right hand. “Weren’t you supposed to attend to some important issues when you left my place earlier?” He tilted his head in amusement at the unexpected childish reaction of Ichiru.

The younger twin averted the gaze of his two companions and mumbled, “But I am having fun…”

“It is not going to be that much fun if we do not get moving to reach the appointment Ruka got us with the florist and catering service for a last check. I honestly wish to avoid clashing with my moody cousin days before the party. She could turn all that happy decoration into spiders and webs and make the menu consist of nothing but reptiles, venomous ones as a revenge.” Hanabusa iterated, shuddering at the impossible scenario he weaved in his head; with Ruka looking like a Medusa with gleaming eyes ready to take his life for some reason.

“Yeah… right” Ichiru shrugged, not really affected by his lover’s distress. “Well… While the last batch is being loaded in the trunk, I am going to try this last one here.” He turned on his heel, leaving a groaning husband-to-be and a still lost brother who had yet to grasp the situation fully.

“Zero… help me out here!!!” Hanabusa begged

The unusual tone spooked the hunter, but he pitied the vampire nonetheless.

Zero heaved in exasperation, “You owe me!” He pointed a finger at Hanabusa.

“Whatever you want?” The blonde vampire perked up. He might have been together with his partner for over a decade, but there was still so many parts of Ichiru that rendered him hopeless, in a good way more than in a bad way.

“Oi! Ichiru!” Zero called out.

“What?” Ichiru chirped, slowly landing again with a look that showed how proud he was to do it perfectly.

With a thumb pointing to the carriers of the documents, Zero asked sarcastically, “What’s up with the rabbit?”

Ichiru’s face lit up, “Oh! That stuffed toy always sat on my bed. I guess it was our favorite… Though I don’t quite remember it.” he squinted his eyes, pondering about the object.

“Is that so?” Zero wondered, faking surprise, “...and here I use to believe that you hated that toy.”

Ichiru blinked a few times, frowning at the devious look on Zero’s face.

“I thought that it originally belonged to Kaito and you saw it at Sensei’s place as a kind and took it.” Ichiru’s eyes twitched as the memory started coming back, “Years later, Kaito found it and reminded you while bullying you by picking off its eyes. You struggled to stitch back one of them but lost the other… Poor mom, she kept trying out other buttons to fix it but you removed each one because ‘it did not match’ “ Zero finished with a dramatic sigh, winking at Hanabusa who was the only confused person in the group.

The noble vampire felt a chill down his spine all of a sudden, heavy silence spread as Ichiru looked down, bangs hiding his face. His lips suddenly curved in a sideway smile, “hoo… I completely forgot about that” a silver eyebrow twitched visibly, “He sure never held back on ruining things that I enjoy… To begin with, it was thrown in the storage room in Sensei’s house at the time. I took it and then he had to screw with it when he found out that it became mine… Someone remind me why I did not erase him from existence yet?” Ichiru’s finger twitched in frustration while Zero barely held back his laughter. It was a little too late for him to mention that Kaito had the habit of bullying the ones he cared about the most. _It would not be wise to mention it now of all times, since Ichiru sees to never have noticed it!_

Zero’s musing was interrupted with a gasp from behind him and a scared yelp coming from his brother. Amethyst eyes widened at the sight of growing flames sprouting from Ichiru’s finger before disappearing as soon as his twin’s eyes returned back to normal, but shakenly scared, “What the heck was that” Ichiru breathed out. Hanabusa quickly walked up to him and clasped their hands together, examining his fingers for any trace of burns. Zero was right behind him when he finally snapped out of it.

Feeling a bit guilty again, Zero mumbled, “Sorry… it was a bad idea to rile you up like that.” he scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. Ichiru shook his head. His eyes were downcast as Hanabusa used his power to cool the reddish tip of his fingers, mumbling about drinking his blood later when they get back to fix it.

“It’s not your fault nii-san, I was too arrogant about using magic because I learned a couple of spells, and forgot that it is easily triggered if I lose my composure. You were not around during practice, so you would not have known, right?”

“But…” Zero shoved his hands in his jacket, wanting to apologize a little too eagerly for Ichiru’s liking. Even Hanabusa noticed it too. However, the younger twin met his brother’s eyes and they communicated the understanding about how far this apology was stretching. Ichiru quickly caught the hint that Zero was feeling bad about what he said earlier as well and kind of wanted to apologize all together. _What a weird person you are, Zero!_

With his hands finally free, he tapped none too gently on Zero’s shoulders as he commanded with a haughty tone, “It’s fine already! Besides, it is good that I start learning first so that I bully and torture you all I want later when I mentor you about the Wiccan ways.” Ichiru shrugged and Zero quirked an amused eyebrow, “And that is a promise, not a joke. Think of it as my revenge for all the tough time you gave me over the years, niiii-san” Ichiru drawled, making his twin understand the dire predicament he will be getting himself in soon.

“Shall we go home?” Ichiru finally chirped, hooking an arm about his relieved lover and dragging Zero with the other hand.

 

They were by their respective cars when Zero remembered something, “Where will you be later?”

Ichiru looked at Hanabusa and then back at his brother, “Later today? I think we will spend most of the time on campus since Ruka will be putting the final touches to the celebration area and various other stuff that she needs to discuss with us.”

“Good!” Zero nodded, “See you later!” then drove off away from them.

“What was that?” Hanabusa pondered, and Ichiru shrugged, “No idea!”

 

Hours later, the couple found themselves lying on the floor of the living room in the house of the chairman. Ichiru was clutching his stomach, for it hurt from too much laughing. Kaito, who was back already, simply face palmed himself, and Yuuki was beet red and sputtering in effort to utter few words of consolation for her adoptive brother who stood in the middle, pissed and humiliated.

“It does not look that bad…” She finally managed it.

“You look fabulous!” Hanabusa chirped sarcastically with a thumb up to exaggerate it.

“Oh nii-san pffft…” Ichiru was still unable to express himself,

Zero fixed him with a glare, but Ichiru pointed a finger as if asking for a time out, “I am afraid you are going to steal the spotlight from us with this fabulous look here.” he stated and howled yet again, laughing harder.

“You look ridiculous.” Kaito grunted, tapping the pack to get a cigarette as he left the room for a smoke.

“At least, someone was honest enough.” Zero grumbled as he took off the oversized suit jacket. Cursing everything for the stupid idea that they would be kind enough to offer help adjusting the piece of clothing he took so long choosing for the occasion that mattered the most for his brother.

“What is it? What is it? Things seem lively here?” A cheerful Cross Kaien made a dramatic entry with Yagari right behind him.

“Fuck!” Zero groaned.

“Zero was trying the outfit he was planning to wear for Ichiru’s wedding.” Kaito stated, as he reentered the room.

“That?” Yagari sized his student carefully, taking in the oversized pants that Zero was holding up with one hand while the other held the jacket. Toga took his time observing how the baggy shirt crinkled at places he never deemed it possible, “Did you get the wrong size kid?” He finally asked.

“Fuck you all, jerks!” Zero yelled in frustration, “In case you turned blind, I have a child growing inside me and my bump is getting huge. Now if you want me to attend this wedding, you better get your shit together and help me fix this outfit in a way that would not make me look too pregnant, or else I am not showing my face. And no, that is not a joke this time you laughing bastard” he barked in Ichiru’s direction, “I just came here to ask about a discreet tailor who might do the job without running his mouth and you had to make me into a laughing stock just because I agreed to try it on to satisfy your curiosity.” His voice was turning whiny and his mood was a wreck in time with Kaname joining the crowd, which was when he finally let out a strangled cry of annoyance.

Of course. the male pureblood was surprised by the action and remained confused until Hanabusa summarized the situation promptly before leaving with him to take care of the business that Kaname had with him in the lab. Garnet orbs met Amethyst eyes for a moment as he was leaving.

“Don’t give me that look as if you are having too much fun watching me wallow in the misery of dealing with them!” Zero protested.

“I fail to see what you are referring to.” Kaname answered before waving a hand goodbye, leaving Zero huffing and puffing while collecting the jacket he threw out of frustration.

“How did you notice that he was amused at all? He has been so gloomy lately.” Yuuki chuckled, astonishment laced in her voice.

“He was?” Ichiru tilted his head, “I did not notice his expression changing at all…” He gave his brother a confused look.

“Who cares...? I am out of here…” Zero turned around with his back facing them so that they do not notice to pink hue adorning his cheeks. He was about to disappear into the room to change out of the clothes when Cross Kaien came rushing back from the kitchen and calling out to him, “Zero~ Waaaait…. I need to take measurements!”

“What?” The same word came out instantly from Zero’s, Ichiru’s and Yuuki’s mouths, with the same amount of horror.

“Don’t worry Kiddo, I will be holding my rifle gun to his head so no frill or pinks get in the way, but I can vouch that he can fix that… well… burlap sac of yours.” Yagari grunted as he grabbed Zero’s shoulder and held him still while Cross started wrapping the measuring tape around his bump and smiling at the number, he found.

“I completely forgot that father had a knack for this stuff, despite many other mishaps.” Yuuki spoke cheerfully, making her father whimper at the indirect insult.

With pins trapped between his lips while a hand held a threaded needle, the former vampire hunter worked fast on his overly anxious son.

“I did not know about it!” Zero expressed his astonishment.

“Who is it that you thought fixed your clothes before?” Cross chirped while lifting Zero’s arms, and asking him to keep them up that way.

“Yuu- that tickles! I meant to say Yuuki. She was always the one bringing them back… Fixed and all”

“There is no way that would happen!” Yuuki laughed sheepishly, “I never managed to sew a single stitch without pricking myself.”

“Done!” Cross Kaien declared triumphantly, “You have to praise me for the good job this one time!” He grabbed Zero’s shoulders and turned him around to look at the standing mirror that Yagari brought out.

Zero’s eyes widened for a moment.

“This is still the fitting stage though, I still have to remove that extra fabric and tuck this and well… One thing for sure is that you chose a nice color and fabric…” The ex-hunter could not stop chattering about what he will do, reassuring Zero many times that he will not include any of his creativity after getting a glare from his lover about adding something to the sleeves. Despite not saying it out loud, the atmosphere brought a lot of memory to the two older men, especially about a certain mother of the twin who used to pick fights with Cross after asking him to make her new outfits for the twins during the tough times when they were on the run. Sakura was never one for flashy and colorful and it showed in the style of both her sons. Yagari always had to act as a medium between the two opposite personalities, and it was nothing short of migraine inducing.

“It is going to turn out better than I expected.” Zero whispered the words while locking eyes with his adoptive father. He was truly impressed by how he managed to make a piece that had no shape over his body fit so snugly in a matter of minutes, and in the exact way he wanted it to fit.

“I am glad that you think so…” Cross had to hold back from dramatically reacting because of the cute blush on Zero’s face, “Now let’s go get you out of it so that you get some rest while I fix it.” He guided his son toward the guest room before sending him up to his room as soon as he changed.

Zero did not object as he was starting to have sore feet and aching back from overdoing it with the shopping and extra activities during the day. He enjoyed spending the rest of the day sleeping in his bed.

Later that night, the sleeping ex-human stirred at a tickling sensation against his nose, a slightly cool touch followed by a soft giggle that quieted down with a hush that sounded a little far. Zero could feel the bed dipping slightly and various presence in the slightly dim room.

His waking groan elicited a gasp from the one disturbing his sleep.

“Sssshhhh… he is waking up… Let’s go…” A masculine voice whispered.

“But I want to show him Kiba-chan~” A childish voice resonated in time with the weight lifting from the bed.

“Later… I am sure that he will be happy to know that you wanted to him to see them first.” The adult reassured while a meowing sound finally snapped Zero out of his daze.

Opening his eyes slowly, the first sight greeting his blurry vision was a couple of triangles twitching uncontrollably. Blinking a few times and shifting to see what exactly laid on his pillow next to his head. _Great! Now I am dreaming of the kitten that Keiichi was doing the photoshoot while holding it! Keiichi? Wasn’t that his voice I was hearing and the other is-_

Zero finally snapped awake and opening his eyes wider when the cat touch his cheek with the wet cold nose. Lifting his head slowly, he called out in a disbelieving voice, “Keiichi?”

Since he was having his back to the presences in the room, he managed to hear the shuffling and the small feet running around his bed as the young vampire with fiery red hair climbed the bed with the brightest smile, “Zero! Good morning! Err… I mean… Good evening!”

“Good evening to you too!” Zero answered lazily as he hugged the small boy while taking care not to squish the kitten that Keiichi held in his arms by then, “Welcome back! How was the trip? Boring?” Zero teased as he brushed away a stray curl from the big eyes staring at him with millions of stories ready to be told.

“Nuhuh~” Keiichi chirped happily, nuzzling the small furry animal, “It was fun, because mom gave me okay to keep Kiba-chan!” he explained excitedly as he shoved the kitten against Zero’s chest.

Zero did his best not to wince as the little paws pressed against his sore chest. It would be difficult to explain if Keiichi worried and wanted an explanation as to what hurt him. He finally sat on the bed, switched the lamp and took the little fur ball delicately in his hand after sparing a glance to the man standing in the shadows. “Kiba-chan, huh?” Zero smiled when he saw the small canine tooth poking from the small mouth of the longhaired dark gray kitten.

“Uhm!” Keiichi nodded excitedly as he patted the head of the small obedient kitten, “The vetewenary told me that he is called Maine coon and he will grow reaaaaaally big if I give him a lot, lots of love!”

“Oh! Really~” Zero acted impressed, but he was partly amused and intrigued by the fearless pet who asked for chin rub and purring like a truck despite being in a room full of vampires. Apart from White Lily, Zero never had any animal approach him without reacting to his vampire nature. He looked at the interaction between the child and the kitten, and reminisced about the time he took care of the newly born white horse. “He is going to be your best friend then.” Zero ruffled the soft hair of the child who kept telling him the story about how he managed to convince Rima to take him back and keep him. Keiichi paused for a moment, looking down intently at the cat curling on is lap to sleep, and then back up at Zero’s eyes with a stern expression that surprised him.

“Hmm?” Zero hummed, urging him to speak his mind.

Keiichi shook his head, “you’re wrong Zero! Friend, I can have only one best friend. Kiba is my companion not best friend”

Amethyst eyes widened a little before narrowing again as he failed to fully understand, he asked out of curiosity, trying to sound as serious as the child seemed to be, “Does that mean that you already have a best friend?”

“Keiichi!!!” Rima’s voice calling from downstairs startled them “We need to leave!”

The red haired child answered her back, and immediately proceeded to tuck the sleeping cat into his carry case. Keiichi stopped his frantic movement for one last statement “My number one and only best friend is Zero and no one else. Bye Bye!”

The words echoed for a brief moment in Zero’s head, leaving him unable to explain whether his chest tightened from the bittersweet revelation, or the painful truth that Keiichi will only ever see him as a ‘uncle’ or a best friend for the rest of his life. Nonetheless, he will not deny the happiness from being granted a special place in his heart.

Composing himself, Zero let out a soft exhale and threw his feet down to the floor while checking his phone for the time. He looked at the tall figure of the man who was partly visible from the light of the bedside lamp, “And… What brings you here?” Kaname was silent for a moment, as if observing Zero, which made the hunter a little uncomfortable. Just like Zero learned to read Kaname’s blank expression, he was worried that the pureblood may have learned to discern the various emotions that he tried so hard to hide.

  

The rich smooth voice broke the silence of the room, “I came to hand some papers to Yagari-san, but I noticed Keiichi sneaking upstairs while the others were chatting in the living room. When I found Cross-san, he informed that Yagari-san left a while ago and that he would relay the documents to you once you wake up and come down later. I merely put the bits together and figured that Keiichi might be interrupting your nap so…”

“You did not have to worry about such a thing…” Zero tried to answer as politely as possible. As much as he appreciated the gesture, he was holding back the urge to snap at the brunet who kept following him all day during his shopping trip as well as the visit to the parent’s house and such. “Crows are rather discreet, but having a dog follow me around in the shopping district was just plain annoying, you do realize that.” Zero could not help it.

“I made sure that it looked cute enough and wearing a collar though.” Kaname teased

“That is beside the point!” Zero complained as he shot his deadliest glare in direction of the man approaching his bed, and currently sitting next to him.

“I did say that I will be watching over you, closely, until we confirm that there is no danger lurking around you…” Kaname adopted a serious tone that prevented any retort, “I did respect your privacy by keeping the crows outside your residence. Choosing a dog as familiar would be a better shield in case you were attacked in an isolated part of the shopping district. At least, it would buy me enough time to come assist you.”

“I can defend myself just fine!” Zero snapped, communicating once again that he hated the thought of needing protection.

Sighing as he opened the folder he was holding, Kaname spoke in a monotone voice, “That is why I said assist, not rescue…”

“Whatever… You are not going to stop even if I were to beg, which would never happen.” Kaname detected a hint of amusement in Zero’s voice, which brought him great comfort. Despite everything, he did not to stress Zero out by being overbearing.

“What’s that?” Zero peered, “Oh… Are those the documents you wanted to give to Sensei?”

Kaname nodded as he took out a paper that seemed like a statistical report, “It would be forwarded to you anyway, so you might as well have a look.” Kaname was smiling and Zero could not get more curious from the action.

Wine orbs twinkled with amusement and adoration simultaneously when Amethyst eyes all but sparkled in cheer happiness. Kaname leaned and pointed to a column that he assumed Zero fixated on, “It has been barely three weeks since your paging system was implemented and the rate of successful rescue, back up and mission success rose considerably.” Kaname was obviously using Keiichi as an excuse to be able to be the one to announce the good news to Zero.

After Takuma’s incident, Zero mobilized his best technician and engineers to make enough of the small switch devices and connect them around a network that will prevent the enemy from delivering a low blow like the one that happened with the emerald-eyed vampire.

“Incredible!” Zero breathed out as he snatched the rest of the papers from Kaname’s hand to sprawl them under the lamp light. He frowned at one specific report.

Kaname understood the concern, “That one was quite unfortunate, but the casualties were not as bad as it could have been-”

“Yeah, but this means that they might attempt this as a trap to lure hunters and vampires using these devices.” Zero interrupted him. The mission may have stated that the enemy found the switch by accident and was the one to push the switch, thus bringing more back up members to the attack location; Zero grew familiar with the cunning side of these lurking shadows and could predict that they might turn the tables on them if they figured it out.

“Well… You did say that you were working on a fingerprint recognition option for this.” Kaname tried to keep the positivity going.

“Yeah, but it will take a while for it to be finished and shipping that large quantity is going to be troublesome. I am already having a tough time keeping Allen out of this, and it is going to be a pain to explain why I will need him to take care of the export- wait… You can!” Zero snapped his head suddenly, his eyes meeting Kaname’s at a close distance.

“Pardon?” Kaname was confused.

“Your private Jet. I know that you have favors with most of the governments around the world. Please tell me that we can ship it that way?” Zero explained excitedly.

Kaname thought about it for a moment and nodded, “I will have to consult with Ichijou, since he has been in charge of the international affairs of the Kuran group the longest, but I believe it doable.”

“How is he doing?” Zero’s voice laced with worry at the mention of the noble vampire.

“Much better. I believe that he is planning to show up at Aido’s party.” Kaname reassured

“That is good to know. Oh! I already notified Wakaba-san to select the best guarding squad for him so that we can avoid a second attack. Though, I doubt that they would target him again, more like hoping they would not.” Zero muttered under his breath.

“That would be very helpful.” Kaname was grateful for the decision.

“Figures, with you having you hands full stalking me everywhere I go.” Zero pouted, “Just keep me updated about when he will be leaving that hellhole he had been cooped in.”  

Kaname chuckled, “You absolutely loath the Ichijou clan, don’t you?”

“Yea… Nothing is going to change that. It was hard enough not to shoot that uncle of his each time he opened his mouth to speak.”

“Scary” Kaname whistled. He grew silent when Zero stared at him for a while, “What?”

“Shouldn’t you hate them as well?” Zero asked cautiously.

“Huh?”

The violet orbs averted his confused gaze as Zero mumbled, “I heard about it. That night where Seiren and her sister were mere children offered to you as a sacrifice in exchange for your blood…” Kaname tensed, “and how you tried to help but ended up doing the one thing that you did not want to do… I would have erased the entire clan the first chance I got if I were you...”

The memory brought great discomfort for Kaname, but Zero looked more uncomfortable bringing it up as he faked being busy looking at an upside down paper while waiting for an answer. Kaname raised his hand and hovered it over the unsuspecting silver head.

Amethyst eyes widened when he felt the weight of the hand as it started ruffling his hair. “What’s the big idea?” He swatted it away, his reactions ever so snappy.

“You looked like you wanted to be comforted…” Kaname shrugged.

“I do not! It just pissed me off how pureblood kids were so exploited to the point they grow into the nutcases, which we have to hunt down eventually.” Zero regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. He soon alleviated it when Kaname did not respond, “That is why I will make sure that Ai never has to go through such thing.”

The last statement took Kaname by surprise, “Ai? Not your child?”

“Yes Ai! She is the pureblood here not him.” Zero stated in a flat tone

“You forgot that she is _my_ daughter....” Kaname smiled.

“She is also _my_ niece.” Zero insisted.

There was a long pause before they both burst laughing at the silly argument.

“Well… I doubt she would experience any of what I had to go through seeing that she is Yuuki’s daughter, and I am referring to the _Cross_ Yuuki before The _Kuran_ Yuuki.” Kaname spoke fondly.

“Hmm?” Zero pondered, “I guess I agree with you on that.”

Standing, Kaname patted Zero’s head one more time, “I am sure that both of them,” Kaname glanced at Zero’s bump, “will grow into happy children because of that.”

“Uhm…” Zero nodded as he watched his back going further away, and disappearing behind closed door. He raised his hand and placed it on the spot that Kaname was patting, a wistful look haunting his face…

Barely a minute later, had Ichiru barged in the room, surprised to see all the scattered papers and scribbles while he expected to torture a sleepy Zero into waking up.

Upon getting an idea of what they were all about, it triggered a thought.

“Oh! Now that I think about it…” The younger twin spoke as he reorganized the paper while his brother changed out of his pajamas, “I almost used the switch today.”

Zero stopped midday of buttoning his shirt and turned fast to face his brother with a shocked expression, “What?”

Ichiru tampered down the fury of his brother and started explaining, “It came down to nothing in the end. I was probably a little paranoid with the place, mood and all… Still, I met this rather strange person today over _there…”_

Upon telling the end of the story, Zero all but collapsed from weak knees and a bad case of migraine, “Ichiru…” He growled, looking at his brother from under long lashes, with a murderous glare, “Push the fucking button next time! That was the very same person we have been looking for days now, THE Rosa.”

“Eh? But-”

“NO BUTS” Zero scolded and slammed the door, leaving Ichiru alone in the room, blinking away the confusion.

_I swear! Every single one of them is hell bent on stressing the hell out of me with their stupidity._

 

 

**A/N: You know the drill guys, comment are hightly appreciated.**

**I know that I was supposed to post this days ago according to my facebook post but I had issue uploading anything at all. By the way, the request offer from there is still standing.**

**And~ Because I had an extra two days in my hand and request for more Keiichi/Zero moments, I added that part as my little apology for the HUGE delay**

**Thank you for being the awesome reader you always are, love ya all!**

**I will be getting back to the shout out and pm reply starting this week because I have been slacking off too much and I honestly miss communicating with you guys ;)**

**See ya next chapter XD**


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